The 0-60 mph run roars by in under six seconds and the Explorer gets up to freeway velocities with alacrity - and is happy to stay there, cruising along placidly and with terrific insulation from wind and road noise. The twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 serves up ample horsepower with a touch of a V8-like surge and no perceptible turbo lag. Safety is superb, with airbags everywhere, solid crash-worthiness, and thanks to the crossover platform, a reduced risk of rollover.

In many ways, this SUVs competes very favorably against overtly luxurious vehicles.įuel economy isn't great - 16 mpg city/22 highway/18 combined -but the EcoBoost V6 mimics V8 power, and don't forget that you can accommodate five adults and all their gear, even if the third-row passengers will be snug (smaller children won't).ĭriver-assist tech includes lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and an excellent set of front and rear cameras. The Explorer isn't cheap, but given the substantial array of features, comfortable and roomy interior, robust performance, towing and off-roading capability, and technology, it's a solid deal. Ford must keep the Explorer competitive, even as both mass-market and luxury brands bring new large SUVs to consumers - and as Ford itself expands its portfolio of crossovers (the fifth-gen Explorer sits on a crossover frame, not a truck-based architecture). The mid-size SUV market is critical to Ford, given that in combination with its best-selling F-Series pickup trucks, mid-size utes are major profit-drivers in the US. That said, when we recently borrowed a 2017 Explorer from Ford - about $55,000 as tested, in the Platinum trim level - we were surprised at how well this venerable platform is holding up. Introduced in 1990, the Explorer has been in continuous production through five generations the 2018 model year will see an update, but the vehicle is getting a little long in the tooth. There are more technologically showy SUVs.īut there are almost no SUVs that have a track record to match the Ford Explorer. It often indicates a user profile.ĬONS: Fuel-economy, platform is getting on in years. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.

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