A Ford 4Runner You Can't Buy in America: The Next Generation Everest SUV Debuts
Despite our love affair with pickup trucks, the Ford Ranger pickup that's currently on sale in North America actually wasn't originally designed with our market in mind.
It had been on sale in international markets for many years prior to Ford bringing it back to America for the 2019 market, and the next-generation international Ranger has already been unveiled ahead of our own version, which should arrive shortly after.
The Ranger SUV
But did you know the Ranger pickup isn't the only international model that uses this platform? For nearly 20 years now Ford has also sold a mid-sized, body-on-frame SUV called the Everest that is based on the Ranger platform. And it just debuted the redesigned third-generation model.
As you'd expect, it has a strong resemblance to the next-gen Ranger but with an SUV form factor, and compared to the outgoing model it has both a wider track and longer wheelbase.
Diesel or Gasoline
As for engine options, at launch, it will have two different turbodiesel options available, a 2.0L four-cylinder or a 3.0L V6.
On the gasoline side, the 2.3 EcoBoost four-cylinder that currently powers the North American Ranger will also be available. Transmissions are either six-speed or ten-speed automatics.
Depending on the market, the Everest is available with three different drivelines, a base rear-drive model, a part-time 4WD setup with a two-speed transfer case or a higher-end full-time 4WD setup with an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case.
The result is a mid-sized SUV that should be both roomy enough for a family and rugged enough to get through any type of terrain or cruise down poorly maintained roads in many different regions.
Will it Come to America?
So what are the chances of the Everest ever following the Ranger to the North American market? Quite low. For starters, Ford's lineup here is already stacked full of SUVs, including the recent addition of the Bronco Sport and the Explorer, which has a similar size but is less truck-like than the Everest.
But the biggest reason we probably won't see the Everest here is that the Ford Bronco already shares its underpinnings with the Ranger, and in four-door form could basically be seen as retro-styled, bolder take on the Everest.
With that said, there's no doubt plenty of buyers here who'd be interested in the Everest, because even with the vast number of SUVs on the market, mid-sized body-on-frame 4x4s are hard to come by, with the Toyota 4Runner easily being the most popular of the breed.
But with Ford already struggling to meet the demand for the trucks and SUVs it already offers in North America, adding yet another one to the mix doesn't seem feasible right now.
Never say never though.
More From Driving Line
- While it might be sad that the Everest won't be sold in America, the new 2023 Ranger Raptor is an international Ford that will be coming here soon as confirmed by Ford's CEO himself.
