Ford Explorer No More?

[amgv8400]

I was reading a post in the consumer guide website that the Ford Explorer might be discontinue by 2010. Is that true??

 

[97greenmonster]

Better not be. That would be bad. Unless their trying to scare consumers to buy buy buy, then theyll take it away for a few years, and bring it back, and it will sell like crazy! if thats what their at, great idea, but if not, bad idea!

 

[torexplorer]

How many do you see on the road?

To be honest, I do "look" for '06-'07 Explorers on the road, and I don't see that many. Before I bought my '06 I was also considering a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Keeping in mind, the latest Grand Cherokee has been around since '05-1 more year than the latest/newest Explorer, I still see way more '05+ Grand Cherokees than '06+ Explorers.

Mind you, I also see fewer 4Runners, Pathfinders, Envoys, Trailerblazers etc.

I think in general, the mid-sized, full-framed SUV is slowly dying. The full sized SUV's will continue to fill their niche, but the mid-sized trucks will fall prey to (dare I say it....) "crossovers"!

Crossovers are no longer "small" vehicles. Look at the new GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook-they're BIG trucks and they're "crossovers".

 

[shaker1]

Explorer sales have dropped off - big time! Ford is hurting all over. They need to find products the public wants. It wouldn't surprise me if they stopped the Ex.

 

[97greenmonster]

They need to stop making a soccer mom SUV, and make an explorer "trail" edition with live axles and not this isdipendent crap, more people will by them if they have more balls and more off road capabilities like the first and second gen. I think that will hit home more. more people will buy them, at least i would. i love the look, hate the powertrain. Their great road cars, but there are alot of great road cars. the jeeps are more versatile, thats why more are being sold. Ford need to make that "Iron Man" edition into an iron man truck, not IFS or IRS and a small V8, yes it powerfull, but think of what jeep is using, the Hemi, and i was reading a magazine, and jeep just made the fastest SUV. They have the power, so does ford. ford just need to make their SUV alittle more expensive and maby use the , umm 5.4. humm

 

[old mechanic]

They will be replaced with station wagons like other manufacturs are doing now.

 

[97greenmonster]

AH, i dont even want to think about that. I went explorer shoping tonight, and i love em so much, its sad to see people not wanting them, not understanding how good they really are.

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

While the Explorer certainly is not the sales leader any longer... these vehicles have their place and need in the market and the real world overall.

Ford... be smart and think it all thru, not just knee-jerk reactions...

The Ford 500 is no longer .... since they will now use the Taurus nameplate for them (was the best selling nameplate for years..)

 

[97greenmonster]

But i heard the taurus is comming back in 08 or 09 i think. Yea. but look, if the grand cherokee took the market, which would be sad because i hate jep with every fiber of my being, ford needs to take a lesson from them. i know its easier said then done, but thats what those guys get paid the big bucks for is to make choices that better the company, and i think they took a wrong turn on a few of their cars, while the right path on some others. They need to look at what the public is wanting, and its not a nice soft riding SUV anymore. People are getting back into the power, speed and capabilities. Lets face it, the newer explorers arent amazingly capable as they were in the 1st and second gen.

 

[Bwana Bob]

I don't know about the Explorer being discontinued, but there is a thread on the Ford Industry News sub-forum about the next Explorer being a CUV.

It appears that Ford may be trying to cut costs by building several vehicles on the same platform, like the Freestyle, Volvo XC-90, Edge. Common platforms, better fuel economy and "car-like" handling is the new game.

We just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I'm nursing my '92 XLT along (200k miles now). Dare I downsize to an Escape???

Bob

 

[tenacioush]

Theres no way they're going to drop the explorer. I do, however, see the Expedition being either completely redone (the right way this time) or being replaced by another model. But theyre not dropping the Ex, dont worry. Theres a difference between rumors and common sense and luckily, Ford still has some of the latter.

In terms of the Ex being beefed up a bit, I dont really see much more than a more extreme version of the iron man Ex. They may still be tossing around the idea of bringing back the oh-so-great-and-kickass Bronco (RIP) to get back into the "Utility" part of SUV sales, but that would fit a little too tightly between th escape and Ex, so who knows.

all in all, dont worry. If there are 3 vehicles that are mainstays for at least another few decades, its the Mustang, the F-Series, and the Ex.

 

[tenacioush]

After mentioning the Escape in my last post, I went to Ford.com and checked out the 08 version. I see a redesign that has a little more beef in it and i like it. Maybe a 2 door off road version or something? Actually, scratch that, escapes are too puny. bring back the Sport 2 door and lets go after Jeep with some bronco brawn, the 4.6 V8, and a sexy off road package.... a good one with the right kind of rear axel.

 

[amgv8400]

"Theres no way they're going to drop the explorer"

I hope you are right man, I plan to buy one soon.

 

[97greenmonster]

After mentioning the Escape in my last post, I went to Ford.com and checked out the 08 version. I see a redesign that has a little more beef in it and i like it. Maybe a 2 door off road version or something? Actually, scratch that, escapes are too puny. bring back the Sport 2 door and lets go after Jeep with some bronco brawn, the 4.6 V8, and a sexy off road package.... a good one with the right kind of rear axel.

HA, thanks you. I would LOVE to see that, but maby even a 5.4, or make a OHC version of the 5.0 i saw one in the shelby version of thhe 302 PJ edition, it has 400 horses. that would be, nice, to say the least. sompeat with jeep with pure power and actual axles, not IRS.

 

[Bwana Bob]

After mentioning the Escape in my last post, I went to Ford.com and checked out the 08 version. I see a redesign that has a little more beef in it and i like it. Maybe a 2 door off road version or something? Actually, scratch that, escapes are too puny. bring back the Sport 2 door and lets go after Jeep with some bronco brawn, the 4.6 V8, and a sexy off road package.... a good one with the right kind of rear axel.

I'm looking at Escape, too. Its length and wheelbase are not a lot different from the old 2 door Explorer Sport. I like the new look, but I'm disappointed that they kept the 3.0L engine and the 4 speed transmission. That CD-4E tranny has a reputation for blowing up (check out, and the engine/trans combination yields only slightly better fuel economy than an Explorer. Ford should make the manual trans available in all Escape models and replace the 3.0L/4-speed with the new 3.5L and a 5 or 6 speed trans. Maybe in 2009.

Bob

 

[tenacioush]

I'm looking at Escape, too. Its length and wheelbase are not a lot different from the old 2 door Explorer Sport. I like the new look, but I'm disappointed that they kept the 3.0L engine and the 4 speed transmission. That CD-4E tranny has a reputation for blowing up (check out and the engine/trans combination yields only slightly better fuel economy than an Explorer. Ford should make the manual trans available in all Escape models and replace the 3.0L/4-speed with the new 3.5L and a 5 or 6 speed trans. Maybe in 2009.

Bob

Yeah, in typical Ford fashion, theyre going to update the drive train and all a year or two late..... I mean, why not throw in the 3.8L from the old V6 mustangs? Put a 5 speed with 4WD and a live rear and that thing could really be something....

Then again, I still like the idea of a Bronco or an Ex Sport 2-Door with the 4.6L and off road package.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

mean, why not throw in the 3.8L from the old V6 mustangs? Put a 5 speed with 4WD and a live rear and that thing could really be something....

Then again, I still like the idea of a Bronco or an Ex Sport 2-Door with the 4.6L and off road package.

that would actually proably sell, with a couple live axles withg a real engine, a good xfer case, with some creature comforts...it might actually sell to the heep crowd.

 

[jeeden]

I know I must be jumping the gun here, but I have been planning on getting another explorer this spring/summer. I am really tempted by the redesigned door handle and Ford Sync system to wait until the 2008's come out though. Does anyone know when these will start rolling off the line? A June/July delivery I could handle, but if not I guess I will go with the 2007.

I really wish you could put a bluetooth module in an 07 and update the nav system software with the sync....or better yet, they put it in the 2007's like they did with the Edge.

Thanks for your help in advance.