The Ford Explorer has been the sales juggernaut for many years for Ford when it comes to the SUV. Why has the Explorer been so successful; probably because as our taste for SUVs has changed over time so has the Explorer. When it was first introduced in the early 1990s it was built on the Ford Ranger platform and wasn’t really much to enjoy, but it was highly popular as a vehicle that as a market became a quick sales leader. As time marched on the body on frame construction had to be replaced by a unibody build that is more accepted on the modern market to be the most popular three-row SUV in America.
For 2016 we see a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that replaced the old 2.0-liter giving 280 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. This four-cylinder turbocharged engine is powerful enough to enjoy driving when equipped with all-wheel drive or in front-wheel drive. The old 2.0 was not made for towing at all, but the new 2.3 can handle the towing up to 3,000 pounds which can make the Explorer a great vehicle to head out on an adventure to the ski slopes or to the lake for some fun.
Driving the Ford Explorer gives you the feeling that is similar to driving a car. The newer construction is more direct in order to give a better feeling than any of the body on frame SUVs. As a larger model it takes a bit to get the Explorer up to speed, but that comes in the territory of a truck and once up to the speed you desire the drive is smooth and enjoyable on any road, making it an easy to drive and comfortable to steer vehicle that can go just about anywhere you could want to go.
Of course if you want more power you can move up to the V6 engine which offers 290 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque and is still the standard base engine offered for the Explorer, but it’s nice to know the 2.3-liter is offered as an option to choose as well. The V6 shows up with 19 city/28 hwy mpg for the FWD and 18 city/26 hwy mpg for the AWD giving a nice fuel mileage for this highly touted vehicle that has been enjoyed for many years. Of course there is even a 365 horsepower EcoBoost V6 that takes the best parts of both engines to give some of the highest power in the lineup.
The Explorer continues to be a highly sought after SUV on the market and just like many of the Ford models offered has a variety of trim levels and engines to enjoy. The pricing for the Explorer starts in the mid-$30,000 range and can move on up to well over $50,000 depending upon the equipment, engine and trim level chosen. As the Explorer continues to be one of our favorite SUVs on the market you can certainly have one that will give you what you need and even has the ability to take you out into the wilderness in comfort.
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