Test drive Ford Explorer 2001 - 2005 SUV

Family values

US citizens love their family, their country, Broadway musicals and Detroit cars. This row also has a new Ford Explorer.
Ford Explorer is one of the most popular tracks in the USA, that is, SUVs. Officials and wealthy housewives, police chiefs and successful botanists from Silicon Valley ride on it. I must say that the Ford company has risked by introducing the All-Newer (completely new) Explorer 2002 model year-the public in the United States quite reluctantly parted with established habits. One wrong step - and the Yankees will instantly turn away from their chosen one. Therefore, having preserved the appearance of the SUV without significant changes, Ford experts focused on technology. And guessed! Since the beginning of 2002, about 300 thousand new Explorer have been sold in the States, which is an absolute record among SUVs.
Masha washed the frame. The only thing Ford did not dare to encroach on is the good old frame structure. The supporting element in Explorer remained the same - the staircase frame. This design inevitably increases the weight of the car and, as a rule, affects its running qualities. But not in this case, since Ford refused to use classic off -road unreasonable bridges and installed an independent suspension on the front and behind on a new Explorer.
At high speeds, the SUV not only very confidently keeps the way, but also allows you to make rather risky restructuring from a row in a row, which you do not always decide, driving a car of this size and weight. Like any American, Explorer is characteristic of a uneven road, but not as much as it could be expected. An independent suspension is quite tough and, under normal conditions, does not differ in large moves. Looking ahead, we note that the new Explorer is more likely a roadman than an SUV. Otherwise, why equip it, for the first time in such a class, with lateral inflatable curtains on the windows that protect passengers when overturned? Indeed, according to statistics, such accidents often occur on the highway than in the process of jeeping.
With a 4.6 -liter V8 engine, Explorer has the dynamics of a passenger car, despite the weight of almost 2 tons. We did not deal with special measurements, but the declared acceleration to hundreds in 8.6 seconds seems to be true. A new 5-speed automatic in conjunction with the most powerful eight provides smooth and powerful acceleration. And there are no jerks or delays characteristic of the previous generation Explorer. What can I say - for all American machine guns.
Full forward! The all-wheel drive transmission control algorithm is implemented in Explorer typically in American, with three buttons on the front panel. Default mode - 4x4 Auto. In ideal conditions, the car is rear -wheel drive, but when the drive wheels slipped, the electromagnetic coupling switches the torque to the front ones. In special cases, Explorer can even become front -wheel drive.
The 4x4 High mode is used to move on wet or slippery roads. In extreme cases - through shallow snow or sagging of medium offenseness. Full -wheel drive is implemented in a ratio of 50:50, but this mode is still not suitable for the assault on heavy off -road. We could not even climb on a short sandy cliff-the torque is so great (the engine is still 4.6 liters!) That Explorer began to dig the ground with wheels. It is possible to force a heavy SUV forward slowly but surely - jewelry dosing the force on the gas pedal. But why do we need this when there is a 4x4 Low mode in stock?
In this case, a reduced gear in the proportion of 1: 2.48 is included in the handout. Such arithmetic inspires optimism regarding the off -road features of Explorer, despite the absence of a self -integent interperse differential. In the absence of a stamp paper, we wrote on a simple one - Ford obediently crawled along a highly overheated area, solidly crossing through rather steep tubercles. And driving the engine power was much easier. However, those who plan to storm on Explorer serious off -road, we recommend that we get a set of appropriate off -road tires.
AMERICAN DREAM. By and large, American standards of comfort and prestige are quite primitive. They can be formulated as follows: the driver and passengers should be humanly convenient, but the cunning electronic bells and whistles are from the evil one. The new Explorer is built precisely on this principle, often inaccessible to European understanding.
Here is a simple example - the front seats. The softest creamy skin, heating and electrical regulations in height and horizontally are adjacent to trivial mechanical adjustment of the back of the back! Is it really so difficult to add another button and a motor to the design? But, it seems, with American practicality - it is difficult, since it is not necessary. You can cheat with your hand. Indeed, in a normal American family, everyone has their own car, except perhaps preschool children.
But there is such a rare function as electrical adjustment of the pedal block horizontally. And not just adjustment, but even with memory for two positions. Obviously, under different shoes. In this case, the steering column is regulated only in height. But in the cabin there are so many messages, pockets and cup holders, which it’s just right to write down what is where it lies.
If you approach Explorer impartially, then the car is equipped with almost all the necessary gentlemanly set for the comfort of the driver and passengers. Separate climatic installation, an on -board computer with a minimum set of functions - fuel consumption, average speed and compulsory compass. There is also a decent audio system with an unpopular in the USA RDS and CHEINGER for 6 discs. So what, that the same is installed on Ford Focus. European snobbery is alien to the Americans - the main thing is that this system sounds good.
The rear passengers got a little: a separate duct and an additional outlet for 12 volts. Well, of course, folding cup holders. Such modesty is quite compensated by the abundance of free space. Three passengers feel Americanly relaxed, each in their own chair. Because this is how the rear sofa is completed.
The difference in position. For Americans, Ford Explorer is primarily a family car, as evidenced by the possibilities of transforming the salon. Two extreme passenger seats are completely thrown back to open access to the third row of seats, which are folded in the floor of the trunk. If this sofa is removed and hidden in the garage, then two useful niches for various objects are freed under the floor. At the central chair of the second row of seats, the back simply drops, which allows you to transport long -dimensional goods. In America, Explorer is also an indicator of marital status and prosperity.
We have a large black jeep tinted according to American standards - this is a symbol of prestige and social status. And in this capacity, the new Explorer has a serious chance of success. First of all, this is due to moderate, but well -thought -out completion, as well as excellent running qualities. Use it as a combat shell to participate in ginger parties of varying degrees of complexity by hardly anyone will become-the price and technical capabilities will not allow. But as a working-representative car during a business week and as a means of delivering the owners and food to the house in the village on weekends-a very good option.
 
Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo Alexey Ilyin

Model/Modification Ford Explorer
Manufacturer/country Ford Motor Co./sha
BODY
Type station wagon
Number of doors/places 5/5
Ram -bearing element of the staircase type
ENGINE
Basin type with multi -point electronic injection
The location in front is longitudinally
Working volume (cubic cub) 4601
Number/location of cylinders 8/V-shaped
Power, kW (L.S.) at about./Min. 177 (239) at 4750
Moment (nm at about./Min.) 380 at 4000
TRANSMISSION
Rear drive, connected full
Gearbox automatic, 5-speed
SUSPENSION
The front/rear is independent spring, on double triangular levers, a reptile stabilizer/independent spring, multi -link, reptile stabilizer
STEERING
Type gear rack with a hydraulic booster
Min. The diameter of the turn (m) 12.5
Brakes
Front/rear circular ventilated/disk
ABS 4-channel with EBD system
Dimensions/volumes/weight
Length/width/height (mm) 4813/1832/1827
Wheel base (mm) 2889
Equipped mass (kg) 1968
Tires/discs 255/70 R16/alloy, 7JX16
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 180
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 8.6
Economy
The average fuel consumption (city/highway, l/100 km) 17.0/11.0
The price in Moscow from $ 42 thousand.
 

Source: "Autopilot"