Ford Explorer

The look and feel of the trademark Ford is maintained in the Explorer as well. The cabin is not as spacious as the massive Expedition but is enough to accommodate seven tall passengers. The dashboard might appear to be cluttered at first but as you get used to it, you will feel the simpleness.

There are two 4.2-inch screens for the driver’s console behind the steering while the main dashboard gets a big 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with the SYNC 3 connectivity setup and navigation. The audio system is sourced from Sony and routes through the 12 speakers to make the cabin a party zone.

The Ford Explorer, just like one would imagine, is a prime-looking SUV that holds its distinct muscularity. It is much more sedated as compared to the Expedition in terms of the size, though the temperament looks to be the same.

The car gets a bold appearance with a blacked-out treatment upfront, while the blue Ford logo captures the centre stage. The roof rails are large and chunky up top and the rear could arguably be called extremely attractive. The roof spoiler and the chunky lower bumper look very stylish. The black skirting on the lower profile is thicker than that of the Expedition.

The Ford Explorer offers a big car feel and replicates the Expedition and Everest in many ways. The first and foremost thing you will notice when driving for the first time is the raw power of the engine. Both the power and torque come down at very low engine RPMs, which ensures that there are no power lags even at slow speeds.

Plus, the SelectShift suspension is amazing on the shifts and does so quite intelligently based on the road condition and the throttle response. The suspension is well-absorbed too and is not on the softer side, considering the heavy build and the high payload capacity.

Coming to the mechanical details, the Ford Explorer is offered in two engine options - 2.3-litre and 3.5-litre. The smaller engine is offered in the base model and makes 274 PS of maximum power at 5,500 rpm, while the peak torque of 408 Nm comes at just 3,000 rpm.

On the other hand, the bigger 3.5-litre V6 engine produces a whopping 370 PS of power and 475 Nm of torque, coming at 5,500 rpm and 3,500 rpm respectively. As for the transmission, a 6-speed SelectShift automatic gearbox is standard. The smaller engine gets a 4X2 drivetrain, while the bigger variant gets an AWD.

Both the 2.3-litre and 3.5-litre models get 20-inch wheels, which means the disc brakes are of the same size. The brakes get the added advantage of ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution. This ensures that the SUV gets under control even when braking at a very high speed.

The driver gets a lot of security and assistance features as well. Some of these include a hill launch assist, front parking assistance, perimeter alarm, traction control, and reverse sensing system. The occupants get airbags for the front, side and knees.

There are a lot of things that could be said about the Ford Explorer as it eventually turns out to be one of the best value for money SUV in the mid-premium range. Priced under PHP 3 million, the car is one of the best options for you to buy and brings along the trust of Ford. It might not be as attractive as the Mazda or the Palisade, but looks can be subjective, right?