I think they've dragged the Explorer as far as it will go. This thing looks old and ugly [&o]

Lake Placid, New York- The Ford Explorer has been America's best-selling SUV for the past fifteen years, but its market share has shrunk recently, as crossovers take sales from traditional SUVs. Ford hopes to net crossover shoppers with its Freestyle, so the revised '06 Explorer sticks with its past formula and updates its look and its mechanicals.

The new Mustang-sourced 24-valve, 4.6-liter V-8 gains 53 hp and 18 lb-ft of torque versus last year's 16-valve 4.6-liter-a considerable increase, but it's still noisy under hard acceleration. (The base V-6 is essentially unchanged.) Actually, the bigger powertrain news is the arrival of a responsive six-speed automatic, which premieres on the Explorer and later will find its way elsewhere (Mustang GT, please).

More impressive than the powertrain improvements are the tweaks underneath the truck, including a stiffer frame, new body mounts, and monotube dampers. We found the revised chassis very effective at isolating occupants from road noise and imperfections while driving on some particularly awful upstate New York roads surfaced mostly with cobblestone, grass, and mud. Recent Explorers have been among the better SUVs on twisty tarmac, and the suspension upgrades have firmed things up further.

Styling tweaks are limited to a busy and chrome-slathered new grille and Dodge Durango-like taillights. The inside looks much more contemporary, with a new dash, seats, and door panels and an available power-folding third-row seat, first seen on the Lincoln Navigator. A windshield reflection from the uplevel chrome-trimmed gauge surrounds is maddening.

These changes don't vault the Explorer into the lead of the SUV horde but should stave off, at least for a little while, the inevitable day when Ford's pioneering sport-ute is toppled as the top-selling SUV in the land.

SPECS
Price: $27,175 (base), $44,480 (as tested)
Engines: 4.0L SOHC V-6, 210 hp, 254 lb-ft; 4.6L SOHC V-8, 292 hp, 300 lb-ft
Drive: Rear- or 4-wheel


-Matt-

 

they are disgusting. i have seen many on the roads here and they are awful.

 

I don't like the ride or the way they handle....now that was the earlier model years that I drove but I'm still assuming this model will be the same.

 

Ford must be doing something right if the explorer is the best selling SUV. and the grille is a little different on the production model.

 

That's because it's the most plain SUV there is. Basic as crap and that's what old white people want. They lack style.

 

I have seen more young people driving these around, than old. and not all of them are white. and as far as im concerned this looks better than a durango which I think has taken a nose dive.


My dad had a 92 explorer V6 w/ a 5 spd manual and it had well over 120000 miles, this rode great, and handled just fine. never broke down once. and it made the trip from sterling heights MI, to Shenandoah National park in virginia 2 times w/ out incident.

 

I didn't say it was all old white people...

I just can't like anything, that lacks so much style. It's a box. One reason I hated older generation Jettas, they were boxes.

The first generation Durango was bad ***. I'm glad my mother got hers then. The second gen is OK. But still looks better than the "box"plorer.

 

Speaking of boxes...how 'bout that Nitro from Dodge??

 

o yea and dont forget about the commander.

 

The Nitro isn't a box. It has styling, flares and shape.

Although the Commander is a box.