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Twist the steering and you’ll realize what the fuss is all about. It doesn’t feel like a flimsy AUV. Sure, its got body roll, but it turns like how a man with hair on his chest would: with masculine determination and poise. It’s controllable and easy to get used too. Steering’s a bit vague, but have you met an AUV that isn’t. The Everest’s ride is well sorted out too, despite its not-so comfortable origins. Gone is the dental-filling shaking ride and in come a well-balanced, but still a bit bouncy ride. The second-row theatre seating also lessen the chances of having motion sick passengers. The rest of the package is well rounded with your usual safety features and creature comforts. Sadly, I didn’t get to try the four-wheel drive system. Still, if its Ranger floor pan can conquer Mt. Pinatubo, it can surely deliver. Spending 15 minutes with the Everest isn’t enough for a full evaluation. Is it a vehicle that’s uniquely new to our market? Yes, definitely. It offers a brand-new segment where robust pick-ups are converted to ferry people. Its absolutely perfect, especially for Asian roads with large ruts and potholes the size of Nebraska. Is it worth the P1.21 million asking price? Errr...no. Sadly, it doesn’t feel like a million bucks behind the wheel. Probably it’s because of the rather bare trim. It probably needs some leather, a CD changer and perhaps some video entertainment, just don’t add a mic. Ford Escape The bright banana yellow is probably the least subtle color you can get your Escape with. Still, the extrovert behavior is perfect to show off its new found heart: a 3.0-liter V6 with 206 bhp and 276 Nm of torque. Forget the Nissan X-TRAIL; this one’s the SUV to beat. It’s like giving the car-based Escape a new lease in life. The lethargic 13.5 second 0-100 km/h time is reduced by 5 seconds—a time that puts it well into Honda Civic SiR territory. The 4-speed automatic easily finding useable torque, shifting as low as 2000 rpm during normal acceleration. |
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