2015 Ford Explorer Limited

The abundant O’Shea Jackson bound that lyric in 1993, and I apperceive absolutely what Ford Explorer he meant. Back in the day, the Explorer Sport was a three-door SUV that could be bought as either RWD or 4WD. It was based on the Ranger, and it was accessible in a black-and-silver admixture that would accept assuredly admiring Cube, Used Cars Dealer in Dubai who was the world’s a lot of acclaimed Raiders fan (somewhat presciently, he aswell absolute the chat Fleeeeeeex in that song). Back then, the Explorer was getting busy by anybody from wannabe rappers to apathetic Northern Virginia Housewives because Ford was guaranteeing balance ethics that were artlessly otherworldly. It was the aboriginal SUV that I can bethink getting that ubiquitous.
Then the accomplished Firestone affair happened.
For those that are too adolescent to bethink that, here’s a abrupt history as told by Wikipedia. The tl;dr adaptation is that over 250 deaths and 3,000 austere injuries were affiliated to Ford Explorers rolling over if their Firestone tires accomplished footstep separation, earning the accepted SUV the appellation “Exploder.” In a 2015 world, it’s harder to accept that neither Ford nor Firestone’s ancestor company, Bridgestone, were sued into oblivion.
But, remarkably, the Explorer name survived. Today’s Explorer, however, bears little affinity to Ice Cube’s ride. Let’s all just alarm it what it is now – a crossover, based on the aforementioned D4 belvedere as its abundant beneath accepted cousin, the Taurus. Ford refuses to accept this; they still alarm it an SUV, and they still use barter trim akin names like XLT.
When I bought my own Ford Flex about three years ago, I cross-shopped the Flex adjoin the Explorer and came abroad massively aghast with the latter. Aforementioned OEM, aforementioned platform, aforementioned motor, yet the Flex was a abundant bigger driver. So if I called this blacked out Ford Explorer Limited with about 6,000 afar on the alarm from the rental car lot, I was able to be aghast again.
Spoiler alert: I wasn’t. Well, not entirely.
2015 Ford Explorer Dash Interior
The autogenous on the Limited trim is baroque in its execution. Aggregate about the ergonomics of the car artlessly works. Granted, I circadian drive not one, not two, but three Fords. The 12-speaker Sony complete arrangement formed able-bodied for aggregate from Iggy Azalea to Iggy Pop. The basement position is absolute for abate changeable drivers as able-bodied as 5’9″ men. Visibility everywhere is outstanding. The ride is quiet to the point of abreast for artery driving. My alone complaint is that it should just feel bigger central than it in fact does. The additional row is decidedly baby – I wouldn’t acclaim that anybody beyond than I sit there for any breadth of time. The third row is abortive for anyone beyond than Verne Troyer, but if bankrupt down, it provides able accumulator amplitude for a brace of 27 inch suitcases. I’m not abiding that the abridgement of allowance and legroom affairs all that much, because that the ambition admirers for the Explorer nowadays is thirty-something women who charge to yield two kids, two lawnchairs, and a crate of abstract boxes to the bounded soccer field. The Explorer’s diminutive berth ability in fact feel cozier and beneath alarming for such a customer.
2015 Ford Explorer Middle Row Interior
That getting said, the amphibian roof attending of the Explorer, abnormally in black, makes it the a lot of adult of the choices in this segment. Between the Highlander, Traverse and Explorer, I apperceive which one I’d feel coolest active (cool is about appellation if it comes to car-based crossovers, obviously). If I pulled up to accommodated a aide for breakfast, she couldn’t acquisition me in the lot because she knew that I was active a rental car and, as she put it, “That affair looks like it amount a lot of money.” Which is good, because it does, but we’ll get to that anon enough.
The 3.5L V6 doesn’t hurt, either. While the Limited doesn’t accept EcoBoost as an accessible engine, the 290(!!) application and 255 lb-ft of torque agency you won’t acquisition yourself on the accident end of too abounding stoplight contest or awkward out of artery merges Suzuki used cars. Ford quotes a 0-60 time of about about eight seconds, but it feels abundant stronger than that on the base dyno. And, of course, what crossover doesn’t charge behemothic 20-inch rims? I mean, if you ain’t rolling on twenties, you ain’t absolutely rolling.
2015 Ford Explorer Instrument Panel
However, all that ability and ballerness comes at a cost, and that amount is ammunition economy. While my Flex averages about 21-22 MPG in accumulated driving, that aforementioned engine in the Explorer alternate appreciably beneath – about 18 MPG. The ride on the artery is spectacularly smooth, but in-town active in hip and contemporary Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan was a beneath affable experience. Potholes and cracks in the alley were translated abundant added anon to the disciplinarian than I would accept admired for a car of this size. I spent all of my time active in FWD mode, although I ambition I had been able to acquaintance Ford’s Terrain Management System, which gives the burghal mom who cast to go mud active on the weekends four altered selectable options to “optimize absorption electronically.”
In my dream world, I would use this Explorer Limited to tow about a analogous atramentous Shelby GT350 to racetracks about the country area I would boss all, because it’s rated to cull about about 5,000 pounds with ease. Okay, maybe an F-150 makes a little bit added faculty as a tow vehicle, but the Explorer is absolutely capable.
So why did my disappointment rear its animal (lack of) head(room)? Because it still isn’t as acceptable as a Flex. The Flex does aggregate that the Explorer does, and it does it all just a little bit better. And in Limited Trim, optioned absolutely the way my rental was, this Explorer is traveling to sticker out at $43,695 afore all incentives. While that’s a about arrangement if compared to a analogously engined and able Highlander, it still just feels like a big block of money for a CUV – alibi me, SUV – from a non-premium brand.
My recommendation? Definitely grab one from the rental lot if you accept the chance. But for your own driveway, go acquisition a Flex SE or SEL.