2011 Ford Explorer Limited: revamped into a car

But the revamped Explorer is car-based, with roots found in the Ford Taurus. So this latest Explorer is a car with a truck-ish body on top. What you will not find underneath is a truck-like body-on-frame construction and forgets about towing a house; the Explorer’s maximum tow rating is 2,268 kg, about the same as […]

But the revamped Explorer is car-based, with roots found in the Ford Taurus. So this latest Explorer is a car with a truck-ish body on top. What you will not find underneath is a truck-like body-on-frame construction and forgets about towing a house; the Explorer’s maximum tow rating is 2,268 kg, about the same as a comparably equipped Chevrolet Traverse or Honda Pilot.

According to Jeremy Cato, this is exact opposite of what Ford has always delivered. Big as it is, the new Explorer drives small. It’s modern in every way, from the design to the road manners to all the technology on board. There is even a very 21st-century EcoBoost four-cylinder engine on the way – with direct fuel injection and turbocharging that together promise 25 to 30 per cent better fuel economy than the equivalent V-6 before.

Jeremy claims most importantly, the Explorer feels exactly like a car – a tall car – when you’re on the road. The independent suspension soaks up bad pavement, glides along smooth highways and handles corners better than you’d ever expect.

Well how Nigerians will look at it as an ownership proposition depends very much on what one could really be expecting from the Explorer. To me its just another big car in Jeep clothing.