2012 Ford Explorer

2012 Ford Explorer

Detroit's seen a major reinvention in the past few years, with wrenching change at GM and Chrysler. Ford hasn't been unseen, except for the financial drama. It's dramatically reworked its lineup of cars to be additional fuel-efficient, whereas subduing its dependence on truck sales.

The case study for modification in Dearborn is that the Ford Explorer, new for the 201one model year and with major news for the 2012 model year. The Explorer ditched its recent truck-primarily based design last year for a collection of car-like credentials, and got better in nearly every approach as a result.

It's a convincing transformation. The Explorer's V-6 outmatches its old V-8s--and for 2012, there is a turbocharged four-cylinder that still generates horsepower and torque to beat previous Explorer V-6s into the dirt, whereas posting EPA-estimated highway gas mileage of twenty eight mpg. In 2005, 28 mpg got you...a Focus.

Since it shares running gear with the likes of the Flex, even the Taurus, the new Explorer can't quite hit the trails with the likes of the Grand Cherokee. That leaves it a lot of equipped to excel at on-road handling, which it does convincingly with fast steering and terrific ride management that's due in equal part to an freelance suspension and its still-substantial curb weight.

It's one in every of the safest vehicles Ford builds, with inflatable rear seat belts and rearview cameras and blind-spot detectors. The 2012 Explorer conjointly woos gearheads of another kind with MyFord Bit, the convoluted but promising system that uses voice, button or touchscreen control to govern infotainment and different vehicle functions.

The Explorer still appearance reassuringly ute-like, though its rounded corners and subtle details register on a carlike plane, while the inside does its best impression of a Taurus sedan. And in reality, it does what the wide majority folks need to try and do in an exceedingly crossover--it makes plenty of area for lots of people, or heaps of stuff, and it will it a lot of additional efficiently than it ever did within the past, whereas holding on to a smart bit of the mud-running bona fides that probably remained weekend ambitions for most of their suburban owners.

It's been named a North American Truck of the Year, as voted by this continent's most revered journalists, and it's truly a twenty first-century SUV, as Ford desires you to think. A runaway sales hit, too, the Explorer is happiest when it's behaving on the highway--but it's more than willing to get a very little dirty when you want to.

 2012 Ford Explorer

 2012 Ford Explorer

 2012 Ford Explorer

 2012 Ford Explorer

 2012 Ford Explorer

2012 Ford Explorer