JP/17/FORD
JP/17/FORD
Space for everyone in the new Ford Everest
Nitza Arbi and Zatni Arbi
Contributor/Jakarta
Like most other Asians, we Indonesians are well known for the
cohesiveness of our extended families. We always stick together.
The good thing is that we always have people to provide us with
support in times of trial and adversity. The downside is that the
social cost is quite high.
When it comes to choosing our family car, the preponderance of
the extended family becomes quite obvious. Most of us will look
for cars that can carry as many people as possible. Sometimes we
even try to beat the odds by choosing an ultra-cramped seven-
seater with a very small engine.
The Everest is Ford's answer to the problem. This is quite a
behemoth seven seater-eight seater, if three children do not mind
sharing the back bench seat.
Although the advantage of a diesel engine over its petrol
counterpart has diminished since the government adjusted the
price of diesel a couple of years back, Ford has chosen a 2,500
cc, 110 horsepower turbo diesel engine with intercooler for this
family hauler.
Ford Everest is built on the platform of the immensely popular
Ranger light trucks. That is why its total length is almost five
meters. While we are enamored by the macho look in the front, the
rear end with its high rear lights and roof spoiler looks much
too soft to us. This combination makes us think we are seeing two
different personalities in one car.
The rear tailgate also opens to the right and the spare tire
is mounted on the rear door. While these features do not exactly
delight us, Ford adds a crude, non gas-filled door stopper to
ensure us that the door will not slam on our back when we are
standing behind it.
Our first suggestion to Everest designers would be to put the
spare tire inside, under the cargo floor, and move the door
hinges to the top.
Except for these subjective gripes, we actually like the car's
overall design. The ground clearance is terrific, all four doors
open wide and they close easily. The bumpers are menacing enough
to remind bajaj or minibus drivers that they had better be extra
careful. The step board makes getting in and out easy.
Ford Motor Indonesia (FMI), which is now fully owned by the
Ford Motor Company, was kind enough to let us test drive the top
model of their Everest, which was the Rp 332.8 million Limited.
It has an all-leather trim and a Pioneer CD changer cum MP3
player cum radio that puts my home stereo to shame.
It also features a two-tone body and four by four capability.
By the way, the sound system has a remote control, and even a
pair of tweeter speakers that are integrated in the A-pillar. The
audio quality is simply outstanding.
What would be the use of a superb audio system if the cabin
was noisy? Again, Ford has done a great job in shielding
passengers from engine noise, road noise and traffic noise. At
least inside the Limited model the cabin is very quiet.
Ford Everest, which is sold mainly in Asia, comes in three
main types. The low-end is the Rp 218.8 million, four by two XLT
model with manual transmission and cloth upholstery.
A little bit up, there is the Rp 244 million XLT model with an
automatic transmission and cloth upholstery. Four by four is an
option across all models, but the Limited only comes with
automatic transmission.
As it was such a long vehicle, we had no reason to complain
about leg space. There is plenty of it. Ford has designed the
rows of seats like a theater, so that even the people sitting in
the third row can enjoy an unobstructed view of the road ahead.
Headroom is also plentiful, even for the unfortunate ones who
have to take the third row.
The unfortunate? Yes, because the floor is so high back there
that third row passengers basically have to sit with their feet
higher than their stomachs. To add to their suffering, there are
no headrests in the third row, as more headrests would block the
driver's rear view.
So, the second recommendation for the next generation of
Everest would be to lower the floor panel right behind the middle
row.
It would also be nicer if the driver's seat, which is
otherwise very supportive, was height-adjustable so that
Indonesians of an average height, could still see the leading
edge of the hood. A larger footrest for the left foot in the
automatic gear model would be much appreciated, too.
There are plenty of electronic features. The backup sensor
beeps noisily each time you reverse, but certainly assists the
driver.
Talk about comfort, the world's number one truck maker has
certainly accomplished what had seemed impossible with Everest.
They tuned the suspension and made it a very comfortable
passenger car, despite its tough look.
The rear axle is still connected to the chassis by leaf
springs, but, honestly, even those who sat in the third row did
not feel weary after our one-hour trip from Jakarta to Bogor.
Even a day trip did not bore those participating in our test
drive.
Besides the platform, Everest also shares Ranger's engine and
powertrain. When we first opened the hood, the truck's legacy was
obvious. Pipes and cables were everywhere. This is another area
that Ford may want to improve. Other cars have these pipes and
cables more neatly arranged and discreetly covered.
Surprisingly, the engine sound when the hood is lifted is
still very civilized.
Its look aside, the engine is a potent one. During our test
drive, it never hesitated, even when pushed very hard. If you
keep the RPM above the 2000 mark, you will certainly enjoy the
power boost from the intercooled turbocharger.
We had no problem overtaking other cars when traveling on the
Jagorawi toll road, although we wished the automatic transmission
would not change to a lower gear as often as it did when we
floored the throttle.
Like driving the other tall SUVs, however, you should avoid
abrupt lane change -- a dangerous habit that many of our drivers
seem to be so reluctant to abandon.
Despite the powerful engine, fuel consumption is still very
acceptable for a vehicle of this size. We did not run a formal
test, as fuel economy depends on too many variables. Suffice to
say, we filled the tank with Rp 60,000 worth of diesel fuel,
which got us to Bogor, Bukit Sentul and back to Jakarta -- with
still enough fuel in the tank for another day of city trips.
Everest's safety features include two air bags for the driver
and the front passenger, three-point seat belts for every
passenger and an Antilock Brake System (ABS). The rear brakes
still use the drums, but we found the car's capability to stop in
time to be very reliable.
Everest's turning circle is amazingly small for its size, and
the power steering gives sufficient feedback to the driver.
There is no question about it, Everest is in a class of its
own. It is bigger and more spacious than the Isuzu Panther, its
closest competitor. Its comfort is on a par with the Kijang
Krista, but it has a lot more going for it.
At the same time, Everest can also serve as an economical
workhorse, as long as you have a driver to find the parking space
for it while you go about your work.