Buy the new Ford Everest Titanium or get a used Toyota LandCruiser Sahara

If you’ve got around $75,000 to spend on a rough and tough off-roader, the decision between new and old isn’t as simple as you’d think. For that coin you could walk into a Ford dealership and start negotiations for a brand spanking new Everest Titanium with all the bells and whistles. Or, you could scan the second-hand market for a tried-and-true Toyota LandCruiser with a big diesel V8.

FORD EVEREST TITANIUM

9

Based on the popular Ford Ranger, the Everest adds an off-road wagon body to the dual-cab set-up along with the option of seven seats. A mid-life update has brought in a raft of updates and refinements, namely the 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel and a 10-speed automatic.

It might lose a cylinder and some capacity to the 3.2-litre five-cylinder oiler, but the smaller bi-turbo unit offers greater performance with 157kW and 500Nm, while returning 7.1L/100km on a combined cycle. It’s a quieter, more passenger-car-focused unit – refinement is vastly improved. It’s tied to a 10-speed automatic, which is an accomplished ’box, but it does result in gear hunting at times. On-road manners and dynamics are sharp for what the Everest is, an almost 2.5-tonne SUV, but the Titanium’s ride can be a bit jittery.

9

The six-speed auto used with the 3.2-litre is going to be the better option for towing, however, the 2.0-litre is still sufficient. Braked towing capacity is 3100kg with a payload of 654kg. The Everest uses an electronic locking rear differential as well as hill descent control.

Where the Everest kicks it up a gear is in terms of safety features. Kit like blindspot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, AEB, lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, active park assist and a host of dynamic stability and traction controls are standard in Titanium trim. The interior is slightly more car-like than the Ranger on which it’s based, but the level of infotainment is high with an 8.0-inch central touchscreen supporting SYNC 3 as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

9

Ultimately, you notice its dual-cab roots, and for more than $70K, that’s not an ideal situation. But as a capable, spacious and frugal four-wheel drive, the Everest climbs to quite lofty heights.

200 SERIES TOYOTA LANDCRUISER SAHARA

9

There is nothing quite like a ’Cruiser. They’re almost inextricably intertwined with the lives of many Aussies – be it those on the land, in the outback, or the myriad grey nomads trekking around our great country in retirement bliss. And there’s a very good reason for that; because the 200 Series is very good.

The 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel powerhouse offers 9.5L/100km economy that’s impressive in a car verging on three tonnes. New injectors and revised engine mapping bumped power up to 200kW in late 2015, while torque remains at a heady 650Nm. It is a fuss-free unit with torque in reserve – and it works in well with the six-speed automatic. You can opt for a naturally aspirated 4.6-litre V8 of the same ilk (discontinued in 2019), but the combined fuel consumption increases to 13.4L/100km for 227kW/439Nm for the atmo powerplant.

9

On-road the ’Cruiser feels like a big, luxurious sedan with a quiet and comfortable ride. Vehicles fitted with the KDSS adjustable suspension will be better than those without on tarmac, though its proven all-wheel drive system makes it’s equally at home in the bush. The high-spec Sahara has a 3500kg braked towing capacity and is a fantastic option for those needing to tow heavy loads.

The late-2015 update also saw the Sahara gain improved safety systems with a host of cameras being added. Other standard features include pre-collision warning, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure warning and blindspot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Inside, the Sahara is verging on Lexus levels of plush, but the infotainment is showing its age against the Everest despite the luxe variant gaining rear entertainment screens mounted in the back of the two front seats.

9

Given that the range-topping Sahara 200 Series garnered an almost $120K sticker price when new, being able pick one up for almost half price just three years later seems like a bargain. It certainly makes a case for buying second-hand when the 2016 model is largely the same ’Cruiser Toyota sells now.

Specs comparison

Wheels staff picks

Trent Giunco
Staff Journalist

The Everest is the newer and safer four-wheel drive with the added bonus of a competitive warranty. However, there is a reason you only really see LandCruisers in the outback and country areas – because they’re tough and a lot of people know how to fix them quickly and easily. The LandCruiser Sahara is a capable off-roader that should get you out of just about any situation. Plus, the 4.5-litre twin-turbo diesel has enough torque to create its own gravitational pull. The Everest would come with a warranty for peace of mind, but if you want a real four-wheel drive, you buy the one with a long tradition of being the best.

Andy Enright
Deputy Editor

Oh crikey, am I about to find myself agreeing with Trent and Kirby here? There’s little doubt that a 2016 LandCruiser Sahara is a better thing than a brand new Ford Everest Titanium. It just is. The problem that I foresee is that it’s another question altogether whether a LandCruiser Sahara that has just run out of warranty makes a better buy than an Everest with five years of cover ahead of it, especially if you use the vehicles as they’re intended to be used. The key here is buying a LandCruiser which hasn’t yet lapsed from its three-year factory deal and splashing out for the Factory Approved Extended Warranty. It’s available in one, two or three-year terms, capped at either 100,000 or 150,000km. So, it’s a qualified vote for the Toyota from me. And always read the small print.

Cameron Kirby
Staff Journalist

It’ll be the ’Cruiser for me, thanks. The Everest is a good jigger, and the pick of the current crop at that price point for me, but the capability of the LandCruiser Sahara makes it a winner when priced as a second-hand bargain. Last year I took a Sahara for a ski trip with five of my family members. It handled six people and associated snow gear with aplomb, and we were able to tootle (sans snow chains) past multiple other 4x4s that had found themselves nose-first in a snow bank. In the warmer months, I’d be hitching the ski boat to the back and heading towards the nearest river, with the diesel V8’s grunt able to handle towing duties with ease. There is a reason why the LandCruiser is often referred to as Australia’s Toyota.

 

Reckon we’ve got it right? Or are we way off the money (literally)? Find your best and let us know in the comments what you’d buy.