It's ironic that the vehicle that largely started the SUV boom back in the early '90s spawned so many imitators that aren't.
This may explain the ongoing success of Ford's Explorer despite all the crossover competition that's cropped up since then.
What It Is
The Explorer is a midsized, three-row SUV, available in rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. Its layout gives it significantly greater off-road capability and towing capacity than light duty front-wheel drive/all-wheel drive crossovers that look like SUVs.
Prices start at $33,245 for the base trim. It comes standard with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 10-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. You can add "intelligent" four-wheel drive as a stand-alone option.
So equipped, the MSRP is $35,245.
There are also XLT, ST-Line, Limited, ST, Timberline, Platinum and King Ranch trims, the final topping out the range at $53,610.
This Ford is neatly positioned as the only SUV in this class, and size, with three rows standard.
What's New
The ST-Line is a new-for-2022 trim that gets you the look of the high-performance ST, including gloss black interior and exterior trim and a 20-inch wheel/tire package, but without the turbocharged 3.0 V6 engine, firmer-riding suspension calibrations and higher sticker price that come standard with the ST.
What's Good
Real SUV capability, including towing capacity.
Standard three-row seating.
Multiple engines/driveline combos to choose from.
What's Not So Good
Optional 4WD does not offer low-range gearing, limiting off-road capability.
No V8 engine option.
Optional V6 is only available in higher, much pricier ST trim.
Under The Hood
The Explorer's standard engine is a 2.3-liter turbocharged four that develops 300 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque.
A 10-speed automatic is paired with this engine, the top three speeds being overdrive ratios, each designed to step down engine speed the higher your road speed. Tenth gear is a really deep 0.63 ratio, which is part of the reason this 4,300-plus pound SUV can still manage 21 MPG in city driving and 28 on the highway.
The optional four-wheel-drive system lacks low-range gearing, which makes it more like the all-wheel-drive systems in most crossovers. However, it's still based on a rear-drive layout, which means that most of the time, most of the engine's power is routed to the rear wheels. Most AWD systems are based on FWD layout, and most of the time, most of the engine's power is routed to the front wheels.
The FWD-based layout can be better in terms of providing more grip on wet/snow-covered payment on-road. But the rear-drive layout is better for pulling things. Hence the Explorer's stout 5,300 pound standard tow rating. Many crossovers in this class come standard with 3,500 pounds of capacity — and none offer more than 5,000 pounds of available towing capacity.
If you buy an Explorer ST with the 3.0-liter V6, the max tow rating goes up to 5,600 pounds. Power also goes up to 400 horsepower and 415 foot-pounds of torque.
On The Road
The main problem with crossovers is they look and feel so alike it's hard to tell them apart — which is what makes the Explorer stand out.
There's a solidity to it, which is to some degree a function of its heft (which is a function of its SUV-rather-than-crossover construction).
It also handles like an SUV, without the once-common handling weaknesses of SUVs. Most of the driveline's weight is not over the front wheels, and because most of the power is kicked back to the rear wheels, it typically feels more stable when accelerating and when cornering, a remarkable engineering achievement.
This rig is also very quick getting up to speed even with its standard four-cylinder engine. Zero to 60 can be achieved in a scant 5.6 seconds.
With the optional V6, that drops to just over five seconds.
At The Curb
The Explorer is relatively compact for a midsized SUV.
It is 198.8 inches long overall, which is about as long overall as three-row crossovers such as the Kia Telluride (196.9 inches long), Mazda CX-9 (199.4 inches long) and GMC Acadia (193.4 inches long).
It is not as long as the three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L (204.9 inches), which is an SUV. And yet the Ford has the roomier interior, with more cargo space: 18.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.8 total with the seats down versus 17.2 cubic feet behind the Jeep's third row and 84.6 cubic feet in total.
The Ford also has several inches more legroom up front (43 inches vs. 41.3 in the Jeep) and essentially the same legroom for second row passengers (39 vs. 39.4 inches) but without the extra inches (6.1) of length. This makes it an easier squeeze in and out of parking spots as well as tightens up the turning circle.
The Rest
The Explorer's main weakness as an SUV is the absence of low-range gearing, which limits its off-road capabilities relative to SUVs that have it, such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The Timberline's additional clearance (up to 8.7 inches from the standard 7.9), along with more favorable approach/departure angles for the bodywork, definitely help. But there's simply not as much leverage without the gear-reduction advantage of low-range gearing.
The Bottom Line
If you are interested in a three-row SUV rather than a crossover with three rows and want it this size, this one may just fit.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View the Ford Explorer this week.
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