This engine is capable enough for the weight, as long as you don't expect lightning-fast response. The ride is superb, smoothing out even the harshest surfaces, body control is good for such a large, upright machine, steering is steady and brakes do the job. That's not to say that big is necessarily bad - there are many aspects to the new Explorer that make for a great vehicle. That extra length and width really makes a difference, because I tend to feel like I'm driving an Expedition-sized vehicle in the Explorer, not the more svelte all-around midsize utility of yore. Comparing to the previous edition, this one is larger - actually longer and wider by 4 inches each way, but overall not as tall. Power: 365 hp 6,500 rpm 350 lb-ft of torque 3,500 rpmīrakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS Tires: P255/50R20ĭestination charge: $1,550 Fuel economy: L/100 km 13.2 city, 8.8 hwy.EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: Large and lumbering, that's how this generation of the unibody Explorer keeps feeling to me. National of vehicle: All-wheel-drive, full-sized crossover Just don’t be fooled into thinking that turbocharging smaller engines is the salvation to our emissions and fuel consumption woes. Buy it because it performs so well and it won’t kill you at the pumps. Just one thing though: Don’t buy the Explorer Sport because you think EcoBoost technology is so much more fuel-efficient than other alternatives. Well, it’s still easy on the eyes, but now drives significantly better and no longer hobbled by a cranky MyFord system. Previously, I would have ranked the Explorer in the bottom third of full-sized crossovers, its one redeeming quality its comely visage. Nonetheless, this is an Explorer much improved.
#Ford explorer limited edition 2013 full#
And access to the third row of seats - Ford, like many other manufacturers, passes its CUV off as a legitimate minivan alternative - is best reserved for teenagers limber enough for a full plié I couldn’t possibly have found my way back there even if searching for a winning lotto ticket. Noise, vibration and harshness are way down from earlier versions, but it can still be a little gruff at low speeds. The engine is powerful, but it still lacks personality. Other notable touches are a convenient 110-volt power outlet and power-adjustable brake and throttle pedals so even the short of inseam can enjoy the big SUV.Īll is not perfect with the Explorer Sport, though. Ford has taken a pounding from consumers for its quirky infotainment system I think it’s been listening. Oh, there’s a still a few hidden submenus, but I could find the fuel economy reset function and did manage to use the seat warmers, so there has been some progress. There are also some improvements inside, the most notable being that this latest version of MyFord doesn’t require a computer science degree to navigate.
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The ride is somewhat compromised, but, for many, it will be a worthwhile tradeoff as previous Explorers I’ve tested handled like rhinos on roller blades. The Sport also comes with all-wheel-drive as standard equipment, its torque distribution tweaked so as much as 50% of the 3.5L’s power goes to the rear wheels, helping balance the big SUV a bit better.
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Thanks to stiffer suspension and larger, lightly lower profile tires, there is less body roll than previously.
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The Sport’s handling is also much improved. That said, the Sport’s towing capacity - 2,268 kilograms - is not improved over the 3.5L-powered base model (though it is not nearly as restricted as the much maligned 2.0L EcoBoost version, which is rated to tow only 907 kg). Not only is the Sport quicker than its lesser sibling, but it’s also far more relaxed. But response to throttle input is strong, passing is confident and the throttle response is surprisingly linear.Īnd because of the turbocharger’s improved torque - a maximum of 350 pound-feet available as low as 3,500 rpm - the V6 doesn’t have to work as hard as its naturally aspirated counterpart to move the more-than two-tonne Explorer. For one thing, thanks to its turbocharger-infused horsepower (365 in all) the Sport accelerates with something approaching élan. What it does do - along with other tweaks - is greatly improve the Explorer. I’m not sure that one could claim that the Sport’s turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is the salvation to our wanton profligacy, but then neither is the embarrassment of consumption that the C-Max Hybrid was on the highway. In the end, the glass is just filled to its mid-level mark, neither full nor empty. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.