2025 Ford Everest Wildtrak 4×4: To be the best

With its fetching Absolute Black paintjob and blacked-out trim, the Everest Wildtrak 4x4 counts on neat little details for contrast.

Calling something “the best” is often a product of our own preferences.

For instance, my favorite fastfood chain is Subway because I can choose what ingredients to put into my sandwich (especially the vegetables and cheese), thus eliminating the possibility of greasy meat and nasty condiments getting into my brunch. But if you ask my friends, they would rather eat elsewhere.

However, there are people or things with attributes so truly exemplary that they achieve mass appeal or accolade – the late Whitney Houston, despite her troubled personal life, possessed a talent so immense that she not only gained the admiration of her peers, but also a cemented a singing legacy that continues to spawn endless imitators.

And then there’s the Ford Everest – the top-spec Titanium+ 4×4 cornered a massive 40-percent market share of the midsize, 4×4, sport-utility-vehicle (SUV) segment in 2025, easily beating out antiquated rivals like the Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Montero Sport and Nissan Terra.

To find out why so many have flocked to the Blue Oval’s big 4×4, we tried out the sportier Everest Wildtrak 4×4.

Subdued toughness

While Japanese rivals tend to tack on nasty decals and ill-suited accessories to their top-of-the-line SUVs, the Ford lets its handsome styling do all the work.

With its fetching Absolute Black paintjob and blacked-out trim, the Everest Wildtrak 4×4 counts on neat little details for contrast – these include the silver roof rails and lower-bumper trim, as well as the two-tone, 20-inch alloy wheels. The large LED headlights feature C-shaped, daytime-running lights, while the LED taillights glint like rubies in a sea of black.

The relatively frill-free exterior is a refreshing change to the monstrosities that many 4×4 SUVs have become – this sandwich doesn’t need any condiments to tell people that it’s good.

Advanced cabin

But where the Everest Wildtrak 4×4 really pummels its rivals into submission is its modern and well-appointed interior.

For starters, you get plush, black leather upholstery, orange contrast stitching and soft-touch materials on the dashboard and door cards. There’s also the 12-inch digital gauge cluster and the fabulous, 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – the latter is easy to navigate and offers a clear view of the 360-degree camera.

Combine all these niceties with dedicated knobs and buttons for the powerful dual-zone climate control system, along with electrically adjustable front seats, a panoramic moonroof and power-folding, third-row seats and you get a 4×4 SUV that easily makes its rivals look and feel at least 15 years older.

However, cargo space is only average with the third row up, while space in the rearmost perches isn’t class-leading, either.

Where the Everest Wildtrak 4×4 really pummels its rivals into submission is its modern and well-appointed interior.

Superior drivability

But what is absolutely class-leading is the way that the Everest Wildtrak 4×4 drives.

This is thanks to the excellent suspension and frame reinforcement that almost completely eliminates the jiggling that you get in the vast majority of ladder-frame vehicles – in fact, this big Ford rides better than even some unibody crossovers and vans. Combine all this with the impressive soundproofing and you get unparalleled comfort from a 4×4 SUV.

Other things that make the Everest Wildtrak 4×4 a pleasure to use include the light electric power-steering system (which could do with more feel) and the powerful brakes (which are controlled by a spongy pedal).

And then there’s the Ford’s party piece – a twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 diesel engine that pumps out 207 horsepower and 500 Newton-meters of torque. This powerhouse is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission for a match made in heaven.

Whether you drive slowly or spiritedly, the Everest Wildtrak 4×4 is ready for whatever you throw at it, no matter the surface. And if you’re gentle on the throttle, you can do 9 to 12 kilometers per liter in the city and 16 to 19 kilometers per liter on the expressway, which are numbers that its turbodiesel rivals could only dream of.

Finally, this big Ford comes with a full advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) with convenient and life-saving features like Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning & Lane Keeping Aid and Blind-Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert & Braking.

Undeniable excellence

At P2,640,000, the 2026 Ford Everest Wildtrak 4×4 (and its plusher Titanium+ 4×4 sibling) represents the best in midsize 4×4 SUV technology, as of press time.

It is leaps and bounds ahead of the P2,559,000 Toyota Fortuner LTD 4×4, the P2,530,000 Mitsubishi Montero Sport Black Series 4WD and the P2,469,000 Nissan Terra Sport 4×4. And although the P2,888,000 Kia Sorento SX AWD Turbo Hybrid offers better space, refinement, performance and fuel economy, it doesn’t have the same mettle over the rough stuff.

The Ford may cost more than offerings from Japan, but given that its exceptional qualities are backed up by stellar sales figures, it seems that Filipinos don’t mind paying the premium. This is, perhaps, the best perk of being the best.