Explorer Offers Mass Appeal

SUVs originally were more truck than car, offering consumers a “go anywhere, carry anything” vehicle that generally came along with a rough ride and dismal fuel economy.

If that, indeed, is the definition of an SUV, the new '11 Ford Explorer does not fall within the category. What it does, however, is offer most of the benefits of a traditional SUV without the sacrifices.

Ford touts the Explorer as the “SUV for the 21st Century,” and its very architecture confirms it is a different beast.

Sharing a platform with the Taurus fullsize sedan, the '11 Explorer rides and handles more like a car than a traditional body-on-frame SUV, yet boasts many of the features and attributes that endeared the SUV to so many buyers in the 1990s.

During a media event in San Diego, we drove the Explorer over a number of varying terrains, although most of our time was spent on pavement.

While the Explorer boasts a car-like ride, it exhibits a degree of body roll around corners that is more reminiscent of the old Explorer than the Taurus. The roll likely is due to the Explorer's taller stance, but far less than that of a traditional SUV.

Other than that, highway and surface-road driving is effortless, as Ford intended. The cabin is quiet, with road noise nearly imperceptible while at speed.

Out of the gate, the Explorer comes equipped with a 3.5L V-6 making 290 hp and 255 lb.-ft. (346 Nm) of torque. A 2.0L direct-injection turbocharged EcoBoost inline 4-cyl. will be offered next year. No early builds with the engine were available for the media drive.

Power numbers on the EcoBoost engine aren't official, but Ford is projecting about 237 hp and 250 lb.-ft. (339 Nm) of torque.

Until then, the V-6 is a worthy engine sure to satisfy most buyers. Acceleration is brisk, and power is spread evenly throughout the torque band. Reliability also should not be an issue, as the 3.5L has proven roadworthy in a slew of Ford vehicles.

On the fuel-economy front, Ford's decision to switch to a car-based architecture pays off. With a 25 mpg (9.4 L/100 km) highway rating for the 4-wheel-drive model, the new Explorer boasts a 25% highway fuel-economy gain over the outgoing similarly equipped V-6 model, rated at 19 mpg (12.3 L/100 km).

In the city, the '11 model achieves 17 mpg (13.8 L/100 km) vs. 13 mpg (18.0 L/100 km) in the '10 version.

The Explorer comes standard with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel-drive models were available for an off-road jaunt. Off-road, the Explorer is more than capable of traversing the worst terrains owners typically will face. During our test drive, we navigated tight wooded trails, a small water hole and a couple of steep grades, all without trouble.

The new terrain-management system makes it easy to dial up the best setting for whatever the conditions.

The front independent and rear multi-link suspension handled the different terrains well, but there were times while driving over deep ruts that a stiffer configuration would have been welcome.

The Explorer is best-suited for light off-roading, as some 85% of Explorer owners never take their vehicle off pavement. So the new model's capabilities should satisfy the vast majority.

Vehicles such as the new Explorer further blur the line between cross/utility vehicles and SUVs. It is no longer the case that CUVs are defined as car-based utility vehicles and SUV as truck-based.

To clearly define the differences, Ward's recently reworked its segmentation criteria. Under the new guidelines, SUVs must have off-road capabilities as a “strong characteristic,” whether they employ body-on-frame or unibody construction.

What strikes us most about the SUV is the quality of the interior.

Ranger Rover-esque may best describe the nicely laid out cabin, with topnotch materials throughout. Gaps between panels are minimal and materials, especially the leather, are luxurious.

A second-row bench seat comes standard, with captain's chairs optional. We prefer the look of the captain-chair setup, which provides better third-row access.

But for some, the less-expensive bench makes more sense, allowing one more child (or small adult) to squeeze in. As for the third row, it's best suited for children.

MyFord Touch, a do-it-all infotainment system, has taken some flak by the media of late for being overly complicated, defeating the very purpose it was designed for — to cut down on distractions.

But during our test drive, albeit limited, we find the system quite handy once you become familiar with its many functions. We especially like the Eco-Route feature, which instantly calculates the most fuel-efficient route for the driver.

The new Explorer starts at $28,995, nearly indistinguishable from the outgoing model.

Part of us longs for the truck-like ride of a traditional SUV. As fuel-economy demands render such vehicles obsolete, body-on-frame models are a dying breed, and “21st Century” vehicles such as the '11 Explorer are just one more nail in the coffin.