Ford Explorer XLT Review

Overall Rating

Comfortable, tows well.

Pricey on fuel (obviously) and tyres. Side steps are an option worth having if you have kids.

Until recently the best car I had ever owned was a 2.0l Volvo and I always thought I'd never find anything to compare to the old girl, but the Explorer? Wow, this really is a beast of a machine. Yeah, ok, the fuel consumption is enough to make King Midas blanch, but it's not that much compared to running a diesel Mitsubishi 4x4 and it's a lot different to the same-old L200 crowd.
It has to be the cheapest proper 4x4 family (without trendy crew cab and stupid load cover) vehicle on the market and less than 1/2 the price of a similar age Discovery. So do the sums comparing diesel prices here in the UK and paying over the odds for a Disco to paying peanuts for an all-comforts car with a little less MPG and petrol costs less than diesel too!
So what do you want? Trendy 4x4, or the ultimate in non-girly curvy V6.
Mine runs on duel-fuel petrol/LPG which makes it really good value to drive - make sure you do your homework on the system installed though and make sure it's the right one.
Yes, it really can outrun some of the boy racers out there, but if you're running on unleaded, racing off the mark is gonna cost you.
I simply love the beast, I love the driving position and the smooth auto box.
Towing in this car is simple, with cruise control and auto box, all you have to do on the motorway is set speed and steer. Unit stability with a medium sized caravan is wonderful, I've only experienced snaking a couple of times and that was when I'd sneaked up to 70 when overtaking.
Many people are a little scared about buying these, they hear stories about roll-overs, about Firestone tyres and stuff, about high fuel consumption, about faulty cruise control units.
In fact the car industry in the UK seems to have written these vehicles off as (to quote Parkers) 'over-sized, over-chromed and over here' a strange sentiment when you look at the new Range Rovers.
The Ford Explorer gets the thumbs-up from me (at least mine does) It also gets the thumbs up (and the occasional leg up) from the wife - she is a touch short, bless her!
I'm not saying don't buy the competition, I'm just saying don't write the Explorer off.

Members' Comments onyintong5's Review

• yintong5 on 11th Oct 2007

  UPDATE: 6 months after buying aforementioned vehicle.
  Auto gearbox knackered and timing chain gone both within about two weeks of each other. Sold car for a fraction of original cost as price to fix was financially prohibitive - still getting smart comments from the wife.
  Timing chains are a well-known problem, but here in the UK not everyone likes to touch them as, I suppose we have a different garage infrastructure to the US.
  Would I buy another now?
  No.
  Would I now recommend to a friend?
  I have few of them as it is - no
  Please add these to my original, and very positive comments.