'11 Explorer Revealed!!

[NHarris]

So this is pretty much the end of the line for Ford offering a traditional SUV? That's really sad. The escape should have become the crossover and left the X the way it was, maybe cuttingback production a bit.

Put it this way..its the end of the traditional SUV. Toyota, Honda, Nissan have all made the switch. Look at GM's line-up too. The trailblazer, now unibody as the Traverse. And the tahoe is probably the next to go unibody or be phased out for something else (that will be Unibody).

kstrayhorn..
The newest X does have a slight minivan look to it...but. The minivan is on its way out. People now want a 4wd, 7 seater car. So thats what the market wants...thats what fords going to build.
There is going to have to be a replacement for the old truck frame SUV.
2nd and 3rd gens dont look a like too much. All the explorers including this newest one all have a few things in common....except for 3rd and 4th gen. 4th gen just mainly got a look overhaul.
I hope that one day the bronco will come back...and not as a unibody bronco but as a truck-frame bronco. And that will be the explorer's replacement (for the truck-frame SUV)

 

[kstrayhorn]

i hope that one day the bronco will come back...and not as a unibody bronco but as a truck-frame bronco. And that will be the explorer's replacement (for the truck-frame suv)

x2

 

[Joe Dirt]

I don't know if the minivan is over yet, and actually, I kind of like the aggressive look of the Sienna. Most manufacturers have gotten out of or severely phased out the game, but hey- station wagons made a comeback, even though a lot of them are tagged as crossovers. I think the Magnum was a pure station wagon, as is the Venza, and to some extent, the Flex, although the Flex is huge- it's bigger than my Explorer.

 

[NHarris]

Well thats where I think that crossovers are replacing the minivan. The van will always be around, some people just have to have a van. But then again the Ford Expedition and Expedition EL, and comparable models, is I think whats leading to a decline of the van's popularity. Most people around here want the van-like car, with 4wd. But like I said the van will always be around. Ford just introduced the transit connect. A new commercial van.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Yeah, but the TC isn't anywhere the girth of an Econoline EL. It's deceptively big inside, but still pretty small compared to, say, a Sprinter. But they're pieces of s***, ours is at the dealership all the time. <-- CLUE!

You're spot on with the car like ride, luxury features, lots of storage, with great fuel economy, a hitch, and 4wd...

Sounds like one of these:

 

[DarkFox1]

omfg. I just saw this thing on my igoogle.

After years of not being on these forums at all I had to go on here to all of you who still own and love your explorers mountaineers and navajos... and offer my condolences for the death of what was once a pretty darn good suv.

We've come a long way from the AWD full frame 5.0 mountaineers in the late 90s to this ecoboost FWD unibody "suv".

Ford has been doing a lot of good things lately and has really caught the attention of the public with the 2011 mustang, but this thing?? It's an insult to the explorer name imo.

But.. as others have pointed out, the vast majority of explorer owners are not offroaders or work horses.. moreso.. grocery getters.. just like any other car.

The explorer has become a victim of what I like to call "brown bag syndrome"

the least a product appeals to any one market.. the more it appeals to multiple markets.

I can see the old "2nd gen" explorers going up in value over the next couple years as people long for the days of rugged full frame suvs.

 

[RJ]

Anyone know if the new X has an active suspension system like LandRover? (and not just the terrain response, or is it part of terrain?)

That photo appears to have significantly more ground clearance than the other ones. If it has full air raisable suspension, with the forced articulation mode, then it really isn't a bad car/truck.

I know we all want a truck based, solid axle, full locker setup with huge travel, but let's face it, the majority of consumers voted againest that with their hard earned money. Hopefully the Raptor, Wrangler and Power Wagon will always be around...

 

[fedyfedz]

I think this is the ugliest car ever doesnt even look like a truck, to me looks like a chevy terrain had sex with a FJ Cruiser. and reminds me to much of the edge which i like more than this. I now it has all of these new things and features but I would never buy this!!

 

[mounty71]

To those of you saying "it looks like an edge" or "they may as well call it a flex," you do realize that Ford's lineup makes up a FAMILY of vehicles, don't you? Try being a little more realistic. Of course it is going to have visual similarities to the other cars! Every single brand out there works the same way.

I do, however, agree that i would have liked to see the explorer stay true to its roots while keeping the edge and flex for the family wagons that stay on the streets. Right now this new explorer seems like the smartest possible move for Ford, but in the future they may realize what they are lacking in their lineup, a competitor to the Grand Cherokee (which still has some balls), FJ (may be discontinued?), 4 Runner, Xterra, Hummer H3, etc. I have heard hints and rumors of a possible bronco successor in the future, so I remain hopeful for that.

 

[NHarris]

I would quote everyone above on this page, except my comment.
You all have got some balls to say **** about the new X. I'm along with most of you its lost is kahonas, but its still got a hint of a explorer in it. So what its not a truck frame, yes I'd like a full frame under my car, but still its a good explorer. I want to see one of these in person before I talk any **** on it.
My 05 X...is like a van in a sense, third row seats (that suck). I never leave those 3rd row seats up, because I feel like a drive a van then. I hate it. After learning to drive in a van years ago, I'm done with vans.

You're spot on with the car like ride, luxury features, lots of storage, with great fuel economy, a hitch, and 4wd...

Sounds like one of these:

Didn't you say you were going to get one of these to replace your 97 X? Or am I mistaken on that.

I think this is the ugliest car ever doesnt even look like a truck, to me looks like a chevy terrain had sex with a FJ Cruiser. and reminds me to much of the edge which i like more than this. I now it has all of these new things and features but I would never buy this!!

I found an uglier car. The new X isn't bad. Its not on my list of the first X I would buy I'd buy a 06-10 first, but I'll end up buying one of these eventually. Honestly does my 05 X look like a truck? not really. Does the 06-10? no, does the 95-98. NO! Does the 91-94? Yep, to a point. what I mean by truck is the closest ford comparision.

^^^^Thats what I'm talking about one stylin car : ^^^^

 

[alexk]

I hate to say it but its comment like these that has steered the market to where it is - we're all about "looks" and "big rims" these days. IMO, it's a base model, hub caps are fine.

Yeah its a base model that with tax, tags, etc will be $30K. On a base Fiesta, Focus, or Fusion yes hub caps are fine. In fact I love the way a black fusion se looks when you take the hubcaps off. But when your spending that much money on a car you should at least have wheel that when the covers fall off there isnt some ugly wheel underneath that.

 

[Cozmik]

I don't love it.....yet. But i certainly don't hate it. When I had a 98 Sport I wasn't a fan of the 3rd Gen till my wife bought one. Now I too have a 3rd Gen. Guess people change their minds and adapt to change.

The styling is nice and appealing on the 2011. The power and fuel economy of the V6 are good. The interior is great. Unibody is whatever. My old Cherokee was unibody. The unibody isn't ideal, but it's not the end of the world.

The part I really don't like is the front wheel drive part. Thats my 'wtf?' part. Like has been mentioned before, I too will reserve final judgement until after I've driven one....and I'd like to see some real video of this Terrain Mgmt system in action, none of this dirt road stuff.


....and at least it didn't sliding doors like the America Concept was rumored to have. That would have sucked!!!

 

[NHarris]

The america concept's sliding door rumor, is true. (see below) I apologize for the HUGE picture.
Next I do agree I didn't like the 3rd and 4th generation explorers...until I bought one. I remember I was the one dissing on the 3rd and 4ths, but I will say I LOVE MY 05 X. And will probably get a 4th and then 5th generation.
I also hate the front wheel drive. Its the worst thing ford could ever do to an explorer. I'm just glad Ford kept the explorer name, but then who hasn't been in, looked at, or owned an explorer?
I would have rather had the big 4.0L or 3.7L engine in the new explorer, but this 3.5 is a little powerhouse! Upgrade the little 3.5L engine and it could be as fast or faster than a mustang V6. It'll make my X look like it has no kahonas.

 

[Garth]

V6 mustang... faster?!?..

 

[NHarris]

V6 mustang... faster?!?..

First off, it depends on if there is any aftermarket parts, which there probably will be.
Even the little ecoboost could be upgraded to be faster than a V6 mustang.

-The official 2.0L Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing (TiVCT) EcoBoost I-4 turbocharged engine in the Ford Explorer is projected to have 237 Horsepower, and 250lb of torque. There will be aftermarket parts for this engine. I almost guarantee it.

-The official horsepower for the new Ford Explorer with the 3.5L TiVCT has a projected horsepower of 290, and 255 lb-ft of torque.

-The official horsepower for the new V6 mustang is 305 Hp, 280lb-ft torque.

-So in all what... a 15 horsepower difference?
-Yes the mustang does have the weight advantage
So you tell me whats up
Towing race, put the ATV in a trailer on the back of a mustang.
And an atv in a trailer on an 2011 explorer.

 

[techieman33]

with these motors becoming so common in the whole range of ford vehicles there will probably be a ton of aftermarket support for them.

 

[IZwack]

but the X is probably slightly more aerodynamic than the mustang.

Pretty sure the Mustang will win in aerodynamics considering it probably has almost half the wetted area of the Explorer.

 

[NHarris]

Any more these small engines need some kind of an upgrade.
They are powerful stock, but like my 05 X with the 4.0L V6, its most definately underpowered. I should have gotten the more powerful V8, which is what I wanted. With gas prices higher than they should be, the 6cyl is better.

 

[IZwack]

Thread cleaned up, pardon our dust. icecube498 is correct - the Explorer has less aerodynamic drag than the Mustang.

 

[NHarris]

Thread cleaned up, pardon our dust. icecube498 is correct - the Explorer has less aerodynamic drag than the Mustang.

Says who? I don't think I ever said my opinion was right. :

Anyways....back to talking about the 2011 Explorer.