Let's talk about that body paneling (cladding)

[iMightNotKnowShit]

Hey guys, I'm new here. Parents have been life-long Ford owners, and my grandfather is a retired company employee. However, I've never personally owned an American-made vehicle and badly want to get rid of my wife's Chevy.

I wanted to take the time and talk about the body paneling or the cladding on this vehicle, specifically around the wheel arches. I feel it's way too much and I wish they went the route of the 2020 Aviator and only put a minimal amount of plastic cladding around the wheel wells. If I were to pick up an ST for the family (I've got two very young kids), I'd be looking to put some aftermarket body-colored fenders around the arches or something with much less cladding. I don't mind the look of the Aviator's cladding at all -- but with how large the arches are, I feel like Ford could have minimized the amount of cladding here. I think it would have helped the look of the 2020 Explorer immensely, especially the ST as those RWD proportions would be accentuated in the distance between the front arches and the front doors.

Additionally, I'd love to know what you all think about the rear wiper placement on the '20 Explorer versus the '20 Aviator. The Aviator's looks to be located underneath the rear spoiler alas Range Rover, though I've yet to find it and I've watched every video and looked at every image of the Aviator.

I'm really interested to see what you guys think about these two topics. I'm happy to share the boards with you all.

Cheers!

 

[Napalm]

SO I wouldn't call it body cladding. That dark grey/black plastic closes out the end if the fender - note there is a similar piece on the aviator.

Difference - all explorers get the same color - textured piece regardless of color. Aviators get one that's smother - painted colors with a small strip of the standard textured plastic on the very end. I bet the pieces are even interchangeable.


But it's a piece of the completed body work - not a extra cladding. Also what chevy would you replace with a explorer sport? curious.

and why the sport model. I wouldn't buy a sport model for my wife - or well didn't and won't for the next car.

 

[Napalm]

OH reasoning - the lincoln of course costs more and is marketed to compete in a different tier. so it has to have a refined look - hence the extra effort.

Since the Ford doesn't this is one of the cost cutting measures to price point it. ALso now that my 2016 is almost 4 years old. I which my fender arches had a little but of the grey plastic that is on the rocker panels as I do have rock chips there especially on the front ones.

 

[iMightNotKnowShit]

SO I wouldn't call it body cladding. That dark grey/black plastic closes out the end if the fender - note there is a similar piece on the aviator.

Difference - all explorers get the same color - textured piece regardless of color. Aviators get one that's smother - painted colors with a small strip of the standard textured plastic on the very end. I bet the pieces are even interchangeable.


But it's a piece of the completed body work - not a extra cladding. Also what chevy would you replace with a explorer sport? curious.

and why the sport model. I wouldn't buy a sport model for my wife - or well didn't and won't for the next car.

So, maybe cladding isn't the right word -- I guess plastic trim is correct. I still feel as though there is too much of it on the wheel arches of the 20 Explorer and I think Lincoln took a much better approach to implement it on the Aviator by making it thinner. Hopefully, these pieces are interchangeable and we will be able to buy the Aviator trim pieces for the Explorer. I'd be getting an ST model for myself, Lol. My wife doesn't particularly like driving large vehicles, and we do all of our traveling and road-tripping in my car anyway, which is way too small for our family of four. (Daughter is nearly 3, and our son is 6 months.) We'd be replacing an LTZ Malibu. Just too many issues with the car. We've had to replace the shifter in addition to a number of hoses and pumps.

 

[Napalm]

my 16 explorer has about the same plastic on the wheel arches - and I honestly like it. Color might have something todo with it.

but like I said it is there to hide a number of rock and debris paint damage. ON a red it might look a bit out of place - strangely on our white one it looks pretty good.

I prefer the aviator exterior anyway - which might lead me into one when it's time. I would certainly say drive both non-st and st back to back - you might be surprised.