Everyone wants to watch a blockbuster. From Star Wars to 300, it’s the easiest way to make two and a half hours of your life whizz by (that tub of heart-clogging popcorn may end it even sooner). But for every smash hit, there are probably a dozen duds, and not even the strongest marketing muscle could transform Catwoman to a Spider-man (sorry, Halle Berry—it was just terrible). On the other hand, there are some good movies that just fail to connect because, well, people are plain finicky. Movies like Shoot ‘Em Up were generally entertaining, but moviegoers simply didn’t ‘get’ it. Fortunately, these cinematic gems could find a captive audience on the HBO Channel. And it’s these times, when there’s nothing else on the tube that you begin to appreciate these overlooked movies.
Like a potential blockbuster turned HBO favorite instead, the Ford Everest suffers mostly from being passed over by the regular buyer. Even if it’s got the best script (drivetrain) and director (Ford’s tough SUV reputation), since it didn’t have pretty-boy Tom Cruise in it, it remained largely unnoticed. Inside and out, this is probably one of the most inoffensive vehicles on sale today—and that relegates it to play bridesmaid to Toyota’s Fortuner which actually looks macho and buff. Sure, the Everest’s got fat tires and all, but even with all the body cladding and two-tone paint it just doesn’t cut it for image conscious Filipinos. It’s like casting Susan Sarandon instead of Jessica Alba as Fantastic Four’s Invisible Woman. Sure, Sarandon’s won an Oscar, but you won’t line-up at your theaters to see her in a tight fitting jump suit.
Now, imagine if you did give Sarandon a chance to pass the auditions, you’ll surely be wooed by a wonderful performance she can deliver. And like a versatile award-winner, it’s in this aspect that the Everest wins, hands down. First is its practicality, where its three rows of seats offer ample space for all concerned (though the third row occupants don’t have headrests). It’s got dual front airbags, side impact airbags, anti-lock brakes with EBD and parking sensors making it the safest choice for raising a kid. Look up cabin’s ceiling and reveal at the aircraft style air vents—an often overlooked comfort feature, especially on long trips. There’s great attention paid to every detail of the interior from the choice of material: the matte wood and soft leather connote luxury; and even the way the second row flips and tumbles in one press are things found only in the Everest.
Watching a slam-bang action movie is made extra-special with the right THX sound, and similarly, the Ford Everest delivers on this end too. Twist the ignition and a silky smooth 3.0-liter DuraTORQ common rail diesel comes to life. It’s remarkably quiet, balanced and with 156 horsepower and 380 Nm of torque, never short of grunt. Slotting the gear selector to ‘D’ (the gear indicator is placed, oddly enough on the wrong side of the shifter), and gunning the accelerator delivers a 10,000-watt sub-woofer-like punch. It’s so torquey that overtaking is always a cinch and police escort bikes almost always fail to catch up. Modern man’s largely couch potato life means the five-speed automatic’s the one to have over the manual, and it’s a good one choice—fuss-free and adaptable to just about any driving style. There’s some shift shock when going between second and third gear, perhaps an indication that Ford still needs to tweak their systems a bit.
Steer the Everest and you’ll be treated to a taut and tight handler. It’s no Fast and the Furious dragster, but it still turns like how Vin Diesel should: with masculinity and poise. Each time you bring it into a corner, it simply just asks you to push harder. There’s no lack of confidence behind the driver’s seat, plus it’s comfortable and easy to adjust driving for, even if you’re accustomed to driving a plush sedan. The brakes bite well too, with a pedal that’s nicely modulated.
The Everest’s got more acting dimensions than Keanu Reeves—delivering worthy on-road performance with impeccable off-road ones. Four-wheel drive isn’t permanent (good for fuel economy), but it can be shifted on the fly via a rotary dial on the center console. And despite the Ranger pick-up origins, the ride’s well-balanced, neither sickeningly soft nor dental-filling shaking hard. As Goldilocks would put it: the ride feels just right.
As the second generation model to bear the name Everest, Ford should have had the upper hand in the pick-up based SUV market. Unfortunately, it wasn’t able to capitalize on the pioneering trend set by its forbearer. Though remarkably capable, comfortable, practical and easy to own, the P 1.590 million price tag would make you wish this SUV offered something much more unique and novel. Though it can easily trounce its rivals in drivetrain refinement, safety and performance, by sticking too much to a proven design formula, it managed to shoot itself on the foot. It’s like Superman Returns—a supposed revival of the Superman franchise, which ended up nodding too much to the 1980’s pseudo-classic. Fortunately for the Ford Everest, this is still one vehicle that’s easy to recommend to friends or family. As for Superman Returns, it’s a movie that remains unwatchable, even on HBO.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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