SCALING THE EVEREST: Enjoy the view from the top driving Ford’s high-end SUV

Am not sure if it has something to do with age but every time I drive a nice car, memories of my very first car come rushing to my mind.

On Monday, Ford Philippines delivered the top-of-the-line 2024 Everest 2.0L Titanium 4X4 10AT for me to drive for four days and write about it.

It’s priced at P2.525 million. It’s not cheap. Especially when I compare it to my 1988 Mitsubishi Lancer GLX that I bought third-hand in 1996.

Now when you are a new car owner, everything is a fresh experience. It had manual transmission. No power steering, and certainly no power windows. But hey, I was a young sportswriter driving my own car. I was living the life.

The alloy mag wheels, 14-inch tires and detachable antenna were an improvement by the previous owner who sold it to me for P140,000.

It made me proud about myself. Gave me a sense of accomplishment. And at the same I felt that what I have in my hands is of great value.

I was a very cautious first-time driver. Seat was as close to the wheel as possible, the better to see the peripheral view for cars darting along intersections.

Good thing back then was there was hardly any motorcycle on the streets. And traffic was generally light.

But of course, it was an entirely different world.

The seat on the Ford Everest Titanium 4X4 10AT is high up from the street level. That alone tells you you’re above all else. If you have narcissistic personality disorder, you’d take it seriously.

It parks by itself, that’s one of the outstanding features, if you ask me. The console is all digital and the infotainment system is represented by an eye-catching touch-screen display like somebody put an iPad at the center.

Trimmings are ornate. Like the aircon vents echo the honeycomb design of the front grille (oh, we’re going there later).

Seats are in premium leather and those in front are controlled by switches to go up, down, forward and backward. It also has lumbar-support system to protect your spine on long drives. Even now with my trusty, old Toyota Vios, I only use pillows so I won’t get painful lower back.

It has all the fancy features of a high-end SUV. Power tail-gate. Doors unlock through a flap on its handles and save you a move or two. Power reclines for the back seats to accommodate larger trunk load. USB and type-C sockets, ambient lights, the whole shebang.

The sunroof moves all the way back and can be tilted open if you want to enjoy the scenery from off the roof.

Unfortunately, the short period the Ford Everest Titanium 4X4 10AT was with me I didn’t get a chance to drive farther than Makati. Nobody wants to see a middle-aged man popping his head up an SUV roof along EDSA.

Now the exterior reminds me most of my good old Lancer back then. Because of the macho, boxy shape.

The front of the Ford Everest Titanium 4X4 10AT looks like a 1970s robot: Sleek. Steadfast. Strong. The C-shaped headlights — which we see in just about every car these days — look very good on the already imposing façade.

It has “matrix” headlights and foglights that move like robotic googly eyes; and light up at the slightest hint of darkness. Now this is perfect when you wear sunglasses when driving. It saves you from panicking when you pass through underpass tunnels and suddenly can’t see anything.

The sides and back, squarish and with solid lines adorned by chrome accents, all speak of a classy vehicle that won’t back down from a rough ride. Like James Bond in tuxedo: Dapper and dashing, but downright deadly.

Too bad I wasn’t able to fully engage the 4X4 features. Could have been a blast running it down for an offroad test.

Yet then again, the Ford Everest Titanium 4X4 10AT looks too gorgeous I might not have the heart to get it down and dirty.