2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4WD

[regfootball]

its comin

 

DRIVEN

 

2015 Ford Explorer XLT 202 pkg 4wd, MSRP close or over 40k.

 

HIGHS

 

Grandiose feel of mass in the front of the vehicle.  Vehicle is wide also, has hips.  

Panoramic view, ok, majestic view out the front.

Comfortable and solid seating, each row.  

Excellent head room, hip room, shoulder room.

Third row is more usable than you would think based upon sight.

Nice dash and console layout........(this comment does not apply if MyFordTouch is installed)

Feels quite solid.  Stable and secure.  Heavy, even.  Moreso than most others in the segment.  Gives an impression of quality.

Decently quiet inside.

Styling that has obviously been popular.  And its unmistakable.

Comfortable road ride and easy steering.....for those that don't like involved driving.

Awesome flip and fold third row seats (this i can tell you from owning them for 6 years, they are awesome).

Cargo well in the floor behind the third row stretches cargo area.

Would be a fantastic choice for larger folks (like my friend who is 6'5 or so and prob 3 bills+)

 

LOWS

 

Honestly here, there is a lack of torque / oomph, and trans doesn't kick down on demand very well.  Makes it feel a bit slow and sluggish actually, depending on where the throttle is.

If you prefer cars..........Slow steering.  A bit of a floater in the ride, too.  Maybe feels a bit tippy. Comfortable road ride and easy steering.....for those that don't like involved driving.   (Still worlds better than the truck based Explorer however)

Why no fold flat front passenger seat?

Visibility out the rest of the vehicle is not as awesome as the front.  Maybe not deficient, just not really open.

MyFordTouch ruins the gauges and center stack.  I didn't even try to mess with it functionally.  Bring knobs back.

Second row seats don't all slide, and leg room for some might be a bit tight.  Sort of puzzling on such a wide, heavy, and long rig.

Gets pricey if you want certain things....

I'll admit there are some cheap interior bits on this thing too.  And a lot of dark tones (even if you get Stone interior)

 

SUMMARY

 

I naturally am drawn to compare this to the Traverse.  And where the Traverse feels a bit carlike, the Explorer is a bit more novacaine.  The cabin might feel more roomy to some, however, with more usable hip, shoulder, and head room.  Even if overall its probably a wash.

 

There is a feeling of solidity in the Explorer that actually is appropriate to the name.  So while the Explorer is not a CX-9 or even a Traverse, it sort of has attributes of its own that are positive and fit the positioning of the Explorer brand.  Its a tight rope to walk for Ford to take the Explorer name after all those years on a frame chassis and apply the name to a unibody crossover.  Considering that, they have done a nice job.  It just won't excite anyone looking for a pulse in the ride and drive, or some verve in the powertrain.  I imagine the Explorer Sport ramps it up to that notch, and so if you want to drop that much more money, go ahead.  Keep in mind I have been driving a sort of cousin of this thing for the last six years (Taurus X).  They feel quite a bit different.  The T Rex is like a car, the Explorer is not.

 

I really can't pick a winner between the Explorer and Traverse.  They are a bit apart in feel and aura, but they both exist to do the same thing.  The Explorer feels different, and doesn't at all feel like anything that wouldn't wear an Explorer name tag.  Its another choice, and obviously a popular one.  It too does the basics pretty well, has a different feel that some will also like, and provides a lot of value and versatility.  There is room for improvement so I will give this a B- as well.

 

Side note: this is probably a finalist in the competition for the new family rig.....excepting price perhaps....another disclaimer, the test drive was too short for my liking and was 'scripted' by salesdude, so I wasn't happy with that and consequently I may not have pushed the vehicle as much as I wanted.

Edited October 13, 2014 by regfootball