- 2015 Ford Explorer
- Interior / Exterior »
The Explorer has evolved into a proper family vehicle since its debut in 1990–but its taken several generations to arrive where it is today. The current generation still looks somewhat rugged–not unlike the first one–but it’s hard to argue its softer lines. If the first Explore was truck-like with a handful of car-like comfort features, then surely the 2015 model is the exact opposite.
Inside, the current Explorer makes no attempt to give nod to the past–and that’s perfectly fine. Early Explorers had miserable, plasticky interiors, which got better as it was groomed upmarket. Nevermind the ungainly dashes in the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. It’s up there with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango in tailored good looks, with maybe a half-degree more of the contemporary in its win column, thanks to those exclamation points of metallic plastic on the center stack.
Audi and BMW are in its crosshairs, Ford says, and the Explorer delivers, in almost the same way the Flex and F-150 do. The cabin’s a knockout, smoothing off transitions between dissimilar plastics and putting the curvy goodness into an interior that could have been confused for a shoe-store stockroom, in the past.
Up close, you’ll see that the Explorer hits some high points of crossover SUV style. It’s a dialect of sharp angles and straight lines, the opposite of softly rounded wagons like the Volvo XC90 (actually a distant cousin to it). The Explorer’s visual DNA may be purely on loan here, but the tall body, big glass areas and the three-bar grille peg it as a Ford as much as its outline.
The high-performance Explorer Sport makes the most of the car-like side of its persona, with glossy black trim, 20-inch wheels, and mesh grille inserts. It has more in common with a Taurus SHO than with a big Expedition SUV, down to winged taillamps and a perforated grille, but the Explorer still avoids looking like a sedan or a minivan.
- Performance »
In its basic front-drive versions, the Explorer’s electric power steering and terrifically settled ride give it a nimble feel that’s more like that of the smaller Edge. The Explorer carves into corners with zeal, and the steering unwinds with a feel that’s closer to natural than some hydraulic-steer vehicles. The electric steering also means the Explorer can park itself–with the Active Park Assist options, which uses cameras to maneuver the steering while the driver keeps tabs on things with the brake pedal.
The 2015 Explorer can slosh through enough mud and ruts to get a family of seven to any ski resort or any bed and breakfast that doesn’t require an overnight National Park Service permit. If you’re arguing over the lack of a low-gear ratio and frame rails and skid plates, you’re less likely to have been shopping an Explorer in the first place. There’s a multi-traction drive system that spins from Normal to Mud and Ruts, Sand, and Snow modes, tailoring power and braking to suit the conditions.
In esoteric instances, those electronics can’t quite match a really well-trained off-road driver, since they require a little slip in the system to start working. For the remaining 95 percent of us, it’s welcome relief to worry less about descending a hill with brake and engine modulation instead of simply flicking a switch.
Are Ford Explorer owners going to venture very far off road? Ford has chosen wisely here, in trading off some of the Explorer’s potential off-road ability and towing capability for big gains in gas mileage, handling, and ride comfort. Considering the way that owners actually use Explorer models–and have for decades–it’s right in tune with respect to performance.
The standard engine on the Explorer is a 3.5-liter V-6, shared with many Ford vehicles, from the Edge to the Flex. With 290 horsepower, it’s good for mid-eight-second 60-mph acceleration through a six-speed automatic transmission. If it sounds pedestrian, it’s good to recognize that the six-cylinder’s far more powerful on paper than the the V-8 in the prior edition. Acceleration from a stop is strong, and most models have a sport-shift mode for quicker throttle and shift responses, but these Explorers don’t get shift paddles to go with the automatic. The transmission will hold lower gears when told, though, and that alone makes it more responsive than almost any competitive crossover.
In the name of gas mileage, there’s another option. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque actually has more torque than the 255 lb-ft available with the V-6, yet it’s a little less certain if you plan to haul a heavy load of passengers around on a regular basis. If you’re the solo-commuter type, it’s a $1,000 option that will actually pay off for itself pretty quickly, as it’s rated at 20/28 mpg. Overall, this engine makes some grouching, flapping turbocharger noises that upset the Explorer’s more refined demeanor. Paddle-shifters would have made this combination more drivable than it is, but they’re not included; and keep in mind that towing capacity slides to 2,000 pounds.
Last year Ford introduced a new 350-horsepower, twin-turbo-V-6 Explorer Sport model; it’s offered only with all-wheel drive and gets a raft of changes to go with its exceptional power (Ford says it’s two seconds quicker to 60 mph than the standard six-cylinder model). Consider this a utility-vehicle version of the Taurus SHO; it gets quicker steering, 20-inch wheels and tires, upgraded brakes, and a stiffer front body structure. The Sport is far more fired up than the old Explorer V-8; just don’t expect it to chase a Grand Cherokee SRT.
It’s become less truck-like in its current form, exchanging its trail-rated suspension for something a little more manageable for daily use. The current generation of Explorer shares many of its components with Ford’s large sedans, as well as the Ford Flex. While that doesn’t do much for off-road use, it certainly benefits the comfort for driver and passengers alike.
The 2015 Ford Explorer has one of the most spacious interiors on the market–especially if you judge it by passenger space. Up to seven passengers can fit, and five adults will be fine in the front two rows. Getting into the third row is a little tougher than it is for the Ford Flex, as the Explorer sits taller. Every inch of this interior seems to be designed with family use in mind, and a power tailgate and power-folding seats are there to make it more convenient.
Going by safety, the Explorer is one of the safest vehicles Ford builds, with inflatable rear seat belts and rearview cameras and blind-spot detectors. It also woos gearheads of another kind with MyFord Touch, the convoluted but promising system that uses voice, button or touchscreen control to govern infotainment and other vehicle functions. For 2015, second-row heated seats and adaptive cruise control are newly available on the Limited, and automatic headlamps have been made standard.
Simply put, for almost everything that a family would throw at the 2015 Ford Explorer, it does it better than before, and it does what the wide majority of us want to do in a crossover. It makes plenty of room for lots of people, or lots of stuff, and it does it much more efficiently than it ever did in the past. It holds on to those mud-running bona fides too–even if they probably were only ever weekend ambitions for most of their suburban owners.
In style, the Explorer doesn’t turn away too abruptly from the past. Inside it does its best impression of a Taurus sedan in look and feel, albeit a little more upright. Performance is buttoned-down, almost to sport-wagon standards, with predictable, benign handling and available all-wheel drive. The 3.5-liter V-6 that’s offered through most of the lineup is plenty quick, while the front-wheel-drive Explorer with an EcoBoost four is best kept for those who seldom if ever take advantage of this vehicles spacious seating. The Explorer Sport is a different personality–very quick, taut, and faster than any V-8 Explorer of the past; it’s a crossover extension of the Taurus SHO, essentially.
Those carlike underpinnings mean that the 2015 Explorer can’t quite hit the trails with the likes of the Grand Cherokee. But on-the-road handling is its forte, and it has quick, well-weighted steering plus terrific ride control, thanks to its substantial curb weight and an independent suspension. Highway miles truly are its friend.
That doesn’t preclude it from getting dirty now and then. A Terrain Management system controls stability and other systems to limit wheelspin while maintaining a 5,000-pound towing capacity. It’s definitely Explorer Lite compared to the distant past, but it’s still quite capable, in the wider view.
New for 2015, the Explorer XLT offers a new sport appearance package that includes a different grille, wheel set, and heated/leather seats.
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