FORD Explorer 2020

Body, cabin and cargo space

The 2020 Ford Explorer has kept the same overall dimensions as the former generation, but the wheelbase has increased by 16 cm. That added even more room to the cabin, particularly in the middle row. A pair of second-row captain chairs is now standard; the traditional three-seater bench is a $500 option.

The third-row bench is reasonably accessible and roomy enough for two, but no more comfortable than before, with the bottom cushion almost touching the floor. 

It’s better just to fold that row down, which is easier than before, to take advantage of the newly enlarged cargo area. There’s room for two kid’s bikes behind the middle row, and the floor is perfectly flat when all the rear seats are folded. Large storage compartments appear under the floor, near the liftgate. The Explorer easily matches the best of the segment in terms of space. 

The new platform also eliminates the problem of front-passenger foot space. Drivers finally get stretch room for their left leg and a well-positioned dead pedal, which makes a world of difference on long trips. The armrests are still a bit too far on either side for an average-sized person, but not to the point of being unusable. 

Ford has gradually reintroduced physical buttons and knobs on the dashboard of its vehicles after having mostly eliminated them over the past decade. In the 2020 Explorer, easily accessible physical controls accompany clear and well laid out screens in front of the driver and on the centre console.

However, the vertically mounted 10.1‑in. infotainment touch screen on our tester broke the visual harmony of the dash. The system was often slow to react and froze up intermittently. To unfreeze the system we had to switch off the engine, lock the vehicle and restart; it does not bode well for the future. 

The same is true of the quality of fit of our tester. The cabin was afflicted by an assortment of rattles, and the leather upholstery and cheap finish of some trim items were unworthy of a vehicle costing over $65,000. The head-up display frequently found on competing high-end vehicles is notably missing. 

Lastly, who in the world authorized offering a $47,000 base model without the heated seats and steering wheel that are so popular in Canada, and the $1,300 charge to get them?

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with brake-force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Hill start assist
• Hill descent control
• Front airbags
• Front knee airbags
• Front and side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Six or seven head restraints (adjustable in front, foldable in back)
• Tire pressure monitor
• Rearview camera
• Reverse parking sensors
• Forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking
• Lane departure warning with automatic lane keeping
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert
• Post impact automatic braking
• Automatic high beams
• Surround view monitor and front parking sensors (standard, Limited, ST and Platinum; non available, XLT)
• Automatic reverse emergency braking (standard, ST and Platinum; non available, XLT and Limited)
• Adaptive cruise control, lane centering, evasive steering assist and speed sign recognition (standard, Limited, ST and Platinum; included in Ford CoPilot360 Assist+ on XLT)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 5 / 5
Frontal impact: 5 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Visibility

As with most SUV’s, the large rear roof pillars and high windows hamper parking and lane changes. Standard blind-spot monitoring and, on some models, surround-view monitoring, partially compensate. The rear camera lens washer is very practical in the winter. Unfortunately, the image displays on only half of the screen on models equipped with the 10.1‑in. monitor.

Headlights: the standard LED headlights received an acceptable (3/4) rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Whether projector (Platinum) or reflector (all other models), their excellent high-beam performance and automatic high-beam assist compensate for limitations in low-beam position, especially in left turns.

Mechanical overview

Long a traditional, body-on-frame SUV, the Ford Explorer moved in 2011 to a front-wheel-drive unibody platform inherited from Volvo. This year, rear-wheel drive is back and the new structure is 100-percent Ford built. It comes with revised suspensions, still independent at all four wheels, as well as re-tuned steering and reinforced brakes. 

Lots of changes, too, in terms of powertrains. For starters, XLT and Limited models, which account for the majority of sales, now use only a four-cylinder engine. It is the same 2.3‑litre turbo engine that equips the Ranger pickup and sporty Mustang.

It develops 300 horsepower, 20 more than in 2019 when it was optional in the Explorer. Its 310 pound-feet of torque also largely surpasses the torque output of the former, standard 3.5‑litre V6 engine. 

High-end trims share a 3.0‑litre twin turbo V6 that delivers 365 horsepower in Platinum trim and a whopping 400 horsepower in the sporty Explorer ST. Both trims get 15 pound-feet more torque than the horsepower count. 

The new hybrid version combines a 3.3‑litre V6 with a 35 kW (47 hp) electric motor and a 1.5 kWh battery. Combined output of the hybrid system is 318 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque; Ford restricts it to the Limited. The $5,000 supplement seems exaggerated even though it adds specific wheels and higher-performance brakes. In comparison, the Toyota Highlander hybrid system costs just $2,000. 

According to Natural Resources Canada ratings, the hybrid offers a fuel savings of only 7 percent in combined driving relative to the turbocharged four-cylinder, and consumes more than the turbo four on the highway!

The overall reduction in consumption is around 35 percent in the case of the Highlander. It comes as no surprise that Ford expects only one out of 20 Explorers sold will be a hybrid, at least in the United States. 

The results are more positive when comparing the gasoline engines of the current and outgoing generations. The 2.3‑litre is around 19 percent more frugal than the former base V6, whereas the 3.0‑litre turbo requires 11 percent less fuel and is more powerful than the supercharged 3.5‑litre it replaces. 

As concerns the gearbox, all 2020 Explorers have the same 10‑speed transmission and rear-wheel biased automatic all-wheel drive. With four speeds more than the former model’s transmission, it certainly helps reduce fuel consumption. The 80‑kg weight loss does not hurt, either.

Boat and trailer owners will appreciate the 136‑kg gain in towing capacity for the most-sold models, for a total of 2,404 kg (5,300 lb). The turbocharged V6 increases that capacity to 2,540 kg (5,600 lb), while the hybrid reduces it to 2,268 kg (5,000 lb). Those ratings are high average for the segment, though still not a match for the Dodge Durango or Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Driving impressions

The Ford Explorer ST’s 400 horsepower is not just show. Drive normally and several of the horses are put on hold. Hit the pedal to merge onto the highway or to pass another vehicle and you’ll be treated to the full measure of power that was the prerogative of exotic cars barely a decade ago.

Sport mode adds another level by enhancing throttle response and piping a muscular engine sound through the speakers. It also sharpens steering and transmission response. 

In reality, none of those alterations are really necessary. The transmission can get too jerky, and it is not always smooth in Normal mode. This transmission was designed in collaboration with General Motors and it performs better in their products; Ford could learn a thing or two from GM’s programming. 

We also noted a lack of refinement in the suspension, at least with our ST tester. Pavement defects reach the cabin all too easily, especially in the city. Fortunately, the ride smooths out on the highway, and there is little noise to disturb the occupants. 

In fact, the Explorer’s faultless road and directional stability make it a formidable performer on long trips. It is equally surprising in winding curves thanks to excellent body movement control. Few two-ton crossovers are as agile and fun to drive, apart from the European makes. 

Other highlights

Braking: very good power; nicely firm pedal is easy to modulate. Significant improvement over the former model.

Driving assistance: efficient blind-spot detection. Lane keeping system often intervenes too abruptly; it can be programmed to provide an alert only and not correct the steering. Adaptive cruise control is relatively quick and progressive; the new speed sign recognition system quickly becomes annoying because it does not re-accelerate as quickly as traffic at the end of a road-work zone. Fortunately, it can be deactivated or used as a traditional cruise control, if desired.