Any road, anytime, anywhere. That’s how Ford has summed up the Explorer in the past. Whether you are testing its off-road prowess or on-road capability, this fine, hot-selling, three-row SUV has you covered.
Available as a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive, the Explorer is offered as a 2.3-liter inline four-cylinder engine or a 3-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine. Ours was the latter, putting out an astonishing 400 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 415 pounds-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. As you can see, that’s enough of a choice to ‘explore’ the horizon. Its crisp-shifting, 10-speed auto gear box is smooth and efficient. In fact, for a vehicle that weighs over 4,300 pounds, this Ford moves with remarkable agility and sure-footedness. Some of the credit goes to the MacPherson strut front and independent multilink rear suspension. For an excellent on-center response, the SUV is equipped with electric power steering, making it effortless to dodge sharp and sudden turns on the road. If you are looking to haul a small boat to the beach during those warm months, then count on a 5,000-pound tow capacity. And for that long trip up, you can securely select eco, sport, tow, normal, slippery and trail.
The Explorer sports a robust but pleasing-to-the-eye appearance, thanks to sleeker LED headlights that surround a now-larger satin chrome/black grille, front skid plate and wider air curtain. But what we found even more appealing is ‘EXPLORER’ embossed in the lift gate applique. It truly stands out. We found the interior to be good-looking with plenty of comforts and stylish accruements, from silver mesh accents to Mojave Dusk leather, in the Platinum trim. Though manual, the robust tilt/telescopic steering column in the base trim is functional. Need to access the third-row power/fold 50/50 seat? That should be trouble-free with the second-row captain’s chairs moving forward for stress-free ingress/egress. No one can quibble about the massive 13.2-inch inch touch screen, which displays audio, phone and navigation controls. We liked the sizable volume knob in the center stack. And Ford Digital Experience integrates your apps, Google Maps/Play and Alexa, along with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto to synch phones.
The standard Ford Co-Pilot 360 bundles together driver-assist safety features, such as a blind-spot monitor with cross-traffic alert, precollision assist and lane-keep aid with auto emergency brake, auto high beams, rear park sensors, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera. Also included are dual front and side airbags, front knee airbags, side curtain airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic stability and traction control, front and rear three-point seatbelts, a tire pressure monitor and daytime running lights. If you like hands-free highway driving, the BlueCruise feature (spans over 130,000 miles in the U.S.) will put your mind to rest covering those long distances.
Three decades old and into its sixth generation, the Ford Explorer has apparently withstood the test of time despite numerous new SUVs flooding the market. An accommodating cabin, athletic looks and array of power trains and models (Active, ST-Line, ST, Platinum) are further incentive to sign on the dotted line.
