Ford guns for Toyota Fortuner with cheaper Everest Active

Ford South Africa recently made some changes to their 2026 Everest line-up. This included upgrades to the Sport, Wildtrak and Platinum.

But most importantly, they introduced a new entry level Active derivative at a much better price than the now previously discontinued XLT.

Still pricier than Fortuner

The Active is available in 4×2 and 4×4 configurations, and they retail for R825 000 and R875 000, respectively. The ten-speed box from the XLT remains as the only choice of transmission.

This allows Ford to be a bit more competitive with the Everest in the large SUV segment that is dominated by the runaway sales leader, the Toyota Fortuner.

But at R720 000 for the 4×2 Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6, and at R754 000 for the 4×4, the entry level auto Fortuners still come in at a better price.

The Ford Everest Active offers a 12-inch touchscreen with SYNC 4 connectivity. Picture: Supplied

But with more power

That said, even though the Ford Everest Active now runs the 2.0-litre single-turbodiesel you can find in the Ranger for the first time.

It is up on the 2.4 GD-6 with a power output of 125kW over 110kW. And torque too, with 405Nm over 400Nm.

Neither is going to excite you in a traffic light war. But I thought that the Everest Active did perfectly fine out on the road.

Obviously, if you tow a lot, or want to comfortably tow 3.5-tonnes, then the more expensive 184kW 3.0-V6 turbodiesel Everest is the one you are looking for.

And more spec

What is also very much in favour of the Ford Everest Active is its spec level and active safety onboard. You get the likes of:

• Advanced driver assistance technologies including Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go and Lane Centering,
• a 12-inch touchscreen with SYNC 4, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto,
• wireless charging and FordPass connectivity,
• seven-seat practicality,
• and keyless entry.

Better drive too

I mean, nobody is going to argue that what is now a very dated Toyota Fortuner has the same ride quality as a Ford Everest. The Everest is better here too.

And to get a Fortuner up to the same spec as the Everest Active 4×4 we had on test, you would need to haul out R926 000 for the more powerful 2.8 GD-6 4×4.

That said, you would think the Ford Everest Active is the automatic choice in this little impromptu battle. On spec and drive, it is.

But the elephant in the room remains that you can still get into a Toyota Fortuner for far less than you can a Ford Everest.

The Ford Everest Active is available in both 4×2 and part-time 4×4 configurations. Picture: Enrique Coelho

Pricing and warranty

• Everest Active 2.0L 4×2 – R825 000
• Everest Active 2.0L 4×4 – R875 000
• Everest Sport V6 4WD – R1 149 000
• Everest Wildtrak V6 4WD – R1 244 000
• Everest Platinum V6 4WD – R1 340 000

The Ford Everest range comes with a six-year/90 000km Ford service plan, a four-year/120 000km Ford warranty, a four-year/unlimited distance Roadside Assistance and five-year/unlimited distance corrosion warranty.

Customers have the option of purchasing Ford Protect Service or Maintenance Plan upgrades up to eight years or 165 000km. The warranty can be extended up to seven years or 200 000km, while the Roadside Assistance can be extended for an additional one or two years.