REVIEW: I picked up new 2013 Ford Explorer this past Saturday (3/31/2012) | Page 3 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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REVIEW: I picked up new 2013 Ford Explorer this past Saturday (3/31/2012)

Asystole, welcome to the forum. Hope you get some of the items looked at by the dealer that relate to, heated seats, collision avoidance, MFT. Like others, there are some with a few issues some that don't have any. Had our Ex since last Sept. everything works as advertised, with the MFT update it also works better, although I did not have issues with ver 2.11.
The voice commands take some getting use to for sure, " Samatha (MFT) listens to my wife more than me.
Comparisons, it's hard , and I agree if Ford wants to play in the sand box, then yes get out of the old mentallity of building cars and start the refinement we expect, not as we go.
 



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Guess the OP should have waited for the Ecoboost option.

I have to LOL about the EX handling like a truck! Have you ever actually driven a truck? Previous vehicle was a FLex Limited. One of the most comfortable riding cars I've ever owned. While the EX rides higher than the Flex, I haven noticed being "truck like" in comparison to the Flex.
 






I also picked up my 2013 Explorer XLT on 3/31/12 and love it. It's comfortable, gets good gas mileage (25.3 on the highway) well mannered, quiet, and very nice to drive. No problems whatsoever. The wife loves it and she drives a 2012 Mercedes E 350. We test drove alot of cars and suv's prior to driving the Explorer, and the Explorer was the best by far. I am sorry you don't like yours but I would highly recommend this vehicle to anybody. Seems like you should have spent more time behind the wheel prior to buying it.

Just picked up my platinium white Ltd and, wow, pictures do no justice to this vehicle. 102 miles and still tryting to get used to all the electronics. Fit and finish what I expected. Re the voice command thing, I need to get used to the pattern of simple commands and not ask for too much all at once. Drives and handles like I expected - though not like my Buick-its not a Buick- almost European feel.
 






Just picked up my platinium white Ltd and, wow, pictures do no justice to this vehicle. 102 miles and still tryting to get used to all the electronics. Fit and finish what I expected. Re the voice command thing, I need to get used to the pattern of simple commands and not ask for too much all at once. Drives and handles like I expected - though not like my Buick-its not a Buick- almost European feel.
Congratulations and welcome to the Forum Pete1.:wavey:
I'm glad to see that you are happy with your new Explorer. I've had mine just over a year now and I'm still learning things. Happy motoring.

Peter
 






This is my fourth car with Ford Sync. User error with commands is most often the problem, not the system itself.

With the latest update, I use MFT in my Focus error free.
 






Welcome Pete, enjoy your ride
 






I think this bears mentioning. The Explorer is not a $40k vehicle, or a $50k vehicle. The "standard" explorer is a $28k vehicle. A Limited 302A with everything is essentially a $28k base model with leather seats, bigger rims, and a bunch of electronics. All those bells and whistles add a lot to the price, but don't actually change the vehicle. It is without question not a luxury vehicle and Ford doesn't claim it to be so.

x2

That's EXACTLY it. I could not have said it better myself.

Also, in comment to the first post in this thread about expecting more, the 20 years behind this vehicle unfortunately doesn't mean too much for the 2013 models. Sadly, the new explorers are not explorers.. they should have changed the name. Additionally, this is the first run ad this new design - issues can almost be expected. You ever pull the trigger hoping a new model is what you wanted, or, wait a few years into the life-cycle as they work out various kinks.

I have to say though, 8 seconds 0-60 for a vehicle as heavy as the expo and a starting price of 28k is pretty respectable imo.
 






Mind you, I'm trading in a Flex with Ecoboost. The Explorer isn't a slug by any means. It also doesn't require premium gas like the XC60 the OP was on about.

And what is this luxuary you speak of? I'm a simple man, I like the Ford offering and have no complaints about the interior.
 






I think this bears mentioning. The Explorer is not a $40k vehicle, or a $50k vehicle. The "standard" explorer is a $28k vehicle. A Limited 302A with everything is essentially a $28k base model with leather seats, bigger rims, and a bunch of electronics. All those bells and whistles add a lot to the price, but don't actually change the vehicle. It is without question not a luxury vehicle and Ford doesn't claim it to be so.

In actuality, the "standard" 4x4 Explorer is a $31K vehicle. Your assertion that the price is what makes for a luxury vehicle is not correct. Here's some luxury vehicles that are priced similarly to the base 4x4 Ex:

Mercedes Benz C250 $34,800
Volvo C30 $24,950
Volvo S60 $31,300
Volvo XC60 $33,000
Lexus CT $29,120
Lexus IS $33,595
Infiniti G25 $32,600
Infiniti EX35 $35,800
Audi A3 $27,270
Audi A4 $32,400
Audi Q5 $35,600
Acura RDX $34,320

If you are positing that the maxim, "If a donkey flies, don't get mad if it doesn't stay in the air long" defines the Explorer, then fine. What follows, then, is that we should be happy that the car has a given feature, and don't be too hard on Ford if it doesn't work as expected, or at all, for that matter; just be glad it's there.
This is a hard pill to swallow when you consider that the same features exist on similarly priced "luxury" vehicles and they work as expected.
 






Mind you, I'm trading in a Flex with Ecoboost. The Explorer isn't a slug by any means. It also doesn't require premium gas like the XC60 the OP was on about.

And what is this luxuary you speak of? I'm a simple man, I like the Ford offering and have no complaints about the interior.

The XC60 takes regular unleaded, as does the whole Volvo line.
 






Asystole, welcome to the forum. Hope you get some of the items looked at by the dealer that relate to, heated seats, collision avoidance, MFT. Like others, there are some with a few issues some that don't have any. Had our Ex since last Sept. everything works as advertised, with the MFT update it also works better, although I did not have issues with ver 2.11.
The voice commands take some getting use to for sure, " Samatha (MFT) listens to my wife more than me.
Comparisons, it's hard , and I agree if Ford wants to play in the sand box, then yes get out of the old mentallity of building cars and start the refinement we expect, not as we go.

Thanks, Spen
 






Guess the OP should have waited for the Ecoboost option.

I have to LOL about the EX handling like a truck! Have you ever actually driven a truck? Previous vehicle was a FLex Limited. One of the most comfortable riding cars I've ever owned. While the EX rides higher than the Flex, I haven noticed being "truck like" in comparison to the Flex.

I have driven numerous models of ambulances and fire trucks decades ago when I was a paramedic and later when working as a firefighter.
 






In actuality, the "standard" 4x4 Explorer is a $31K vehicle. Your assertion that the price is what makes for a luxury vehicle is not correct. Here's some luxury vehicles that are priced similarly to the base 4x4 Ex:

Mercedes Benz C250 $34,800
Volvo C30 $24,950
Volvo S60 $31,300
Volvo XC60 $33,000
Lexus CT $29,120
Lexus IS $33,595
Infiniti G25 $32,600
Infiniti EX35 $35,800
Audi A3 $27,270
Audi A4 $32,400
Audi Q5 $35,600
Acura RDX $34,320

If you are positing that the maxim, "If a donkey flies, don't get mad if it doesn't stay in the air long" defines the Explorer, then fine. What follows, then, is that we should be happy that the car has a given feature, and don't be too hard on Ford if it doesn't work as expected, or at all, for that matter; just be glad it's there.
This is a hard pill to swallow when you consider that the same features exist on similarly priced "luxury" vehicles and they work as expected.

aww comon man, that's a bit extreme. Of course he isn't saying price = luxury across the entire board. You can't just pull out random cars, totally different class, to use as your example.. no 'duh' a small car (like the A3) luxury price is going to be lower than even perhaps a starting (non luxury) SUV price. That's like saying my high-end detailed out motorcycle isn't 'luxury' (it is) because it's not 30k.. we all know that's not what he meant.

If you're IN-class though, it's a pretty darn good assessment. You called your Volvo a crossover yourself - a somewhat similar class, if smaller at that (which proves his point more.) The explorer starts 30k ish (I'm not going to quibble over a few thousand) - with up to 20k in accessories available.

His POINT is that that base price to base price, similar class, can be used as a judgement. A base-price SUV of brand X cannot be expected to perform at SUV brand Y's level, whose base price is 10k more, DESPITE the fact that SUV Brand X may have ran 10k above Brand Y after bells and whistles were thrown on it. Brand X is still a 'cheaper' car at its core.

Top Gear BBC does this all the time and it drives me nuts. They'll take "similarly priced" cars and compare them. Catch is they threw on all kinds of "extras" to bring the 'lesser' car in-line (price-wise) with the other vehicle, saying "oh ya performance should be similar" then mock it when it gets blown away by the other car. They actually got in trouble a few years ago (when they were testing a mustang ironically) for claiming it was a GT v8 model when it was in fact a v6 model. They were known for doing this to make the comparisons more exaggerated. (I'm going off on a tangent here). Anyway, if you watch carefully now (Like the recent one last season where they were in a focus), they'll say one VERY quick time "It has RS badges but it's not an RS" and that's it. From that point forward they call it a "Focus RS" (as it's getting stomped on) without calling any more attention to the fact it ISN'T a focus RS LOL.

Your point (after your list of cars) though is very valid, and I couldn't agree with you more man! If the feature is there, make it work. Period. If it doesn't, fine, don't offer it! The downer is that the first few years of a new vehicle usually has trouble - you'll see this with almost any line. Doesn't help that this new explorer is nowhere the same as any past explorer - it's basically a 'done up from scratch' design. Scary and exciting at the same time lol!

I do think 'truck' handling is a bit extreme though.. can you clarify what you mean by that? Is it loose steering, lots of body sway, lack of grip, etc?

I'll tell ya what, all of this makes me glad I have a 2006 :D
 






Please understand, Yoster, I'm not trying to compare the Ex to those other cars per se, but instead aim to show that there are other cars, which are considered luxury, to be had in the same price range. Like you said, and Audi A3 is by no means an SUV. But, they have refined luxury features, whereas the Ex, in a few cases, have similar features but just don't carry them to completion. As I stated earlier, my Ex, when decked-out with all of its finery, comes to over $50K which is essentially the bells and whistles that I wanted and do want to work. There's no reason to expect that, if I'm paying for a specific feature, that just because it doesn't have a Mercedes logo it's permitted to be 'bug-gy'. I appreciate that you see this point.
As for driving like a truck, what I mean is that it is not nimble, and it is a bit of a challenge to maneuver in small spaces, like parking garages do to its width and length. For its size, it does feel solid with no perceptible sway on curves, nor under/oversteer. It simply 'feels' big. If you drive a Mercedes GL450/550 or Volvo XC90, which are similarly sized and weighted vehicles, they 'feel' like cars in their temperment, especially the Volvo.
 






I have driven numerous models of ambulances and fire trucks decades ago when I was a paramedic and later when working as a firefighter.

And you equate the Explorer's handling to them?!

A decades old ambulance? I'm trading in form a Flex. Can park it on a dime and have no problems navigating the streets or parking garages of NYC with it. I don't understand your complaint, and don't see it as valid at all.
 






The XC60 takes regular unleaded, as does the whole Volvo line.

Not the turbo model. Thought you had noted the turbo model.

To be clear you can but:

this is copied from the 2011A XC60 Manual:

"Minimum octane

Volvo recommends premium fuel for best performance,
but using 87 octane1 or above will
not affect engine reliability.
Volvo engines are designed to achieve rated
horsepower, torque, and fuel economy performance
using premium 91 octane fuel.
Demanding driving
In demanding driving conditions, such as operating
the vehicle in hot weather, towing a trailer,
or driving for extended periods at higher altitudes
than normal, it may be advisable to
switch to higher octane fuel (91 or higher) or to
change gasoline brands to fully utilize your
engine's capacity, and for the smoothest possible
operation."

So, it will run on 87 as you stated but you are reducing performance. The Ecoboost was developed to run on 87 octain.
 






I interpret "handling like a truck" as a vague way of saying it's as big as a truck so manuverability and agility is typical of such a large/wide vehicle. And extra caution is required when driving anything that big, especially given the blind spots and huge pillars.

Lol, I've learned more about Volvo's here (not that I care to own one).
 






I think this thread has quickly become of limited usefulness. Time to move on....
 






Yes, until they have a TSB for this and that.
 



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I also have a '13 Explorer Limited. I have had a few minor things with Sync/MFT, but for the most part it has worked fine. The keyless locking is hit or miss, but was also this way on a Toyota I had...I think the signal is easily blocked if the key fob is in the same pocket as a cellphone. Other than that I have really liked my new Explorer....and I love the cooled seats. :)
 






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