[vigsom]

Introduction

This is a brief account of my off-and-on experiences of travelling in a 2013 Ford Explorer. Every time I've travelled in this SUV, I've been in awe of the vehicle's all round capabilities, but the one thing that appealed to me the most was its utility - of passenger comfort in all three rows, and a usable boot.

A brief on this vehicle

* Year of birth 2013
* Kms done 3,36,000
* Engine and Transmission 3.5L V6 Duratec with a 6 speed automatic tx.
* Major jobs till date - power steering rack replacement

[vigsom]

What's so special about this vehicle?

Most SUVs have a huge negative - a high floor pan that translates to below average comfort for occupants. It is a known issue in most of the SUVs in India that comfort stops at the driver and co-driver's seat. Second row comfort is average, while the third row is non-existent. In the Explorer, all three rows offer good comfort, and the surprise here is the third row. Let the pics speak.

View of the cabin from the third row - six folks seated in supreme comfort




The dipped floor pan for the second row like a sedan - ensures good under thigh support


Third row - note the headrest which moves through slits - can just be pushed up and pushed down as required


Superior seat bolstering


Leg room in third row - I'm about 5ft 8in


Ample boot space with the third row in place

[vigsom]

What's so special about this vehicle?( Contd.)

Door Keypad - unlock the car door using the car code and lock by pressing the 7-8 and 9-0 keys together


View from the driver seat


Instrument Console


Engine Bay




Exterior views






Summarizing it

This Ford Explorer is the only SUV other than my own wherein I've travelled in all three rows - and must say this car has always blown me away with the sheer utility and comfort on offer. The reason I put this short experience up was in the hope that we in India get a similar cabin in one of our upcoming SUVs/MUVs. Only the Xylo has come close to this thus far!

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Bazooka1989]

What a well maintained car!!

[Sanidhya mukund]

A nice and crisp review, sir!

Very clever engineering, ensuring passenger comfort for all. This SUV puts some MPVs to shame!

Had they launched this in India alongside the Ecosport, it would have been another blockbuster hit for Ford, and in fact, would probably have kept them from having to exit the market.

It would have fallen right in the XUV500 - Fortuner gap, which is where all the action seems to be these days.

[pariwar]

One of my most memorable ownerships is the Ford Explorer. Thank you for rekindling this memory.

Owned & drove a late 2005 model, purchased in early 2006. I recollect that it was a 4 litre engine at that time. Used it for two years and gave it up only for the reason that it was not a conducive vehicle for the frequent desert drives that I had indulged into till then, and the eventual ones that I participated in. (Bought a Toyota FJ Cruiser).

Remember the following significant aspects:
-Gear Shift was behind the steering wheel, similar to the Ambassador & Premiers in India.
-All the doors would have a 'thunk' sound when they closed. Solid, Solid Build.
-Firmly planted and used to hug the road even at high speeds/cornering.
-Carried a full complement of 7 pax for over 5 hours on a long trip and everybody complemented on the comfort & space.
-The huge amount of internal space for long drives/trips.

Many thanks for touching the sweet spot in my brain today.

[Doge]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

A nice and crisp review, sir!

Very clever engineering, ensuring passenger comfort for all. This SUV puts some MPVs to shame!

Had they launched this in India alongside the Ecosport, it would have been another blockbuster hit for Ford, and in fact, would probably have kept them from having to exit the market.

It would have fallen right in the XUV500 - Fortuner gap, which is where all the action seems to be these days.

The Explorer is larger and a segment above the Endeavour/ Fortuner and completes with the Toyota Highlander and the likes.
I doubt it would've done well here at that pricing.

[CEF_Beasts]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

Had they launched this in India alongside the Ecosport, it would have been another blockbuster hit for Ford, and in fact, would probably have kept them from having to exit the market.

It would have fallen right in the XUV500 - Fortuner gap, which is where all the action seems to be these days.

The Ford Explorer is a 5m long & 2m wide SUV, and is bigger than the Endeavour / Everest .

And a completely different segment altogether! The Explorer is a monocoque crossover vs the BoF Endeavour.

[Sanidhya mukund]

Originally Posted by Doge

The Explorer is larger and a segment above the Endeavour/ Fortuner and completes with the Toyota Highlander and the likes.
I doubt it would've done well here at that pricing.

Originally Posted by CEF_Beasts

The Ford Explorer is a 5m long & 2m wide SUV, and is bigger than the Endeavour / Everest .

And a completely different segment altogether! The Explorer is a monocoque crossover vs the BoF Endeavour.

Thanks for pointing out guys, just realised!

In that case, it was probably for the better that Ford refrained from bringing it here. Back then, the endeavour was a 25-30 lakh car and 35-40 was actually Mercedes/BMW territory! This would have been a low volume product at best, thus not feasible to make locally. That would have meant CBU pricing and hence minuscule sales.