When the American family met the automobile, it didn’t take long for a love affair with a particular segment to develop. Sometime around the middle of the 20th century, that bond startede out as a relationship between the kids and the station wagon which continued on until the 1980s. Due to factors such as fuel supply and the economy, the minivan was born and a strong tie with families ensued. This was until a few companies decided to try something rather risky and one brand in particular released a vehicle in that would help change the face of the family ride for good. Ford’s initial intentions for the 1991 Explorer were not necessarily aimed directly at the wife and kids but instead, it was meant as a special-interest vehicle. Despite that, American families saw an attraction and realized that they could have utility, space, comfort and cool all wrapped up in a rugged package. It may not be single-handedly responsible for the SUV outbreak, but the Explorer is definitely a forefather and now that it’s in its fifth generation, its gained a lot more competition than it had more than twenty years ago. Because of this, the 2011 Ford Explorer has a lot to prove in order to keep its title as the American family machine.
For twenty years, the basic layout of the Explorer stayed the same. The body-on-frame, rear wheel drive with four wheel option platform was the vehicle’s bread and butter for four generations and even the base 4.0 liter V6 engine stayed true during each change over. When the 2011 model year came around, the blue oval went and did something massive by extensively changing the Explorer. Gone is its truck-derived chassis, old V6, brawny V8 and rather boring looks as the new generation is completely new and different. Riding on a modified version of Ford’s D3 platform, the 2011 uses a unibody structure, standard front wheel drive and a 112.6 inch wheelbase. Sharing a lot of components with the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKT, and even Taurus sedans, the fifth generation Explorer was released late 2010 with claims of a smoother ride and more composed demeanor. It may now be ‘car-like’, but it’s still a large SUV with an overall length and width of 197.1 and 78.9 inches respectively. Judging on size alone, the Ford has a lot of competition as it’s right on par with the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Pilot and Mazda CX-9. With all of those vehicles offering three row seating, the Explorer must come back with more than just a fresh new face and softer suspenders if it wants to make another impression.
In order to find out if the namesake still has what it takes, we got behind the wheel of a 2011 Limited 4WD model. Base MSRP starts at $39,995 which includes standard features such as third row seating, dual zone climate control with aux control for the rear, MyFord Touch media controller, Sync voice activation, a Sony supplied stereo, projector head lamps, fog lights, remote start, backup camera, and illuminated entry lights. Added to our tester was the $2,000 Rapid Spec 301A package which included navigation, luxury leather seating, power fold third row seats and a power liftgate. With the $570 trailer package and $495 White Platinum Tri-Coat paint job, our Explorer rolled away with a final MSRP of $43,060 before destination charges. As par for the seven seater SUV course as that may be, a few other options can get an Explorer over the $50 grand mark so option carefully.
The 2011 model year brought numerous changes to the Explorer, but the most prominent can simply be seen on the outside. Borrowing many cues from the smaller Edge, the big Ford looks more hunkered down than before. Gone is the simple box design and in it place are smooth lines and soft edges. Ford’s now signature three bar grille makes itself known while the flared fenders give it the appearance of stability. The Limited’s 20 inch wheels do a fantastic job of filling those big wells in while the slightly raked rear gives the 2011 a more retro look than the previous model. Aggressive muscle can be found at the back as the jagged tail lamps and flat cargo hatch make for an excellent juxtaposition with rounded front end. Overall, the new Explorer is a handsome hauler that doesn’t look so car like that it could get confused with a minivan but not so truck like that it could be considered a box. The good looks continue on to the inside as every bit and piece has been refreshed. No longer the perfect rental car interior, the Explorer’s new trim quietly shouts class. The center console is well placed for easy access and the optional navigation system is straight forward and simple to use. Featuring MyFord Touch, navigating the navigation is easy, but could be faster as its reaction time isn’t as quick as Chrysler’s Uconnect. The eight inch LCD screen is crystal clear and attractive but its internal operations could use a refresh. What doesn’t need changing however is the cooler-than-cool driver’s gauge cluster. On each side of the handsome speedometer are display screens for various bits of info. The right one displays the media selections while the left side can be reconfigured to show a tachometer, fuel gauge, coolant temperature, all wheel drive torque split or basic tripometer. All information displays and controls are very clean and simple but the steering wheel buttons sometimes look a bit busy matched with the rest of the inside. Despite that small grip, there is no shortage of technology inside the Explorer making it entertaining even standing still.
When not standing still, our Explorer received help from the first wave’s only engine option. With the previous 4.6 liter V8 gone, the fifth generation SUV must make do with a six. Displacing 3.5 liters and using variable valve timing, this DOHC block puts out 290 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque. Down slightly from the fourth generation’s V8, the fifth generation weighs in less than the truck-like 2010 so acceleration is basically on par between the two models. With ability to hit 60 mph in the middle seven second range, the Explorer isn’t really a drag strip queen but then again, it isn’t billed as such. Even still, it has enough gusto to get out of its way and power builds rather smoothly. The six speed automatic gets a ‘Select-Shift’ option in Limited trim but its default position yielded pleasant driving no matter what. When up to speed, the new-found fully independent suspension truly proves its worth. Tracking is laser guided and road imperfections never make themselves known. The Explorer is so spacious and refined that we forgot it was an SUV every time we went for a drive. The new platform honestly suits the vehicle better than ever before as most Explorers won’t be jumping stumps that often anyways. With electronically controlled all wheel drive, terrain management and up to a 90 percent rearward torque split, the Ford still can make its way through the muck but its lowered ride and cushy multi-link rear suspension mean that the previous editions would make it further along the trail.
Ford made an odd move with the new Explorer but that isn’t a bad thing. The changes made for 2011 are so drastic that this large SUV could be called something entirely different. The Explorer faithful may scoff at a car platform, front wheel drive, and lowered suspension, but the Ford’s of yore simply were not competitive in today’s world. The family vehicle segment has changed and with it, the major players have followed suit. Ford managed to suck up their pride and throw the Explorer cutting board out the window and so far, its been a success. In its debut year alone, the fifth generation has exceeded the 100,000 sales mark and a new engine option, the 2.0 liter EcoBoost, should help that number continue to grow. Growing is exactly what Ford needs and could get more of if they continue to add innovation to their iconic SUV. More power in the form of a V8 or EcoBoost V6 could do the trick as well as lower priced options but there’s still time. As of now, there really is no need to rush as the American people are starting to remember why they fell in love with the tall blue oval alternative more than twenty years ago. The 2011 model year has put the Ford Explorer back in the spot light as it’s useful, comfortable, spacious, refined and overall, cool.
Photos: © Copyright 2012 Ossamah Shabbir
