Ford Explorers at the SEMA Show

[san~man]

70/30

 

[ProjectAviator]

I had a 5 gen explorer,a 2014 Hated it. It wasn't an explorer. Not capable not really that comfortable. Traded it for our 17 Lincoln MKZ.

Tim

 

[Rick]

Are these proper trucks or more of those front drive based... things?

Allegedly the new Explorer chassis with longitudinal engine layout and rear wheel drive bias won't be out until the 2020 model year. These are still 2018s.

 

[peterk9]

Allegedly the new Explorer chassis with longitudinal engine layout and rear wheel drive bias won't be out until the 2020 model year. These are still 2018s.

2020 Explorer production begins May 6th 2019. Orders for the 2019 are already closed.

Peter

 

[Watcher58]

I had a 5 gen explorer,a 2014 Hated it. It wasn't an explorer. Not capable not really that comfortable. Traded it for our 17 Lincoln MKZ.

Tim

So would you have liked the Expy have had more of an off road character or were you looking for more of a road car which you bought or did you feel like it didn't do a good job with either and was kinda bland? I really like my 2015 but I drive in MT. A MKZ might find too many challenges in this environment

 

[CDW6212R]

I had a 5 gen explorer,a 2014 Hated it. It wasn't an explorer. Not capable not really that comfortable. Traded it for our 17 Lincoln MKZ.

Tim

I love the whole 5th gen body style of Explorers. The two posted here are great, I'd take either of them, but the huge wheels would have to go. I know how much wheels weight goes up as the diameter does. I don't understand why everyone wants bigger wheels, it wastes gas.

BTW Tim, did you get the 3.0T in that MKZ? I've got my eye out for a blue one with the black grille, maybe next Spring if things clear out for me.

 

[Glen4X4]

Thanks for the pictures, Rick. Those are both good looking 5th gens.

 

[92exp4x4]

I like the current explorer body style and I'm digging the "Flex like" two tone, but wish they were rear wheel drive bias, instead of the current design. If ford is bringing back the conventional layout, I'm curious what it will be based on. Ranger? Also, I miss the days when the Sport had two less doors. "Sport" vehicles just don't scream "take the family with you!"

 

[1998rollover]

I like the current explorer body style and I'm digging the "Flex like" two tone, but wish they were rear wheel drive bias, instead of the current design. If ford is bringing back the conventional layout, I'm curious what it will be based on. Ranger? Also, I miss the days when the Sport had two less doors. "Sport" vehicles just don't scream "take the family with you!"

Ford majorly screwed up by never offering the 302 in the 2 door Explorer Sport. Since when does a V6 say "Sport" in any American vehicle? Par for the Ford course along with not offering all the DeLuxe goodies (like dual lighted sun visors) from the Explorer and Mountaineer on the Sport Trac, or restricting certain options on the 1994 and earlier Mustangs to the convertible and hatchback. (IMHO the notchback was always the best looking Mustang body from 1964-1/2 through the last one in 1994.) Same deal when Ford wouldn't let anyone have rear disc brakes with the 302 on the T-Bird or Cougar.

Any other desirable combinations of options that Ford would not allow anyone to buy?

 

[peterk9]

I like the current explorer body style and I'm digging the "Flex like" two tone, but wish they were rear wheel drive bias, instead of the current design. If ford is bringing back the conventional layout, I'm curious what it will be based on. Ranger?........

2020 Explorer

Peter

 

[roscoe 0202]

I think that if ford would have put back doors on the sport like the supercab pickup trucks they would still be building a current version because demand would have justified it a v8 wouldn't have been a bad idea either only with 4wd not awd
roscoe

 

[1998rollover]

I think that if ford would have put back doors on the sport like the supercab pickup trucks they would still be building a current version because demand would have justified it a v8 wouldn't have been a bad idea either only with 4wd not awd
roscoe

They did that. It was called the Explorer Sport Trac, which in its first version was V6 only. Despite having a front end nearly identical to the Explorer Sport, the parts are very different. Even the fog lamps that look the same from the outside are completely different units.

If Ford had standardized things like the electronics across all Ranger based products it would have saved them a ton of money. But noooo, too logical. There are big differences between Ranger pickup, Explorer/Mountaineer, and Sport Trac electronics and various other parts. Then there are parts different between V6 and V8 Explorer/Mountaineer, like the power steering cooler. They're the same size but the attached mounting brackets are different so the V6 one won't fit on the crossmember with a V8. Could have saved thousands of dollars by discontinuing the V6 cooler when a design change was needed to the part to fit the V8, and used the V8 cooler on ALL Ranger based vehicles with all engine options.

Other brands haven't been immune to such craziness. On GM's 1980's J platform the radiator tanks were different for the I4 and V6 *and* different between the V6 Cimarron and Z24*. Wouldn't be surprised to find that the different brands with the I4 had different rad tanks and other parts different for no damn reason other than the various brand managers insisted on having different parts that almost none of the buyers would notice or care about.

*Found that out when I had a 1986 Cimarron that had sprung a leak. Radiator shop said it'd be a week to get the tank. Called the next day to say it was done. About 10 years before he'd replaced the tank on a Z24 and someone at the warehouse sent a Cimarron tank instead. The shop had the Cimarron tank up on a shelf all those years.

 

[Conestoga Actual]

I love my Gen 4 EB, but got to drive a 2018 Gen 5 LTD while the dealer was replacing the airbag in my wife's Edge.
I liked it too, but in different ways.
In the pic's above, i'd love to see the "black over red two tone" get the off road treatment that the second one has.