2015 Ford Explorer: Refined and Ready to Compete

The Ford Explorer of yesteryear is gone. Where did it go? Simply it has been replaced by a much more road friendly version that is meant to compete in a class of crossover SUV’s that are equipped with three rows of seats. While the crossover SUV class continues to offer murkier waters than ever before, the Explorer still leads its class that includes such major namesakes as the Chevrolet Traverse, Nissan Pathfinder, Dodge Durango, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. Instead of focusing on how to get off road performance improvements, the Explorer keeps with the rest of the pack by offering a more refined on road experience.

The addition of a rearview camera, a more comfortable ride, and rear seat entertainment add to the feeling the Explorer is trying to stick with the rest of the pavement pounders that it is competing with. As a more fuel efficient and comfortable SUV than its ancestor the Explorer of today is a pleasure to ride in by comparison. The only real change for the 2015 version over the 2014 is the addition of a sport-appearance package that is offered for the XLT model which brings in 20-inch wheels, black body side moldings, roof rails and dark magnetic pain on the grill, mirror caps and lift gate.

Sitting behind the wheel of the Explorer offers the feeling that is much more like a car than a larger SUV. The cabin is very quiet due to the outstanding insulation and noise deflection technology and the highly tuned suspension keeps the ride smooth and controlled never allowing the occupants to feel even the largest of road blemishes. The steering is highly responsive and easily allows the big SUV to maneuver through traffic where there is plenty of room, and handle all highway curves with ease. The four-wheel drive system adds a terrain-management system to assist in handling many off road surfaces for those who are brave enough to take this blacktop beast off the beaten path.

The engine lineup for the Explorer is a bit of mystery in itself. Normally the smallest engine in the standard option, but not so for the Explorer. The smallest engine comes in the form of a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, which seems a bit out of place on a larger SUV. This EcoBoost engine offers 240 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque, not numbers to really boast about in the SUV classes. The benefit of this small engine is found in the fuel efficiency and if a long commute is in this vehicle’s future, this engine makes more sense. The engine is matched up with a six-speed automatic transmission that brings in a fuel efficiency of 20 city/28 hwy mpg. The towing capacity is only slight with this power train at 2,000 pounds, but is enough to take the family camping with.

The second engine which comes in as the standard engine offered on the Explorer is the 3.5-liter V6 engine that comes in with 290 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine seems to make much more sense for power and can be fueled by either regular gasoline or E85 fuel. The transmission is the same as on the smaller engine except it offers the use of Ford’s SelectShift that allows for manual gear shifting by use of paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The fuel efficiency for this engine come in at 17 city/24 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive (FWD) regular fuel model, 13 city/18 hwy mpg for the FWD model powered by E85, 17 city/23 hwy mpg for the four-wheel drive (4WD) regular fuel model, and 12 city/17 hwy mpg for the 4WD model powered by E85. This powertrain has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds which is enough to get a few great toys to the lake for a nice weekend getaway.

The final engine on the list is the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost found on the Sport model that offers 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque. Matched up to the same transmission this powertrain is only offered as 4WD version bringing in fuel efficiency numbers of 16 city/22 hwy mpg and a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

The interior boasts three rows of seats that can seat up to seven people comfortably. Both rear rows of seats can fold flat which offers up to 80.7 cubic feet of storage space and the second row can be had as either a three person bench or with two bucket seats. All materials are soft, comfortable and easy to enjoy and anyone who has ever owned a Ford vehicle will find all controls easily.

On the outside the Explorer is sinister looking from the front with the high and impressive horizontal grill that is set in between two LED headlights. The headlights do wrap back to begin the journey to the rear with brings in the muscular and imposing vision of this bulky and useful SUV. The rear view offers a small spoiler to finish the roof line and the added touch of LED taillights that make the vehicle easier to spot at night. The wheels are massively mag-spoked in a star shape that adds the final touch of menacing appearance to this new version of a traditional SUV.

The Explorer is offered in four trim levels, base, XLT, Limited and Sport. The base model comes with a single-zone climate control with rear auxiliary climate control, a power driver’s seat, a six-speaker audio system with auxiliary inputs, Ford’s MyKey which allows drivers to program the top speed and other parameters of the vehicle, Roll Stability Control and Curve Control.

The optional features offered for the Explorer include a towing package, Sync and satellite radio, leather seats, a navigation system, blind-spot detection, inflatable rear seatbelts, dual-zone automatic climate control, active cruise control, heated and cooled front seats, four-wheel drive, and the option of the smaller but fuel efficient four-cylinder engine.

The starting price for the base model 2015 Ford Explorer is $31,500. The XLT offers much wider availability of options are the best place to really start pricing though and comes in at $33,500. Moving up to the Limited model will begin the pricing around $39,000 and the Sport enters the game at $43,500. To add the smaller engine the price will go up by $995 and adding 4WD to any of the models adds an additional $2,000. All of this makes the Ford Explorer a model that offers a version almost every shopper will enjoy as well as offering plenty of upgrades for those willing to pay the extra money for them.