WORDS MATT RAUDONIKIS PICS ELLEN DEWART’S BEEN six months since our 2015
4X4 Of The Year test, where we judged
the Ford Everest Trend as the pick of
e season’s crop.
We haven’t seen much of the
stralian-designed and engineered
wagon since then, but we’ve remained
keen to spend some more time with
it and see how it performs over some
outback kilometres.
So when Ford Australia’s offer of a
three-month Everest loan coincided with
the annual Finke Desert Race in the
Northern Territory, we jumped at the
opportunity to seek out the red dust and
stunning sunsets.
The white Trend lobbed to our office
with 10,000km already on it, so it was
well and truly run in. The run to Alice
Springs for the Finke race was just days
away, so we sought out a set of more
durable tyres than the OE offering.
Fortunately for us, Cooper Tires had just
released a new size in its A/T^3 range:
265/60R18s. These are just right for the
Trend, with the added durability of Light
Truck construction and the traction of
an All-Terrain tread pattern. Some of
our writers have had great results with
the Cooper A/T^3 S, with unbelievable
mileage, so we were pretty sure they’d
suit the Everest without upsetting its
on-road ride and dynamics.
The on-road ride and refinement
had been instrumental in the Everest’s
success at 4X4OTY, and these traits were
still at the fore as we loaded it up with
camping kit and left Melbourne early on
a winter’s morning. The relaxed gait of
the five-cylinder diesel engine coupled
with the six-speed auto transmission
had the Ford cruising comfortably; we
were in a similar state as we rolled into
Mildura for breakfast.
Melbourne to Mildura is a relatively
tedious drive, but it was made easier
by the great driving position, dual-
zone climate control and quality sound
system. However, our re-acquaintance
with the Everest reminded us of a few
complaints we had with its interior
design. Firstly, the lack of reach
adjustment on the steering column
means that the tiller is too far away for
long-legged drivers. Secondly, the HVAC
controls are a poor design, with small
buttons positioned too low and in a
dark part of the centre console. It would
have been so much better if the volumeand tuning dials of the audio system
were located up higher in the centre
stack near the A/V screen; and the
temperature control dials, not buttons,
could go in the space vacated by them.
Our aim was to break the back of a
long drive and put as many kilometres
behind us as possible on the first day,
and it seemed like no time before we
rolled into Peterborough to enjoy a
couple of well-deserved coldies and a
country feed.
From Peterborough it was a long
morning’s drive before we grabbed
lunch at the historic Farina bakery. This
place is a must-see location, operating
among the ruins of the old township
just south of Marree. It was great to see
the work done by the volunteers here,
and we grabbed a pie from the age-old
underground oven.
Marree was the starting point for our
adventure drive along the old Ghan
Railway Line up to Alice Springs, which
you’ll read about in next month’s
magazine. The Oodnadatta Track had
just re-opened after a few days of rain
and we were anxious to see how the
Everest handled the outback roads.
Stay tuned.4X4OTY-WINNING EVEREST TREND JOINS OUR SHED.
PEAK PERFORMER
It didn’t take us long
at all to get the Everest
nice and dirty!
143kW/470Nm 3.2-litre
turbo-diesel is mated
to a six-speed auto.http://www.4X4australia.com.au 173t
WW
AAu
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kOut with the old and in
with the new. A/T tyres
are more our style.