The Ford Explorer is one of the best-known on the planet. Yet the
latest version of the Explorer has taken a step away from truck
influences and reeled in its trail image. It shares much of its running
gear with Ford's large sedans, as well as the Ford Flex--and while that
might not be the right stuff for the Rubicon it's just right for
all-weather family transit.
Simply put, for almost everything that a family would throw at the
Explorer, it does it better than before, and it does what the wide
majority of us want to do in a crossover. It makes plenty of room for
lots of people, or lots of stuff, and it does it much more efficiently
than it ever did in the past. It holds on to those mud-running bona
fides too--even if they probably were only ever weekend ambitions for
most of their suburban owners.
In style, the Explorer doesn't turn away too abruptly from the past.
Inside it does its best impression of a Taurus sedan in look and feel,
albeit a little more upright.
The 3.5-liter V-6 that's offered through most of the lineup is plenty
quick, while the front-wheel-drive Explorer with an EcoBoost four is
best kept for those who seldom if ever take advantage of this vehicles
spacious seating. The Explorer Sport is a different personality--very
quick, taut, and faster than any V-8 Explorer of the past; it's a
crossover extension of the Taurus SHO, essentially.
Those carlike underpinnings mean that the 2014 Explorer can't quite
hit the trails with the likes of the Grand Cherokee. But on-the-road
handling is its forte, and it has quick, well-weighted steering plus
terrific ride control, thanks to its substantial curb weight and an
independent suspension. Highway miles truly are its friend.
That doesn't preclude it from getting dirty now and then. A Terrain
Management system controls stability and other systems to limit
wheelspin while maintaining a 5,000-pound towing capacity. It's
definitely Explorer Lite compared to the distant past, but it's still
quite capable, in the wider view.
The 2014 Ford Explorer has one of the most spacious interiors on the
market--especially if you judge it by passenger space. Up to seven
passengers can fit, and five adults will be fine in the front two rows.
Getting into the third row is a little tougher than it is for the Ford
Flex, as the Explorer sits taller. Every inch of this interior seems to
be designed with family use in mind, and a power tailgate and
power-folding seats are there to make it more convenient.
Going by safety, the Explorer is one of the safest vehicles Ford builds,
with inflatable rear seat belts and rearview cameras and blind-spot
detectors. It also woos gearheads of another kind with MyFord Touch, the
convoluted but promising system that uses voice, button or touchscreen
control to govern infotainment and other vehicle functions. For 2014,
second-row heated seats and adaptive cruise control are newly available
on the Limited, and automatic headlamps have been made standard.
Interior / Exterior »
The high-performance Explorer Sport makes the most of the car-like
side of its persona, with glossy black trim, 20-inch wheels, and mesh
grille inserts. It has more in common with a Taurus SHO than with a big
Expedition SUV, down to winged taillamps and a perforated grille, but
the Explorer still avoids looking like a sedan or a minivan.
Inside, the current Explorer makes no attempt to give nod to the
past--and that's perfectly fine. Early Explorers had miserable,
plasticky interiors, which got better as it was groomed upmarket.
Nevermind the ungainly dashes in the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.
It's up there with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango in tailored
good looks, with maybe a half-degree more of the contemporary in its
win column, thanks to those exclamation points of metallic plastic on
the center stack.
Audi and BMW are in its crosshairs, Ford says, and the Explorer
delivers, in almost the same way the Flex and F-150 do. The cabin's a
knockout, smoothing off transitions between dissimilar plastics and
putting the curvy goodness into an interior that could have been
confused for a shoe-store stockroom, in the past.
Performance »
The standard engine on the Explorer is a 3.5-liter V-6, shared with
many Ford vehicles, from the Edge to the Flex. With 290 horsepower, it's
good for mid-eight-second 60-mph acceleration through a six-speed
automatic transmission. If it sounds pedestrian, it's good to recognize
that the six-cylinder's far more powerful on paper than the the V-8 in
the prior edition. Acceleration from a stop is strong, and most models
have a sport-shift mode for quicker throttle and shift responses, but
these Explorers don't get shift paddles to go with the automatic. The
transmission will hold lower gears when told, though, and that alone
makes it more responsive than almost any competitive crossover.
In the name of gas mileage, there's another option. A 2.0-liter
turbocharged four-cylinder with 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of
torque actually has more torque than the 255 lb-ft available with the
V-6, yet it's a little less certain if you plan to haul a heavy load of
passengers around on a regular basis. If you're the solo-commuter type,
it's a $1,000 option that will actually pay off for itself pretty
quickly, as it's rated at 20/28 mpg. Overall, this engine makes some
grouching, flapping turbocharger noises that upset the Explorer's more
refined demeanor. Paddle-shifters would have made this combination more
drivable than it is, but they're not included; and keep in mind that
towing capacity slides to 2,000 pounds.
Last year Ford introduced a new 350-horsepower, twin-turbo-V-6
Explorer Sport model; it's offered only with all-wheel drive and gets a
raft of changes to go with its exceptional power (Ford says it's two
seconds quicker to 60 mph than the standard six-cylinder model).
Consider this a utility-vehicle version of the Taurus SHO; it gets
quicker steering, 20-inch wheels and tires, upgraded brakes, and a
stiffer front body structure. The Sport is far more fired up than the
old Explorer V-8; just don't expect it to chase a Grand Cherokee SRT8.
In its basic front-drive versions, the Explorer's electric power
steering and terrifically settled ride give it a nimble feel that's more
like that of the smaller Edge. The Explorer carves into corners with
zeal, and the steering unwinds with a feel that's closer to natural than
some hydraulic-steer vehicles. The electric steering also means the
Explorer can park itself--with the Active Park Assist options, which
uses cameras to maneuver the steering while the driver keeps tabs on
things with the brake pedal.
The 2014 Explorer can slosh through enough mud and ruts to get a
family of seven to any ski resort or any bed and breakfast that doesn't
require an overnight National Park Service permit. If you're arguing
over the lack of a low-gear ratio and frame rails and skid plates,
you're less likely to have been shopping an Explorer in the first place.
There's a multi-traction drive system that spins from Normal to Mud and
Ruts, Sand, and Snow modes, tailoring power and braking to suit the
conditions.
In esoteric instances, those electronics can't quite match a really
well-trained off-road driver, since they require a little slip in the
system to start working. For the remaining 95 percent of us, it's
welcome relief to worry less about descending a hill with brake and
engine modulation instead of simply flicking a switch.
PRICE »»
BASE INVOICE» $27,000
BASE MSRP» $29,600
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