- Joined
- February 12, 1999
- Messages
- 4,153
- Reaction score
- 87
- City, State
- Austin,Tx
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 92 Nav, 99 Mounty, 98 Ex
Please Watch our Driving Impressions Video here:
Watch for the Easter eggs
It is April 1990 on a crisp sunny day in South Texas, and an 11-year-old boy is sitting in the front seat of his father’s 1981 burgundy red Ford Mustang. This was a simple trip to the grocery store with his father. They turn right onto the main road, and as they pass the local Ford Dealership, the father asks his son, “What kind of car is THAT?”. But the young boy has already seen it, and he is wide eyed and mesmerized by this two tone blue 1991 Ford Explorer sitting proud, displayed all by itself on the front corner of the dealership parking lot. The 38-year-old father, who rarely would stop to look at new cars (since he despised talking to car salesmen) made a different choice, as he could not resist the urge to stop and take a closer look...
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I was that 11-year-old boy. This was my very first moment to ever see a Ford Explorer. My parents were in the market for a new car at the time since the 1976 Mercury Cougar they owned had been rear ended and needed to be replaced desperately. Later that day they came back to the dealership to test drive this brand-new SUV. I can still remember the Explorer’s new car smell. The look of that two tone blue with crystal blue cloth interior, it was glorious.
The whole family agreed they liked the Explorer as it checked off every box on what our family needed at the time. Right away, my parents factory ordered a colonial white XLT with grey cloth interior. That XLT proved its excellence on countless road trips. All the way to the Grand Canyon to the beaches in Florida. From vacations, campgrounds, the swimming pools, grocery runs, to school and back, and boat towing duties to the Gulf coast. The point of this is the Explorer itself embodied the name on the right corner of the tail gate. Since the first Explorer rolled off the assembly line, people have been exploring the globe with this fine vehicle.
The Day is July 18th, 2024 and I am 45 years old, turning 46 the next day. I am waking up in a hotel in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am here as a guest of Ford Motor company to be one of the first to drive the 2025 Ford Explorer at their media drive event for the press. How did I get here you ask? Well, I will briefly tell you and then I will get on to what this post is about. That 11-year-old kid fell in love with the Explorer that first day he saw one. I have devoted 34 years of my life to the Explorer. I got my first one on my own on October 10th, 1997… ok ok it was a 1992 Mazda Navajo (same thing right). Yes, I still have it. Technically yes but that’s for another day.
Owning my own 1992 led me to the early beginnings of Explorerforum.com. Before Facebook and other social media, online forums were the only way people could connect on the internet. I made some of the longest-lasting, most meaningful friendships via the forum. This connection allowed me to drive six unique 2025 Explorers and tell you what I think… Talk about living your dreams, right?
I did own a 2021 Explorer Platinum 4wd 3.0 for a while, so I have a little bit of a baseline in which to compare to the new mid cycle refreshed Explorer. So, I will refer to the 2021 model year for this post so some people's experience might differ. This adventure was done side by side with my best friend from the Explorer forum, Russell (Nice59fordf100)
The first Explorer we drove was a fully loaded platinum 2wd 3.0L Carbonized Grey metallic with Mojave Dusk interior. First off, the NVH has vastly improved from my '21. Road noise, squeaks, and rattles were virtually eliminated. Ride quality and handling are marginally improved, if just barely. I could tell improved shifting in the 10-speed automatic in this 2025 test unit. Throttle response was on point. Since this is a platinum equipped with the 3.0L, it has the same tune as the ST 3.0L. The 400HP platinum is no slouch. While I love the new (now standard across all trims) 13.2” screen over the awkward portrait screen, the very top of the instrument panel of the platinum dash looks like all the rest of the trims and is out of place in the rest of the high-end interior. The B&O sound system is much improved over the 20-24 Explorer. It was one of my complaints in my '21 that the Sony system in my '11 F-150 sounded better. Thank goodness Ford corrected this. I think making the dash a literal sound bar helped a lot. Ford took their time with the dash lay out. Things are right where you expect them to be. You feel right at home. Things are always in reach.
After an hour-long scenic drive loop from Revel Run Ranch to Hell, Michigan (yes, that is a real place), it was time to use the 2025 Explorer on a small off-road course Ford had prepared for us. For this part we swapped out the Platinum for 2.3L 4wd Active in Star White with light space Grey ActiveX interior. First thing off the bat I noticed was the difference in sound of the engine from the 2.3L vs 3.0L - the 2.3L is louder, though not as loud as the older 2.3L. This is an updated 2.3L so if you have driven a 2.3L in a 20-24 it is quieter than that version. It is the same 2.3L found in the current 2.3L Mustang. A lot of the raspy undertones are now gone. If you have the 2.3L in sport or off-road mode expect the decibels to be elevated. The Active (previously known as XLT) Explorer performed well on the off-road bunny trail ford took us on. Turning radius was tight and responsive. The transmission held lower gears longer in off-road mode almost negating the point of ever needing a low range. The Explorer just knew what you needed when you needed it. With more aggressive tires and a mild lift, I would like to see how it would perform on more challenging trails versus the all-season tires our test vehicle wore. I still hate the feel of the ActiveX leather. It still feels way too simulated.
By then it was time for lunch. This time allowed us to sit down and really get to know all of the different Ford employees present that day. We spoke to engineers, designers, and marketing/communication personnel. Every one of the Explorer brand employees were amazing people. They were asking our thoughts and opinions, personal stories, and what Explorer meant to us. It was great to talk to them about the vision of the current Explorer and the future of the Explorer brand as a whole.
After lunch, the next portion of our Drive was the Hands-Free driving with Blue Cruise (not to be confused with Blue’s Clues). For our Blue Cruise drive we selected a Vapor Blue ST-Line 2.3L Onyx cloth interior. This was about a 30-minute drive on I-94 to the American Center for Mobility, where we would do our ST track course, so to get everyone moved over there, why not test out the Blue Cruise on the interstate! Almost like Ford planned it that way. The 2.3L St-Line possesses the look of the ST without the 3.0L powerplant. Remember, the standard equipment 2.3L is NOT slow with its 300HP and 315LB-FT. Having experienced Blue Cruise on both the Lincoln Nautilus and Lincoln Corsair Hybrid, I felt I had a good pulse on Ford's hands-free driving. The Explorer performed to expectation and in some ways improved upon my expectation. The Explorer seemed to ping-pong less than some of the other Blue Cruise vehicles I have driven. Automated lane changes were effortless thanks to the 1.2 update already installed on the 25 Explorer line up. Only Active trim levels fail to benefit from standard Blue Cruise.
Once we arrived at the American Center for Mobility (we had to tape up our camera phones, as this is a secure location at an old air force base) the last part of our day was road course time. They had a track set up with three ST 3.0L 4wd models. We all got to take turns running the course with a slight slalom at the end. I personally ran the course four times myself. The Explorer ST is fast and planted. Steering is responsive for a three row SUV, especially in Sport mode, which tightens up noth only the shifts, but steering feel, throttle response, and becomes less nannied with the stability control software. You can tell this Explorer is very versatile. The Fastest anyone ran this course was 21.33 seconds and my best time was 25 seconds. I however am not a speed demon at all. I drove two different STs during the track time. Before we were shuttled back to the airport (Again, thank you Ford Motor Company for paying for all this), we got to take one more ST in Vapor Blue off to the side and do a final recap for the 2025 Explorer.
I will leave you with this. The Ford Explorer still embodies the mission and spirit of the Explorer nameplate. The Explorer was meant to make the driver feel the meaning of freedom. It takes owners on a journey while making them as comfortable as they are in their own living room. I personally would love the Explorer to be based off the Everest, however, this is the Explorer the American families want today and it fits the bill nicely. While it might not be for everyone that wants a body on frame off-roader, the Explorer is still capable on and off-road. If you want to tackle off-roading in Moab with a manual transmission, see Ford about its Bronco. If you want to explore everything and have the tech to get you places the Explorer is a good fit.
Please keep in mind as I make this post, I do have some bias towards the Explorer brand. I have not driven any of the competition to the Explorer. My overall thoughts would rate the 2025 Explorer an 8 out of 10.
Also, that little 11-year-old kid is living his dream thanks to the Explorer forum and Rick.
Watch for the Easter eggs
It is April 1990 on a crisp sunny day in South Texas, and an 11-year-old boy is sitting in the front seat of his father’s 1981 burgundy red Ford Mustang. This was a simple trip to the grocery store with his father. They turn right onto the main road, and as they pass the local Ford Dealership, the father asks his son, “What kind of car is THAT?”. But the young boy has already seen it, and he is wide eyed and mesmerized by this two tone blue 1991 Ford Explorer sitting proud, displayed all by itself on the front corner of the dealership parking lot. The 38-year-old father, who rarely would stop to look at new cars (since he despised talking to car salesmen) made a different choice, as he could not resist the urge to stop and take a closer look...
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I was that 11-year-old boy. This was my very first moment to ever see a Ford Explorer. My parents were in the market for a new car at the time since the 1976 Mercury Cougar they owned had been rear ended and needed to be replaced desperately. Later that day they came back to the dealership to test drive this brand-new SUV. I can still remember the Explorer’s new car smell. The look of that two tone blue with crystal blue cloth interior, it was glorious.
The whole family agreed they liked the Explorer as it checked off every box on what our family needed at the time. Right away, my parents factory ordered a colonial white XLT with grey cloth interior. That XLT proved its excellence on countless road trips. All the way to the Grand Canyon to the beaches in Florida. From vacations, campgrounds, the swimming pools, grocery runs, to school and back, and boat towing duties to the Gulf coast. The point of this is the Explorer itself embodied the name on the right corner of the tail gate. Since the first Explorer rolled off the assembly line, people have been exploring the globe with this fine vehicle.
The Day is July 18th, 2024 and I am 45 years old, turning 46 the next day. I am waking up in a hotel in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am here as a guest of Ford Motor company to be one of the first to drive the 2025 Ford Explorer at their media drive event for the press. How did I get here you ask? Well, I will briefly tell you and then I will get on to what this post is about. That 11-year-old kid fell in love with the Explorer that first day he saw one. I have devoted 34 years of my life to the Explorer. I got my first one on my own on October 10th, 1997… ok ok it was a 1992 Mazda Navajo (same thing right). Yes, I still have it. Technically yes but that’s for another day.
Owning my own 1992 led me to the early beginnings of Explorerforum.com. Before Facebook and other social media, online forums were the only way people could connect on the internet. I made some of the longest-lasting, most meaningful friendships via the forum. This connection allowed me to drive six unique 2025 Explorers and tell you what I think… Talk about living your dreams, right?
I did own a 2021 Explorer Platinum 4wd 3.0 for a while, so I have a little bit of a baseline in which to compare to the new mid cycle refreshed Explorer. So, I will refer to the 2021 model year for this post so some people's experience might differ. This adventure was done side by side with my best friend from the Explorer forum, Russell (Nice59fordf100)
The first Explorer we drove was a fully loaded platinum 2wd 3.0L Carbonized Grey metallic with Mojave Dusk interior. First off, the NVH has vastly improved from my '21. Road noise, squeaks, and rattles were virtually eliminated. Ride quality and handling are marginally improved, if just barely. I could tell improved shifting in the 10-speed automatic in this 2025 test unit. Throttle response was on point. Since this is a platinum equipped with the 3.0L, it has the same tune as the ST 3.0L. The 400HP platinum is no slouch. While I love the new (now standard across all trims) 13.2” screen over the awkward portrait screen, the very top of the instrument panel of the platinum dash looks like all the rest of the trims and is out of place in the rest of the high-end interior. The B&O sound system is much improved over the 20-24 Explorer. It was one of my complaints in my '21 that the Sony system in my '11 F-150 sounded better. Thank goodness Ford corrected this. I think making the dash a literal sound bar helped a lot. Ford took their time with the dash lay out. Things are right where you expect them to be. You feel right at home. Things are always in reach.
After an hour-long scenic drive loop from Revel Run Ranch to Hell, Michigan (yes, that is a real place), it was time to use the 2025 Explorer on a small off-road course Ford had prepared for us. For this part we swapped out the Platinum for 2.3L 4wd Active in Star White with light space Grey ActiveX interior. First thing off the bat I noticed was the difference in sound of the engine from the 2.3L vs 3.0L - the 2.3L is louder, though not as loud as the older 2.3L. This is an updated 2.3L so if you have driven a 2.3L in a 20-24 it is quieter than that version. It is the same 2.3L found in the current 2.3L Mustang. A lot of the raspy undertones are now gone. If you have the 2.3L in sport or off-road mode expect the decibels to be elevated. The Active (previously known as XLT) Explorer performed well on the off-road bunny trail ford took us on. Turning radius was tight and responsive. The transmission held lower gears longer in off-road mode almost negating the point of ever needing a low range. The Explorer just knew what you needed when you needed it. With more aggressive tires and a mild lift, I would like to see how it would perform on more challenging trails versus the all-season tires our test vehicle wore. I still hate the feel of the ActiveX leather. It still feels way too simulated.
By then it was time for lunch. This time allowed us to sit down and really get to know all of the different Ford employees present that day. We spoke to engineers, designers, and marketing/communication personnel. Every one of the Explorer brand employees were amazing people. They were asking our thoughts and opinions, personal stories, and what Explorer meant to us. It was great to talk to them about the vision of the current Explorer and the future of the Explorer brand as a whole.
After lunch, the next portion of our Drive was the Hands-Free driving with Blue Cruise (not to be confused with Blue’s Clues). For our Blue Cruise drive we selected a Vapor Blue ST-Line 2.3L Onyx cloth interior. This was about a 30-minute drive on I-94 to the American Center for Mobility, where we would do our ST track course, so to get everyone moved over there, why not test out the Blue Cruise on the interstate! Almost like Ford planned it that way. The 2.3L St-Line possesses the look of the ST without the 3.0L powerplant. Remember, the standard equipment 2.3L is NOT slow with its 300HP and 315LB-FT. Having experienced Blue Cruise on both the Lincoln Nautilus and Lincoln Corsair Hybrid, I felt I had a good pulse on Ford's hands-free driving. The Explorer performed to expectation and in some ways improved upon my expectation. The Explorer seemed to ping-pong less than some of the other Blue Cruise vehicles I have driven. Automated lane changes were effortless thanks to the 1.2 update already installed on the 25 Explorer line up. Only Active trim levels fail to benefit from standard Blue Cruise.
Once we arrived at the American Center for Mobility (we had to tape up our camera phones, as this is a secure location at an old air force base) the last part of our day was road course time. They had a track set up with three ST 3.0L 4wd models. We all got to take turns running the course with a slight slalom at the end. I personally ran the course four times myself. The Explorer ST is fast and planted. Steering is responsive for a three row SUV, especially in Sport mode, which tightens up noth only the shifts, but steering feel, throttle response, and becomes less nannied with the stability control software. You can tell this Explorer is very versatile. The Fastest anyone ran this course was 21.33 seconds and my best time was 25 seconds. I however am not a speed demon at all. I drove two different STs during the track time. Before we were shuttled back to the airport (Again, thank you Ford Motor Company for paying for all this), we got to take one more ST in Vapor Blue off to the side and do a final recap for the 2025 Explorer.
I will leave you with this. The Ford Explorer still embodies the mission and spirit of the Explorer nameplate. The Explorer was meant to make the driver feel the meaning of freedom. It takes owners on a journey while making them as comfortable as they are in their own living room. I personally would love the Explorer to be based off the Everest, however, this is the Explorer the American families want today and it fits the bill nicely. While it might not be for everyone that wants a body on frame off-roader, the Explorer is still capable on and off-road. If you want to tackle off-roading in Moab with a manual transmission, see Ford about its Bronco. If you want to explore everything and have the tech to get you places the Explorer is a good fit.
Please keep in mind as I make this post, I do have some bias towards the Explorer brand. I have not driven any of the competition to the Explorer. My overall thoughts would rate the 2025 Explorer an 8 out of 10.
Also, that little 11-year-old kid is living his dream thanks to the Explorer forum and Rick.
Looks like you guys had a fantastic time out there. Nice job!
