I am always a fan of Ford Everest.

In fact, when I got married, my first serious purchase wasn't a house, a lot, or any kind of luxury items of jewelry. It was a 2011 Ford Everest 4×2 Limited Edition.

Armed with that classic SUV charm, a muscular build with a bad-ass external spare tire and a powerful engine that roars like a hungry wolf every time you accelerate, my Ford Everest has been serving me well.

The ruggedly handsome beast is still with me, still pounding the road of Southern Luzon Expressway as I go on those out-of-town drives, weekend family getaways and daily office grind.

In our more than a decade together, I never had any serious problem with it except, of course, the usual wear and tear like busted tail light, window malfunction, alternator and air-conditioning problem and conked-out cooling system.

Sure, I also have a 2019 Toyota Fortuner in my garage, but my Ford Everest will occupy a special place in my heart.

It will be my first and — hopefully, last — love.

But it seems that my perception of my old car is about to change.

Over the weekend, I got the chance to test the newest successor — the 2023 Ford Everest.

With a tougher, more angular design, prominent shoulder line and flared fenders, bolder grille and a C-clamp headlights that make your night vision bright as day, the all-new Ford Everest made me completely forget my love affair with my old car.

It's a beautiful monster that swept me off my feet.

Here's my take on the latest member of the Blue Oval family.

STYLING

Ford is an expert at making key upgrades.

When it launched the Everest in 2003, it came out with that boxy, wagon-style body with an external spare tire at the back to achieve that classy SUV look. It may fall under the midsize SUV segment, but it looks and feels like an American truck. That's how macho it is.

Then, realizing that there was also a growing market to address, Ford decided to come up with some tweaks in 2015.

The succeeding model of Ford Everest decided to stop acting like a covered Ford Ranger. The American carmaker finally let go of its boxy, wagon-style body and external spare tire at the back and replaced it with a sexier chunky octagonal chrome front grille flanked by edgy headlights and strong character lines along its sides.

Sure, it's still imposing with those 20-inch six-spoke alloy wheels, but I can say it became softer and more utilitarian-looking that will not intimidate even the growing market of sports enthusiasts and lady drivers.

Now comes the all-new Ford Everest.

With just one look, I can say that the latest model is a combination of its two older brothers — only meaner, badder and better.

Compared to the previous generations, Ford maintained the macho look of the all-new Everest by making it slightly longer and taller, similar to full-size SUVs like Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol or Ford Expedition.

But the most noticeable change is its width as it gives the all-new Everest an imposing presence on the road while giving its passengers more legroom to move around, which I will touch on later.

Sure, it will be a challenge parking in tight spots, but having an almost two-meter width is a major blessing, especially if your car is equipped with a handful of sensors and cameras.

Just like its cousin — Ford Ranger — the new generation of the Everest also has C-clamp daytime running lamps that blend perfectly well with its commanding grille and inverted L-shaped LED tail lights that give its rear end a sporty look and muscular stance.

I have a penchant for touches of chrome as they add character to the body.

While others would want sporty colors like black, blue, or gray to achieve a nice contrast with its blacked-out grille, badges, side mirrors, door handles and 20-inch wheels, I prefer to have a white body for a sleeker, cleaner look.

White and chrome? For me, it's perfect.

INTERIOR

Ford has been marketing the all-new Everest as being tough on the outside, and sanctuary on the inside.

Well, that's true. The interior of the all-new Everest, especially its Titanium 4×4 variant, is truly impressive.

Hop on board and you will be greeted by a luxurious, modern-looking cabin that has very few buttons and more screens which are perfect for tech-savvy drivers who want to stay awake during those long drives.

The best thing is that it has a massive, 12-inch touchscreen that is very easy to navigate.

The interior materials are all top-of-the-line which gives you a premium-like cabin feel. There is also a leather padded armrest and a spacious glove box that has the same kind of material for overall driving comfort.

I had a blast when I took it for a spin to Quezon Province as I had an easy time putting my wallet, coins, keys, mobile phone and other things in the cup holders that also act as storage space for small things. More space means less distraction and more driving pleasure.

It also has a leather-wrapped steering wheel with several buttons and audio controls. The driver's seat has a memory function that allows you to save your pre-seating position as well as the grip-type handle to make it easier to open the car from the inside.

More than that, the Titanium variant has a panoramic sunroof that lets me enjoy natural light during the day and drive under a canopy of stars at night. Truly impressive.

But the most important thing is its allotted space.

The seven-seater Ford Everest has generous legroom that can easily fit the entire family. It has a slide function to give enough legroom for third-row passengers as well as ceiling-mounted aircon vents for additional comfort.

Once folded, the third row can turn into a cargo space that can accommodate four to five pieces of luggage without any problem and can easily be opened and closed.

ENGINE PERFORMANCE

Branding the engine of the all-new Ford Everest powerful is an understatement.

Powered by a 2.0L bi-turbo Diesel 4 engine that has 154 kW of power (at 3750 rpm) and 500 Nm of torque (at 1750 rpm), stepping into the accelerator will make you feel like Dominic Torreto regardless of the amount of load.

I tried to floor the accelerator of the 4×4 variant that I tested in CALAX and I was surprised as it easily cleared the treacherous road with a deadly blend of power, refinement and a hint of being sporty that comes with easy handling. It's like driving a powerful sports car in an SUV body. Simply impressive.

The fuel consumption is also topnotch. I don't know if it's because the unit that I tested only has 11,000 kilometers on its mileage, but when I drove the Titanium variant to Quezon Province, I averaged 12 to 14 kilometers per liter depending on the amount of traffic and my driving habit.

It also has an 80-liter fuel tank that gave me the freedom to avoid gas stations that sell expensive diesel during my four-hour road trip.

RIDE AND HANDLING

As I've said earlier, Ford Everest's trademark is its rugged, macho outlook. With that, expect the ride to be quite rough and bumpy, especially in challenging terrains.

But not the latest model.

Despite sporting 20-inch wheels, riding the all-new Ford Everest is a breeze.

When I tried the Titanium variant, I was shocked when I experienced how smooth the ride was even on rough roads and challenging terrains. At one point, I failed to avoid a pothole in Candelaria, Quezon, but Everest easily overcame it without sacrificing the comfort of the passenger. With that, driving the Everest will be very safe as you don't have to worry about last-minute change of heart just to avoid bumps, humps and potholes of Metro Manila.

Compared to its older brothers that make you feel like driving a truck, steering the new Everest is also surprisingly light due to the presence of electric power steering.

The Titanium variant also comes with a 360-degree camera, the combination of the rear-view camera plus front and rear parking sensors to make it easier to maneuver even in tight parking spaces.

FEATURES

Now, this is something I've been longing to discuss.

When I tried the Titanium variant, I enjoyed its advanced infotainment system as it features Apple CarPlay and Android Audio. My four-hour drive from Nuvali to Quezon Province had never been dull.

But what sets Titanium 4×4 apart from other variants is its safety features like adaptive cruise control, parking assist, automatic emergency braking for front and rear, lane keep assist, evasive steer assist, and post-collision braking.

I have to admit: I nearly fell asleep when I tested the Titanium variant due to its light handling and smooth ride. But its lane keep assist feature kept me safe. Whenever the sensors detect an unusual driving pattern, it will keep the steering wheel straight which will force you to stay in your lane.

The parking assist also works like a charm.

My wife used the Titanium variant when dropping off our kids at school and she had an easy time parking as all the sensors did the work for her. It also has a 360-degree camera that helped her park in the tight spot of the De La Salle Integrated School in Laguna.

VERDICT

The all-new Ford Everest is truly impressive. It has a nice blend of luxury, safety, power and looks that is worth it for its price of around P2 million.

If you ask me if it's worth it, as a big Ford fan, I can say that it's worth every single centavo and the long line of waiting for the ordered unit to arrive.

The all-new Everest is truly one of a kind. And it's worth the hype.