Right now, around 23 percent of all Ford vehicles sold in the United States is a utility vehicle. By 2020, Ford expects that figure to increase all the way to 29 percent. Put simply, SUVs and crossovers are very big business at Ford. So, when it comes time to update the Explorer, Ford's original sport utility vehicle, you can be sure that a whole heck of a lot of effort goes into the process.
The 2016 Ford Explorer isn't rewriting the book on how the automaker goes about building its current crop of SUVs. At first blush, there isn't any radically new exterior styling to draw in the eye, but what has been updated is meaningful, and a new Platinum trim level, which will slot in above Sport and Limited trims, is noteworthy.
The biggest item that's new for 2016, though, is found underhood, with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder taking over where the previous 2.0-liter unit left off. With 270 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque, the new slightly larger engine boasts 13 percent more horses and 11 percent more torque than the old engine, and Ford expects no fuel economy penalty. There's no official EPA rating yet, but Ford says the 2.3-liter engine should hit 28 miles per gallon on the highway, just as the 2.0 did last year.
The new 2.3 EcoBoost will be available on base, XLT and Limited trim levels. A 3.5-liter V6, estimated at 290 horsepower and 255 lb-ft, remains standard, and the 365-horsepower EcoBoost 3.5 is standard on Sport and Platinum models. All engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive is available across the range, even on the 2.3 EcoBoost (the older 2.0 EcoBoost could only be paired with front-wheel drive).
Platinum trim brings the Explorer in line with the likes of Denali from GMC and Summit from Jeep. The Explorer Platinum's brushed aluminum exterior trim and standard 20-inch wheels look pretty classy to our eyes, and the interior is definitely a step up from what's previously been available in the Explorer – the automaker says the Explorer Platinum boasts the softest leather ever used in a Ford vehicle – and the traditional Ford Blue Oval on the steering wheel is no longer blue on this top trim, instead being brushed aluminum like the exterior bits.
Technology updates for the 2016 model year run include new exterior camera systems that now feature washers, automated parking systems that can both help park and then later help pull back out of the spot, a hands-free liftgate and active grille shutters that adjust to control aerodynamics and airflow.
Arie Groeneveld, chief engineer for the new Explorer, suggests high expectations for the new 2016 model, "It's a tall order, but we're aiming to build the best SUV in the world." We'll have to wait until we can drive it to know how to respond to such boasts, but in the meantime, we welcome you to check out our high-res image galleries and the press release down below.