Each Explorer engine is paired with a unique six-speed automatic transmission, combining lowered initial gears for improved off-the-line acceleration and higher gearing for improved efficiency at lower engine rpm when cruising.
Explorer V6 models are available with an intelligent 4WD system that adds terrain management. Situation-selectable, this powertrain advancement takes the guesswork out of 4WD range choice.
A driver need only turn the console-mounted knob to the proper setting among snow, sand, mud and normal modes. This system also includes a hill descent mode.
Simpler and more convenient for SUV veterans, the system will be a confidence-builder for drivers new to the segment.
Contemporary design with segment-leading craftsmanship and quietness
In addition to its clean, modern design inside and out, Explorer aims to please SUV shoppers with a thoughtful, flexible interior package that abounds with clever storage capacity. The new SUV features more head and shoulder room, three rows of flexible seating, and room for everything families want to take along on their adventures.
The Explorer design — inside and out — is executed with world-class craftsmanship. Tight margin gaps are just one indication of the immense attention to detail applied to craftsmanship across the spectrum, from design to engineering to manufacturing.
The Chicago facility where Explorer will be produced raised the bar on initial quality measures with the recent Taurus launch, which is good news for customers.
“Crafting a high-quality vehicle is like preparing a gourmet meal,” said Peter Bejin, craftsmanship supervisor. “You start with high-quality ingredients, execute your recipe with flawless preparation and finally, present it with flair and panache.”
Quietness — another profound advancement in the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer — also will signal quality to customers.
The team enhanced noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) control for the all-new Explorer using an advanced technology called NoiseVision. A ball with hundreds of tiny cameras and microphones, NoiseVision allows engineers to pinpoint and address potential noise issues earlier in the development process.
Explorer is expected to be superior to in-segment competitors and rival premium SUVs in quietness and NVH control.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
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- © Ford Motor Co.
Some commentators have questioned whether Ford does not have too many crossovers now, with the Escape, Edge, Explorer and Flex. On the face of it, one could argue “no”—The Escape is a small compact, the Edge a small midsize (with the recent update it is in fact closer to the CR-V and RAV4 in length), and the Flex large. There should be room in the lineup for a larger midsize crossover with 7 seats, something like the Pilot or Highlander. Unfortunately the new Explorer is not that gap-filling crossover. Instead it is almost as large as the Flex, and far, far larger than the Pilot or Highlander. Like the Dodge Durango and Chevrolet Trailblazer it risks being neither fish nor fowl—too big to be seriously considered as a midsize crossover, and not quite big enough to compete well against full-size crossovers such as the GMC Terrain. Perhaps it has been compromised by the positioning of the Flex as a large crossover, rather than a minivan, and the Edge as midsize rather than compact. It is as if Ford wanted a vehicle to compete with the popular Terrain, but which would not be so large as to undermine the Flex (not a problem if only the Flex were slightly more like a traditional minivan).