2020 Explorer | Page 7 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

2020 Explorer

The problem is that the majority of buyers prefer the unibody of the current 5th generation Explorer. That is why the change was made in the first place and why I switched to the Explorer in 2011.

Peter
It may be a body on frame design with a live axle rear, but it uses a 5-link rear suspension with coils and an independent front. Having driven one, the road feel is nothing like its leaf sprung Ranger brother. Its quite nice, it doesn't have the feel of a truck like the earlier Explorers.

Here's a video of the Everest chassis flex:


Plus you can get it with the same drivetrain as the Ranger Raptor, san the 33" tires and Fox shocks. Although there is rumors of producing a true Everest Raptor.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.

















The Bronco and the Explorer have literally switched places.

The Bronco used to be on the F150 chassis. The Explorer used to be on the Ranger chassis. Now the Bronco is going to sit on the Ranger chassis.
 






I consider the 2011+ Explorers "Shopping Mall Explorers". Cars, but with just a bit more head and storage room. Yes, I understand that most second gens were bought and driven more by soccer moms than off roaders, but they could have named it something else other than ruining the Explorer legacy. Most of the people I've sold Explorers to said they needed them for either a dependable winter rig(AWD), live on a county dirt back roads (where plows are last to get too, also) or for towing, 3 things the 5th gens are not very capable of..................................................................I've also noticed that the redesign of the Explorer brought in a new type of crowd to ExplorerForum, people who don't leave the city too often, if at all.
The 5th generation Explorer is very capable of light to some moderate off-roading as shown in various videos and attested to in several posts. It is a very capable "winter rig" and should do well in most "country dirt back roads" and can tow 5000 lbs. It lacks some of the road clearance of previous generations but is still very capable. As for bringing in a "new type of crowd", that is precisely what it was intended to do. Many of the previous generations also never saw off-road duty. The 5th generation was bought out to try and restore the lagging sales of the previous ones. Times change and very few prospective buyers wanted the old 'truck' type vehicles anymore. The only reason I switched to the 5th gen. was because of its redesign and unibody construction. I also don't live in the city. BTW, the second generation of Explorers was 1995 - 2001.

Peter
 






AWD minivans don't have the Terrain Management System that helps in various situations in diverting power to the wheels that require it. It's also obvious by your statement thast you haven't seen the videos of what the 5th gen. Explorer can accomplish off-road. While the new Explorer isn't for everyone, obviously, you can't argue with its success in sales. That after all that is the company's target.
For those who want what old Explorer had there is always the new Bronco or get a Raptor. I doubt the RWD 2020 Explorer would satisfy them but vehicles that don't sell usually get left behind. It's all market driven.:wave:
There is an existing thread where full frame vs unibody is discussed.

Peter
 






Wow, thank you all for the links and information in this thread. I am currently driving a 2013 Limited with 80k miles. I was looking to purchase a 2018 Platinum Explorer, but after reading this thread am I better off waiting until next summer when the new 2020's are supposed to be released? But then I would be vulnerable to the first year issues that tend to happen after a redesign. I worked out a good deal on a 2018 Platinum Explorer with one of the local dealerships, but it's not on the lot and the dealer has no idea when it will be in.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
 






Wow, thank you all for the links and information in this thread. I am currently driving a 2013 Limited with 80k miles. I was looking to purchase a 2018 Platinum Explorer, but after reading this thread am I better off waiting until next summer when the new 2020's are supposed to be released? But then I would be vulnerable to the first year issues that tend to happen after a redesign. I worked out a good deal on a 2018 Platinum Explorer with one of the local dealerships, but it's not on the lot and the dealer has no idea when it will be in.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

I don't know about you but so far I love the specs of 2020. True real wheel drive SUV and capable of switching to all wheel drive if needed. Over 400hp and torque it should be one of the fastest SUV's...bang for your buck type. A little higher quality interior and better features. If its nice looking I will trade in even if its the 1st year,
 






Wow, thank you all for the links and information in this thread. I am currently driving a 2013 Limited with 80k miles. I was looking to purchase a 2018 Platinum Explorer, but after reading this thread am I better off waiting until next summer when the new 2020's are supposed to be released? But then I would be vulnerable to the first year issues that tend to happen after a redesign. I worked out a good deal on a 2018 Platinum Explorer with one of the local dealerships, but it's not on the lot and the dealer has no idea when it will be in.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Wait for 2020 Explorer. Why buy essentially the same car as your current car with just some slight changes when you can get a vehicle that actually has true improvements.
 






Wait for 2020 Explorer. Why buy essentially the same car as your current car with just some slight changes when you can get a vehicle that actually has true improvements.

Thanks for the advice guys. I knew what the right move was in the end but my impatience was kicking in. Fish slap calmed me, I will wait until next summer and look at the 2020's.

Thanks again
 






Thanks for the advice guys. I knew what the right move was in the end but my impatience was kicking in. Fish slap calmed me, I will wait until next summer and look at the 2020's.

Thanks again
If it turns out that the 2020 is not for you, there is always the option at that time to get a 2019 or a 2018 if they are still available. The downside is that you would probably have to get them off the lot as opposed to ordering one.

Peter
 






If it turns out that the 2020 is not for you, there is always the option at that time to get a 2019 or a 2018 if they are still available. The downside is that you would probably have to get them off the lot as opposed to ordering one.

Peter

That is probably better anyway because I bet the deals for the 2019 Explorer would be fantastic by then because dealers need to clear their inventory and it's easier to negotiate the price down. So it's a win-win situation for him imo.
 






Reading this whole thread just tells me explorer owners seem to fall into 2 groups. I feel both groups make good points. I have owned a least one of almost every generation and I think anyone who considers an explorer to be off-road capable( when completely stock) has different ideas about what that term means than I do. I have a 2017 soccer-mom explorer because I’m now an old man who needs some a little more capable than a Taurus, but not as HD as my old F150. Getting into my old F150 was like climbing a mountain- getting into the exploder is more like sitting on the couch. I think going forward, the explorer line will be cop cars,soccer-mom cars, and high-horsepower millennial-mobiles. If you want serious off-road, maybe you should be looking at the Raptor or the Raptor jr.
 






Wow, thank you all for the links and information in this thread. I am currently driving a 2013 Limited with 80k miles. I was looking to purchase a 2018 Platinum Explorer, but after reading this thread am I better off waiting until next summer when the new 2020's are supposed to be released? But then I would be vulnerable to the first year issues that tend to happen after a redesign. I worked out a good deal on a 2018 Platinum Explorer with one of the local dealerships, but it's not on the lot and the dealer has no idea when it will be in.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Personally, after having done it three times, I will never buy another first year. If it were me, I would buy the '18, and then in '22 or '23, buy the new one. I guess it depends on your tolerance for issues, and not having fixes for them. Mine is pretty low, after having done it that many times.
 






Personally, after having done it three times, I will never buy another first year. If it were me, I would buy the '18, and then in '22 or '23, buy the new one. I guess it depends on your tolerance for issues, and not having fixes for them. Mine is pretty low, after having done it that many times.

I agree. Looks like Ford does not know how to make a first year car... I bought 3 new Fords. Fusion (2013) which had so many quality issues and to this day provides some mechanical issues like poor shifts and rough idles. Explorer (2011) which has been to the dealership over 10 times. The F150 which was not a first year car was atleast okay with only a few recalls and only one issue which was a leaking rear differential due to a bad seal.
 






I agree. Looks like Ford does not know how to make a first year car... I bought 3 new Fords. Fusion (2013) which had so many quality issues and to this day provides some mechanical issues like poor shifts and rough idles. Explorer (2011) which has been to the dealership over 10 times. The F150 which was not a first year car was atleast okay with only a few recalls and only one issue which was a leaking rear differential due to a bad seal.

It's not just Ford. Mine were 2 Chryslers, a 2005 Dakota and a 2005 Grand Cherokee, and a 2011 Kia Optima. I hated the Dakota, which started knocking at 5000 miles, and I was told it was normal, if I brushed the key when reaching for the radio, it would shut down the instrument cluster at highway speeds, and mine was a pre-recall brake of the pin that holds the transmission in Park. I put in Park, took my foot off the brake, and it started to roll backwards. It made for an interesting weekend, towing a trailer!

I loved the Grand Cherokee. It cost me a ton of money and time for various issues, but I still hated when I traded it in.

I started off loving the Optima, and Kia's 60k bumper to bumper is awesome, except that I had to use it so many times. Almost every oil change included some warranty work. They took care of it all, right down to the replacing the trunk emblem that delaminated, mostly without argument, which was nice. The only thing I had to fight for was getting the driver's seat leather replaced.

Ford just replaced all of the leather on the first two rows, except the headrests, without argument, which was nice. Steering wheel too. I got it all done just before I hit 36k.
 






Spotted some 2020 Explorers in camouflage in Silverthorne, Colorado today...
D00BF56F-DCF3-4823-98B4-1AB5A69435E9.jpeg
 






Do I see what appears to be the gas filler door on the driver's side or is that an optical illusion?

Peter
 






You would be correct! It was on the driver side.

We walked around them for a bit. Looked like they were sitting there logging data.

Obviously it’s hard to see all the body lines, but I like the look of these better so far compared to the 5th gen
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





I wonder if they would give us an option to pick 21 inch or 22 inch rims for the ST model. More powerful, better interior, better looking, better mpg, more interior space. Now that they are basing this new platform as a rear wheel drive...Can Livernois give us extra 50 Torque and 50Mph faster, making St model 450 horse power and 450 torque at the minimum.

Ford said 50K plus for ST model. We will see. I am planning to upgrade to 2020 ST sport model next summer. Still more details are needed, but I am loving it so far.
 






Back
Top