I respect your opinion, but I wouldn't necessarily call a small inch-long misalignment like that terrible. I can remember truly terrible build-quality from the late-60s through mid-80s Chrysler products, the early-mid 80s GM products, and the late 80s-mid-90s-vintage Hyundais/Kias.

 

In this day and age, I would agree that the above picture is terrible. Economy cars don't have gaps and misalignments like that.

What happened in the 60s and 80s is meaningless, this is 2020, and the Explorer is compared to other vehicles manufactured in 2020.

 

Even today, it's not that usual. Maybe not in the LS460, but, I'd bet that, if you looked at the workmanship in your Pacifica close enough, you'd find some similar stuff to what pbm317 posted here.

 

Absolutely not. From someone who is constantly evaluating new cars, particularly around build quality. It's hard to point to something this bad in recent memory, especially for a production example. We have a Pacifica within the family as well.

 

I totally agree with you. I look at a lot of cars and I can’t remember anything like that, and no there isn’t anything like that in our Pacifica.

Its also not somewhere you have to "look for" on the Explorer, its right in the center stack and you cant help but see it.

 

i was going to ask for pics of said fit and finish but you obliged with one... more please.

can we please, please not take every thread back 40-60 years, those days have NO relevance to a 2020 Explorer.

anyway, that misalignment is unforgivable in this day and age of precision manufacturing of parts and assembly.

ford is in DEEP trouble with the fumbled aviator / explorer launch, and the explorer pricing is simply absurd compared to its competition. it seems to me they built the GREAT rwd athletic-looking platform more for lincoln, and it's not cheap, and they tried to use it in the explorer too by making everything else ridiculously cheap, and it's a giant fail.

 

This is exactly it. If this was a $15k econobox, this type of panel fit would garner comments like "falls short of its competitors". Short of outright derision, but clearly not meeting class expectations. In a $60k "premium" CUV, it's quite frankly insulting. I was so excited about the RWD-based Explorer, and I absolutely hate it.

It's such a shame, because the Aviator's interior is SO good. The quality is very high (competitive with our Q7 Prestige), none of the obvious assembly/spec issues you see in even the highest-end Explorers. If they literally took the Aviator, eliminated some fancy electronics and used less-expensive materials, the Explorer could have easily led its segment. Instead it's like they said "most of our sales are going to be rental fleets and government agencies, so who gives a ****."

 

Fine, but three things. First, I wasn't necessarily using it as a direct comparison, but as a reference to the fact that these kinds of misalignments are nothing new. Second, I am not the only one in Car Chat to make occasional comparisons or references to yesteryear....it is actually quite common. Third, to me at least, it shows that today's automation and robots don't necessarily do a better job on the assembly line than the old days of doing more things by hand....some things yes; some no.


I think what will happen with both the Aviator and Explorer is that, unless people really badly-need the third-row seats (and some people think they do when they really don't....that was a subject for earlier discussion in some threads), you're going to see a lot of them checking out the smaller Corsair and Edge/Escape. Both are made in different plants than the Explorer/Aviator, and, though not perfect by any means, have largely avoided serious teething problems so far. The Corsair also has much of the Aviator's interior/exterior elegance and comfort in a smaller, trimmer package.

 

Its not just about the third row seat, the Explorer and Aviator are a lot more robust than the Edge and Corsair. RWD vs FWD also.

The Explorer is a vehicle I really wanted to like. It was my first car, an Explorer, I'd love to have one again.

 

Yes, I'll agree if you are going to tow or carry heavy loads, but many people don't need that heavy-duty capability.

Since travel-restrictions and social-distancing are preventing a lot of new-vehicle test-drives, why not do a write-up on your old Explorer, like I've done with some of my older rides? Bitkahuna and several others here have owned Explorers in the past...they might enjoy reading it.

 

The robustness isnt just about capability, it comes out in how the vehicles feel. Edge/Corsair are not vehicles I would ever consider for myself.

 

We understand your need for a third-row (you've spoken of it before) to keep the two kids apart.

 

As I said, its not about the third row in this comparison.

 

The QC issues aside, how is the ride quality and performance of the 3.5L?

 

Based on the one I drove it’s pretty good. The Explorer feels more truckish and less catlike than other crossovers, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The 3.5L is a screamer.