MM First Impression: 2011 Ford Explorer
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Thanks. 
True, but, IMO, that was mostly cosmetic. I think a far greater upgrade, functionally, was when they dumped the Twin-I-Beam front suspension for something more up-to-date. That old Twin-I-beam suspension, dating to 1964, and the questionable recommended tire-pressures on the Firestone Wilderness tires, together with some customer neglect while driving, is what led to the famous Explorer roll-over/tire-failure fiasco.
the explorer upgrade you talk about, was that when they removed the shifter from behind the steering wheel and moved it down below
Can't agree. Compared to the average vehicle progression over time, the Explorer has not changed much since it's inception. A few facelifts, the updated suspension, the addition of thirsty V8's, and two interior redesigns. But overall, the same basic package has not changed since 1990. Read most car mag review the last ten years and the Explorer usually finishes last or with low marks and comments of "outdated this, outdated that." It's lagged and been beaten by the competition in almost every catagory, save maybe for towing or off-roading. Now that's not to say it has some good attributes, but to claim it's gone through transformations over the years that brought it up to decent standards is not accurate in my opinion.
Cannot agree. 2006-2009 is 4th generation truck/SUV known as the Explorer. All this talk about 1st gen and I-beam suspension has nothing to do with the 4th gen Explorer (2006-2010 model years) or the last 2 generations of body-on-frame/truck versions. To be more specific the 4th gen shares nothing with first 2 gens except the old block of the 4.0L V6 engine (not head which was replaced with SOHC head). The V8's are 4.6L 3 valve SOHC (not pushrod 5.0L junk) and are matched with a modern 6 speed tranny. The unique frame of the 4th gen is stiffer and stronger and is not the same as 1st, 2nd or 3rd gen frame. Suspension is fully independent and tuned like the body-on-frame Range Rovers for decent ride/handling.
In short, the 4th gen Explorer V8/6speed is competitive with any of the truck-based body-on-frame SUVs out there. Of course, the reality of the market shows that most buyers don't need all that towing capacity and offroad capability and are better off with a unibody crossover.
In short, the 4th gen Explorer V8/6speed is competitive with any of the truck-based body-on-frame SUVs out there. Of course, the reality of the market shows that most buyers don't need all that towing capacity and offroad capability and are better off with a unibody crossover.
i got the towing package with my explorer, but haven't used it unfortunately. i'd like to get a trailer at some point though for moving stuff around my property, and for things like taking my mower in for service.
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For most the max 5000 pound towing rating will work for doing only occasional utility trailer towing. The RV/travel trailer crowd and those hauling race cars or boats on trailers will continue to choose truck-based SUVs, of course that is a much smaller segment of SUV buyers.
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i think you're missing Ford's strategy which was to basically keep the loyal Explorer following while expanding with a number of different SUV/CUV offerings, including Escape, Expedition, Edge, and even Flex. the newest Explorer is possible due to new drivetrains, changing tastes, and mandated economy standards, although it still maintains many of the same attributes.
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Yes, in that sense, I agree. I brought up the issue of the old Twin-I-Beam suspension basically in response to remarks about what were considered the most important Explorer updates over the years. Getting rid of the Twin-I-Beam for subsequent generation-models, IMO, was not only the right thing to do, but, as I pointed out earlier, should have been done in 1990, when the 1Gen Explorer was first introduced. That antiquated design up front contributed to the instability generated (and the tendency to roll over) when the Firestone Wilderness tires failed...usually under conditions of low tire PSI, overloaded vehicles, high speeds, and hot desert road surfaces.
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Yes, in that sense, I agree. I brought up the issue of the old Twin-I-Beam suspension basically in response to remarks about what were considered the most important Explorer updates over the years. Getting rid of the Twin-I-Beam for subsequent generation-models, IMO, was not only the right thing to do, but, as I pointed out earlier, should have been done in 1990, when the 1Gen Explorer was first introduced. That antiquated design up front contributed to the instability generated (and the tendency to roll over) when the Firestone Wilderness tires failed...usually under conditions of low tire PSI, overloaded vehicles, high speeds, and hot desert road surfaces.
My earlier post was to provide more factual information on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations of the Explorer. The 3rd and 4th gen Explorers are completely different than the 1st gen for good reasons and have no common frame, suspension, wheel, tire parts and are have very different dimensions (including wheelbase and track dimensions). They are trucks (body-on-frame) of completely different designs and parts.
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