My wife and I are headed to pick one up this weekend. Once we finally decided to make the investment on it, we had a big debate about FWD vs. 4WD and the FWD won out. Just on the additional fuel economy alone.
If it royally sucks during the winter we will trade it in a couple years from now. Hopefully it being a bigger vehicle the FWD works better in the winter then what it has on some of the cars I've driven.

Anyone else been looking to get one? What has been your impressions?
Any reported problems with the 2011+ Explorers?


Interior is great. LOTS of room for the family, grocerys, hunting gear etc...
The dash kicks ass. Love how it can be customized to show the info you want to see.
My touch will take some getting use to. Don't see myself using voice commands that much when i can do the same thing in a fraction of the time if i just move my arm.
The most vile gauge that was ever invented is the instant MPG. I always find myself chasing a higher mpg number.
It is a smooth solid ride and doesn't roll you like your in a boat when taking corners.
The 2.0ltr ecoboost motor sucks in this vehicle. Totally gutless. The 3.5ltr on the other hand scoots it along nicely with the 290hp.



http://piccars.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/2012-Ford-Explorer-SUV-1.jpg

http://newautocars.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/2012-ford-explorer-red-front-angle.jpg

http://newautocars.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/2012-ford-explorer-red-front-angle-top.jpg

http://image.motortrend.com/f/32151650+w786+ar1/2012-ford-explorer-steering-wheel.jpg


And last but not least. F@ck GM!

I've driven an AWD one, not bad, but they seem huge!! I feel like the majority of people that own them, don't need them.

I'm not a huge fan of the styling, it looks too much like an Edge now, but I have heard excellent things about them.

I had an 05 And I loved it to death, I bought in on the West coast and pulled about 4000 ibs of U-haul and every thing I owned to Toronto. Through the mountains The V-6 did a awesome job pulling up the big hills with no problems at all. After that I stacked 120,000km on it and it never really had any major issues. it needed an alt. and a wheel bearing around 170,000km, but other than that it was pretty much worry free. I really liked how it drove, the seats were awesome I never got tired of driving it, it was quiet, solid and comfortable. Mine had the AWD and it worked really good, I got into some pretty hairy situations with deep snow and mud and it got me out every time. It also did a good job keeping it on the hwy in icy conditions. I would not own one with out 4WD.

I would buy a new one in a heart beat if I wanted to get back in to an SUV. but right now I don't really need something that size.

Given your location, the in total investment your about to make, I would get the 4WD for the snow and resale value alone. Its nice to know on those days were you get a good snowfall, your more worried about how long its going to take for the heated seat to warm up your tush, then weather or not you make it out of your un-plowed street.

I had an 05 And I loved it to death, I bought in on the West coast and pulled about 4000 ibs of U-haul and every thing I owned to Toronto. Through the mountains The V-6 did a awesome job pulling up the big hills with no problems at all. After that I stacked 120,000km on it and it never really had any major issues. it needed an alt. and a wheel bearing around 170,000km, but other than that it was pretty much worry free. I really liked how it drove, the seats were awesome I never got tired of driving it, it was quiet, solid and comfortable. Mine had the AWD and it worked really good, I got into some pretty hairy situations with deep snow and mud and it got me out every time. It also did a good job keeping it on the hwy in icy conditions. I would not own one with out 4WD.

Keep in mind the new Explorer isn't a truck frame, like it used to be.

Hey dude ,^^^ you are right I'm a valet driver, and we have to drive the car about 2_3 blocks to the structure, we also have to do U turns and I have driven this car a couple of times idk, this is just not for me. It feels like a fat slow focus the awd option though feels muchhhhhh better. I wouldn't get it unless YOU REALY need te space and carry about 3 or 4 people most of time.

If I was to buy one of these, I would have to buy an AWD one.

I like it, i saw one on the fwy and was suprised it was an explorer. Nice choice

I like the overall look but forgot the new Explorer is FWD. I guess its considered a crossover now rather than a SUV. What color did you go with?

honestly i'd still choose a 2010 Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin AWD V8 over this.... but it is nice. the Ecoboost engines are available now?

We bought a new 2WD V6 Explorer XLT in '03. It's got around 63,000 miles on it now and it's been very reliable.

The Explorer is a different animal though, being on a unibody platform.
Don't have much of an opinion on them right now one way or the other, since I haven't driven one or even examined one up close.

Rod Knock - did you check out the Flex? Same basic platform and running gear in a different package. Also in the case of the Explorer and where you are living, I would get the AWD.

Yep, we checked out the Flex and didn't care for it.

We are still looking at the FWD for the mpg alone. AWD would be nice but the few times a year we use it doesn't offset the cost of fuel.

Probably getting a FWD version in the Dark Blue Perl Metallic.

Nothing like putting all my eggs in one basket. New Focus and now probably an Explorer.
Hope Ford is doing as good of a job as we all hope.

If you put any weight in your decision on how practical FWD will be in snowy/icy weather you aren't going to find that the Explorer is any better than anything else. Some are better than others but all FWD cars will have open differentials and gobs of understeer when you need it the least. Remember last winter in the cities? If this where Iowa or something and not a land of lakes and river valleys I'd suggest you'd be able to live with it but there is absolutely no way whatsoever I'd ever drive a FWD vehicle around here in the winter without a dedicated set of gnarly snow tires at the very least. When you have 6+ months of snowy weather you should have a pretty significant requirement in bad weather capability IMO.

Otherwise the Explorer is a great vehicle minus the MFT debacle but I understand the system issues have been resolved and fixes are on their way down the pipe. I'd personally trade the fuel economy for mobility (especially in our state) but in the end it's your decision.

I suppose the best option may be to wait until the weather hits before you buy. If you get a nice overnight test drive in one with the white stuff on the ground you will be able to make a much more responsible decision....

We are still looking at the FWD for the mpg alone. AWD would be nice but the few times a year we use it doesn't offset the cost of fuel.

I've heard this before... family friend bought a FWD Chevy Traverse. They have a place in Gaylord, MI, and figured the fuel economy blah blah it'd be better just to have FWD for the amount of times they go up to their cottage in the winter.

People have had to be pulled out on the regular. FWD with big heavy crossover ftl

ppl in the Midwest need to learn how to drive, i lived in the yoop for 9 years, and always had cars, and never had any issues, did have 2 jeeps but didnt drive em as much as i drove my cars, good winter tires and fwd is just fine imo, never crashed and i lived in a all hill area

ppl in the Midwest need to learn how to drive, i lived in the yoop for 9 years, and always had cars, and never had any issues, did have 2 jeeps but didnt drive em as much as i drove my cars, good winter tires and fwd is just fine imo, never crashed and i lived in a all hill area

I lived in the UP for about 7 years as well. I've been fortunate enough to have my ZJ almost that whole time but did drive a 2wd F150 through the winter when my ZJ was out of commission. It sucked big time compared to a 4wd Grand Cherokee, but understanding your limitations and how to drive will get you a long way.

Believe me, I know the pains of RW, FW, AWD, 4WD. Each has their own quirk.
Its about learning how to drive what you have and knowing the limitations.
The room plus the fuel savings would go further then the 4WD.

Picked one up yesterday. It had all the plastic still on it and showed 3.2 miles on the odometer when I got in it.

2012 Explorer XLT with 201A and Tow package.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t164/Freaks-Photos/IMG-20110828-00025.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t164/Freaks-Photos/IMG-20110828-00029.jpg


Picture of it at the dealership with the plastic still on the wheels.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t164/Freaks-Photos/IMG-20110827-00005.jpg