Ford’s Prado fighter follows Ranger with 2026 updates

Ford is giving the Everest significant updates for 2026, as the current generation off-road SUV enters its fifth year on sale locally.

Announced in unison with the Ranger, the ‘MY26.5’ Everest is headlined by the loss of its bi-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which has been dropped from Ford’s global lineup.

A single-turbo 2.0-litre diesel – not previously offered on the current Everest – has been updated with a fuel injection system and a timing chain (instead of a wet timing belt), and will take the bi-turbo’s place as the entry-level engine.

Producing 125kW and 405Nm, it’s 29kW and 95Nm down on the outgoing bi-turbo, but continues to be backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission and a part-time 4×4 system.

It joins the existing 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 which remains the flagship engine in the Everest lineup, with unchanged outputs of 184kW and 600Nm, and is matched with a full-time 4×4 system.

For 2026, Ford has given the Everest the same cosmetic treatment as the Ranger, with all chrome exterior trim replaced with black exterior highlights, in gloss or matte, depending on the variant.

The Everest has also lost its entry-level Ambiente and Trend grades, replaced with a new ‘Active’ variant, a name last seen on the Focus hatchback.

Starting from $58,990 before on-road costs in four-cylinder form, the Everest Active is $500 less than the Ambiente 4×4 bi-turbo it effectively replaces, while it also introduces the choice of the V6 for the first time in the base model, starting from $66,990 plus on-roads.

The Everest Active gets features from the outgoing Trend such as a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen (up from 10.1-inch) and leather-accented upholstery, while additional standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels (up from 17-inch alloys), plus a tyre pressure monitoring system, previously reserved for the flagship Everest Platinum.

It is the only member of the Everest family to come standard as a five-seater, with the addition of an extra row of two seats setting buyers back $1350.

The Everest Sport continues as the mid-range offering, now $2200 less in four-cylinder form, and $1450 dearer for the V6. It too has gained tyre pressure monitoring as standard.

Everest Tremor has stayed on as a full-time model, exclusively available with the V6 engine. Its price has risen by $2500, however the previously $1100 premium seat pack – adding a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat, plus heating and ventilation – is now standard.

Previously only available with seven seats, buyers can opt to have the third row removed, free of charge.

The Everest Platinum continues to be the range-topper for the SUV, now starting from $83,490 (up $1100). It has not received any changes aside from the aforementioned chrome trim removal.

Across the wider Everest range, Ford has deleted Equinox Bronze as an exterior colour, but has added Alabaster White (Sport and Platinum) and Acacia Green (Platinum) as new finishes.

Order books for the 2026 Ford Everest will open in December 2025, with arrivals due by mid-next year.

2026 Ford Everest pricing