The Everest marks a return to a tough ladder chassis for a Ford SUV in these parts of the world, with a suite of off-road electronics to complement its impressive 225mm of ground clearance and class-leading 800mm wading depth.

As well as a traditional low range transmission and a locking rear diff, the Everest also features a Terrain Management System that has four pre-set modes - Normal, Snow/Mud/Grass, Sand and Rock - that alter the vehicle’s throttle response, transmission, four-wheel drive system and traction control system.

The Everest will come to New Zealand in two guises, both packing the Ranger’s impressive 143kW/470Nm 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel turbo engine hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Trend kicks off the range at $75,990, while the top-spec Titanium rounds it out at $87,990.

Ford are at great pains to point out that the Everest isn’t “merely” an SUV derived from a ute, as the Colorado 7, Mitsubishi Challenger and Isuzu MU-X are, but rather it is a distinctly different vehicle derived from a similar platform.

The new Ford Everest will be manufactured at AutoAlliance Thailand in Rayong, Thailand.

To read the full story in the September 2015 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (on sale September 21) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store.