The ride is not what I would characterize as extremely supple, but there's plenty of pliancy to absorb much of the road despite the 20 inch rolling stock. The crossover platform (unibody/monocoque, similar to cars) means that this Explorer is the first in the line since Ford introduced the Explorer name in 1991. The Explorer really has excellent road manners for an large vehicle, especially in the city. This version is the front-wheel drive if you'd like all-wheel drive capabilities, the Explorer Sport may be for you. The gearbox is still the same 6-speed automatic, but as stated, it now gets paddle shifters. The new 2.3-liter EcoBoost represents a 14% increase in power (2.0L: 240 PS) and an 11% increase in torque (2.0L: 366 Nm). If that engine sounds familiar, it's because it's the same as the one found in the Mustang, but in the Explorer it makes 274 PS and 408 Newton-meters of torque. Gone is the 2.0-liter EcoBoost in favor of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost. The major change that I truly appreciated was the engine change. The list of features is so long that I'm surprised it didn't come with a barbecue grill. The rear seatbelts have a mini-airbag built in in them, so on and so forth. The tailgate can be opened with a “kick”. There are two headrest monitors for the backseat passengers. There are two glass panels above for a view of the sky. There are four 12-volt accessory sockets and two USB charging ports. Both front seats are power adjustable and can be either cooled or heated like we really use the latter. Seriously, they threw in everything they can into this “base” model Explorer.
If I kept going on about the features, we may start running out of space. I'm glad that Ford opted to remove the rather annoying touch-panel control on the previous Sony audio system, but really, I'm more satisfied that Ford chucked out the +/- Selectshift button on the shifter, as these new paddles just make far more sense.
At the center of the dash is the novel Ford SYNC multimedia touchscreen, while just below is the Sony audio system that powers 12 speakers around the cabin. Everything is intuitively placed, including the steering wheel directional switches that control the multi-info screens flanking the speedometer. Looking around the dashboard and controls, the Explorer hasn't changed much and that's a good thing. The accents of the previous Explorer were done in matte silver the new one gets polished metal with wood-style inserts, definitely a level up from the 2011-2015 model. The previous versions of the Explorer have had the light gray leather on the seats, but this new model has all-black seating, inserts, and ceiling liners. Inside, the Explorer's cabin feels and looks all business. The white body color certainly serves to contrast It's still the familiar shape of the Explorer, but with a few design tweaks to keep it ahead of the times. The wheels are now 20 inchers, and the rear has likewise been revised with a new lamp design and a reshaped tailgate. The front has been massaged a bit the headlights are now more angular, and complemented by C-style foglamps below. In many ways, it still seems inspired by many of the design cues of more upmarket brands such as Range Rover. Nevertheless the design of the refreshed Explorer is a natural evolution of the original boxier, edgier, and classier. Sure the look may be five years old now, but it's still very stylish. Truth be told, I didn't think the Explorer really needed a redesign.