2011 Ford Explorer Portsmouth, NH
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The 2011 Ford Explorer will mark the nameplate's biggest changes since the first Explorer, the vehicle that launched the sport-utility migration from hunters to housewives. Loosely based on the Explorer America Concept revealed at the January 2008 Detroit auto show, the 2011 Explorer is expected to go on sale early in 2011.
The biggest changes for the Explorer have to do with its basic structure. While the previous-generation Explorer was a body-on-frame truck-based vehicle, the all-new 2011 Explorer uses a unit-body structure.
That means the Explorer is now a crossover, based on the same type of structure as many large Ford and Lincoln cars. Although it has a high stance and large wheel openings to imply off-road ability, and modern electronics to simplify the attempts, the new Explorer does not offer the trail versatility of its predecessors.
A few inches longer and more than five inches wider than before, the 2011 Explorer is larger outside than all previous Explorers. However, it is not larger inside by all dimensions. Cabin width is generally greater and there's more cargo room behind the third row. But there's less cargo room available than was in the previous five-passenger models; third-row legroom declines; and all-wheel-drive models give up more than two inches of headroom. Lacking the cast iron engines of the 2010, the 2011 is claimed to be slightly lighter.
The 2011 Explorer looks a cross between traditional Explorer and contemporary Edge. The upcoming Explorer has a smaller window area than the previous version to imply strength through sheetmetal, and its enduring black rear pillar make the roof appear cantilevered. Ford's familiar styling touches abound, and LED tail lamps add flair.
Explorer will be powered by a 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic, with maximum towing of 5000 pounds. We estimate fuel economy will be rated around 17/24 mpg for front-wheel-drive models. All-wheel drive (as opposed to four-wheel drive with low-range gearing) with Terrain Management is optional on V6 models for $2000.
A turbocharged four-cylinder 2-liter EcoBoost engine is optional on front-wheel-drive models that rates about 235 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. While it makes as much torque as the 3.5 V6 (and outgoing 4.0 V6) the primary aim of the EcoBoost four-cylinder engine is fuel economy. Ford expects a 30 percent increase from the 2010 Explorer. We're guessing that'll translate to about 19/26 mpg.
Suspension is all-independent and steering electrically assisted, the latter partially responsible for the latest electronic stability control. Ford claims the Audi Q7 and BMW X5 were the ride-and-handling benchmarks, a lofty claim given relative pricing. The new Explorer also gets the first inflatable seatbelts in the second row seats; these provide five times the contact area to lessen a body's strain when the belts are called upon in a collision.
The interior of the upcoming Explorer is more car-like, with door trim that wraps into the dash, soft-touch materials, and details like metal speaker grilles. Instrumentation combines analog gauges with graphics displays similar to the Fusion Hybrid's, and all manner of electronic accompaniments.
Seven seats are standard with 60/40 split middle row (buckets $750) and a 50/50 split third row.
Equipment levels and wheel diameter increase with trim, an Explorer XLT $2000 more than base and a Limited another $6000. The base model comes with cloth upholstery, a single CD player and power windows/locks, while the top model includes driver memory system, 12-speaker Sony audio system (with HD radio and iTunes tagging, 2 USB, SD card and RCA video inputs), rear camera with zoom and MyFordTouch connectivity. Options, which often include an upper-level trim, include navigation (with fastest, shortest, and most economical routing), power-folding third-row seats, heated/cooled front seats, blind-spot and cross-traffic warning, adaptive cruise control with collision-mitigation braking, and a dual-panel moonroof. Rear-seat entertainment is listed as a dealer accessory. What was once a small segment is now crowded, so the Explorer has plenty of competition, including the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, and Toyota Highlander. It's also in the same price range as the Ford Edge and seven-seat Flex, the latter offering essentially the same seating and cargo space and choice of two V6 engines.