The Ford Explorer is smooth and stable on the highway and handles well on winding roads. The available V8 engine offers excellent acceleration out of corners. Ride quality and handling are quite good, greatly improved over pre-2002 models. The Explorer rides on a four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs all around. It's a sophisticated setup and it works very well. (Crude by comparison, the previous Explorer used torsion bars in front and a live rear axle on leaf springs.) The independent rear suspension offers better lateral stiffness yet more fore/aft compliance than a live rear axle. That means both ride and handling are better.
The Explorer delivers a smooth ride on rough roads. Bumpy corners don't upset it, and it feels stable in fast, sweeping turns. The Explorer is very stable at high speeds and feels comfortably secure in bad weather. We felt safe and confident while pulling a trailer all day through a tropical storm in Tennessee. Just knowing the Explorer had Auto 4WD and ABS was comforting when it was raining buckets. It's still a truck, though. Tire whir is heard; road vibration is felt. But the ride is more comfortable, less jouncy than, say, the Nissan Pathfinder.
Off road, the Explorer has never measured up to the Toyota 4Runner or Land Rover Discovery, and the new generation doesn't change that. The Explorer is not designed to tackle the Rubicon Trail or any other seriously rugged terrain. The current model is better than the old one, however, and it is perfectly capable on primitive roads. In other words, it makes a fine vehicle for trout fishermen, kayakers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Ground clearance is increased by an inch over the previous generation, and shorter front and rear overhangs offer better approach and departure angles, all of which means you don't scrape the ground as much as before. If primitive roads and deep snow are the extent of your off-road driving, then the Explorer will serve admirably.
The optional Control Trac four-wheel-drive system (4WD) works great. We were surprised by the amount of grip the Explorer had on a muddy, snow-covered two-track in the Arizona high country near Sedona. Ford has refined this system to make it more transparent to the driver, while improving its abilities in limited-traction situations. The normal driving mode is Auto 4WD; there is no two-wheel-drive mode. In Auto 4WD, Control Trac directs power according to input from sensors that compare grip between the front and rear wheels. If the rear wheels lose traction, for example, the optimal amount of power is transferred to the front tires where there's more grip. Using a dedicated controller, the system checks for slipping tires 50 times a second and can anticipate situations, such as hard acceleration, that are likely to cause the wheels to spin. It feels secure on wet pavement, gravel, mud, and snow. When the going gets rougher, press the 4WD HI button, which effectively locks the front and rear driveshafts together. This can be useful for severe off-road or winter conditions, though Auto 4WD does such a great job of transferring torque that 4WD HI is almost irrelevant in practical terms. Driving on a muddy, primitive trail, I couldn't tell the difference between Auto 4WD and 4WD HI. It may be possible to detect subtle slip in Auto 4WD on slippery, snow-covered surfaces, but the bottom line is that you can leave it in Auto 4WD for all but the worst conditions. 4WD Low works well for creeping over truly rugged terrain. We found it does a good job of engine braking down steep grades, and we suspect it would be helpful on slippery boat ramps.
The optional AdvanceTrac all-wheel-drive system (AWD) takes four-wheel drive to another level with a sophisticated traction-control system that adds stability by regulating side-to-side torque distribution. It does this better than traditional mechanical systems. AdvanceTrac applies braking selectively when it detects wheelspin. By stopping the spinning wheel, the system sends power to the wheel that has the best traction.
AWD or 4WD? With two different four-wheel-drive systems selling for essentially the same price, which to get? For pouring rain, snow, or ice, I'd choose the all-wheel-drive system found on the AWD models. For serious off-road driving, the part-time system on the 4WD Explorers might be better. So for most people, I'd recommend the AWD models. The AdvanceTrac AWD system should work very well in snow, ice, and rain.
The 4WD Explorer works well off-highway and I wouldn't hesitate to take it down primitive roads and slippery two-tracks. It's easy to modulate the throttle precisely when creeping along; throttle tip-in is gradual so you're not lurching off the line. Capable of going most of the places most of us will want to go, the Explorer makes for a fine trout fishing companion. However, it does not have the capability of a Land Rover Discovery, Toyota 4Runner, or Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Explorer doesn't have their suspension articulation and is otherwise not designed to tackle the Rubicon Trail. It is, however, a nicer vehicle than the Grand Cherokee in most other respects, with a better-quality interior, and a smoother, more refined ride. And it's more stable and easier to drive on the highway than the Discovery.
The standard engine is a modern 4.0-liter V6 with overhead cams and aluminum heads rated at 210 horsepower. Acceleration with the V6 is quite respectable, thanks to the 254 pounds-feet of torque it generates at 3700 rpm. You can hear and feel the V6 under full-throttle acceleration and it isn't as smooth as Toyota's V6, but it is entirely within acceptable bounds. You're not likely to need the V8 unless you're towing or live at high altitude.
The optional 4.6-liter V8 provides quick acceleration performance. A modern and sophisticated engine, the V8 is all aluminum for lighter weight, with single overhead camshafts. Like the V6, it makes itself heard and felt under full throttle, but it's smooth. The V8 produces 239 horsepower at 4750 rpm and 282 pounds-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. It performed well while towing a car trailer across the U.S., though we felt the weight of the trailer on long, steep grades at higher altitudes. According to the trip computer, I was averaging 14 mpg while pulling the trailer.
The real star in the Explorer drivetrain is a sophisticated five-speed automatic transmission. It's smooth and responsive, quickly downshifting when the gas is mashed. It detects the driver's intentions and upshifts later or earlier, depending on what the driver is doing with the throttle. It's a great transmission and makes the V6 and V8 engines feel strong.
Turning around and maneuvering in crowded parking lots is made easier in the Explorer with its relatively small turning radius. The Reverse Sensing System alerts the driver to objects behind the vehicle and is handy when maneuvering in tight quarters. (It can be turned off when you are pulling a trailer.) Though not billed as such, this system can also enhance safety by detecting people, including little children, behind you.
Anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes provide stable stopping without drama even at threshold braking (slamming the pedal to the floor and keeping it there until the vehicle stops). Electronic Brake Force Distribution is standard, a great feature as it transfers braking force to the wheels with the best grip to improve stability and reduce stopping distances.
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