Test Drive Ford Explorer since 2010 SUV

Family values

US citizens love their family, their country, Broadway Musicla and cars from Detroit. This row is the new Ford Explorer.
Ford Explorer is one of the most popular tracks in the US, that is, SUVs. Her officials and rich housewives drive, police officers and succeeding botany from Silicon Valley. It must be said that Ford went to some risk, submitting to the public All-New (absolutely new) Explorer 2002 model year, - the public in the USA pretty reluctantly parted with well-established habits. One wrong step - and Yankees instantly turn away from their chosen one. Therefore, while maintaining the appearance of an SUV without significant changes, Ford specialists focused on the technique. And guess! Since the beginning of 2002, about 300 thousand new Explorer were sold in the States, which is an absolute record among SUVs.
Masha Soap Frame. The only thing that Ford did not decide to encroach, so it's on an old good frame structure. The carrier element in Explorer remained the same - the frame of the staircase type. This design inevitably increases the weight of the car and, as a rule, affects its running quality. But only not in this case, since Ford has refused to use classic off-road continuous bridges and installed an independent suspension in front and rear on the new Explorer.
At high speeds, an SUV not only very confidently holds the road, but also allows you to make pretty risky rebuildings from a number of in a row, which is not always decided to solve, driving a car of this size and weight. Like any American, Explorer is characteristically swinging on an uneven road, but not as much as it was possible to expect. An independent suspension is quite rigid and no longer distinguished in normal conditions. Looking ahead, we note that the new Explorer is rather a roadman than an SUV. Otherwise, why equip it, for the first time in such a class, side inflatable curtains on windows that protect passengers when tipping over? After all, according to statistics, such accidents occur more often on the highway than in the process of jeep.
With a 4.6 liter V8 engine, Explorer has a passenger car dynamics, despite the weight of almost 2 tons. We did not deal with special measurements, but the declared overclocking is up to one hundred for 8.6 seconds., It seems true. The new 5-speed automatic in conjunction with the most powerful eight provide smooth and powerful acceleration. And there are no jerks or delays characteristic of the Explorer of the previous generation. What is there to speak - for all American machines.
Full forward! The all-wheel drive transmission control algorithm is implemented in Explorer typically American - three buttons on the front panel. The default mode is 4x4 AUTO. In ideal conditions, the car rear-wheel driven, but when slipping the leading wheels, the electromagnetic coupling switches the torque to the front. In special cases, Explorer may even become an optional.
4x4 HIGH mode is used to move on wet or slippery roads. As a last resort - in shallow snow or by the country of medium SUV. The four-wheel drive is implemented in the proportion of 50:50, but this regime is still not suitable for the assault of heavy off-road. We could not even climb on the uncrowded sandpaper - the torque is so large (the engine is still 4.6 liters!) That Explorer started digging the wheels of the earth. Make a heavy SUV stride forward slowly, but it is possible - you can - jewelry dosing the effort on gas pedals. But why do we need it when there are 4x4 Low mode in stock?
In this case, a reduced transmission is turned on in the distribution of 1: 2.48. Such arithmetic inspires optimism regarding Explorer off-road capabilities, despite the absence of self-locking inter-axis differential. In the absence of stamp paper, we wrote on a simple - Ford obediently crawled along the rapid terrain, solidly passing through rather steep hill. And it was much easier to control the engine power. However, those who plan to storm in Explorer a serious off-road, we recommend that you have a mandatory to acquire a set of relevant off-road tires.
AMERICAN DREAM. By and large, American standards of comfort and prestige are pretty primitive. They can be formulated as follows: the driver and passengers should be humanly comfortable, but the ingenious electronic prubambas are from the evil. The new Explorer is built according to this principle, often inaccessible to European understanding.
Here is a simple example - front seats. Some-noble creamy leather, heating and electrically regulating in height and horizontally adjacent to the trivial mechanical adjustment of the tilt 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 go hand to go. Indeed, in a normal American family, each has its own car, except for children of preschool age.
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 adjusted only in height. But in the cabin, such a number of gloves, pockets and cup holders that fit to write what it lies.
If you approach Explorer impartially, then the car is equipped with almost all the necessary gentleman's set for the comfort of the driver and passengers. Separate climatic installation, on-board computer with a minimum set of functions - fuel consumption, average speed and mandatory compass. There is a decent audio system with unpopular RDS and Changer on 6 disks. Well, that, that the same is also installed on Ford Focus. European snobbery Americans alien - the main thing that this system sounds not bad.
Rear passengers got a bit: a separate air duct and an additional 2 volt outlet. Well, it goes without saying, the folding cup holders. Such modesty is completely compensated by an abundance of free space. Three passengers feel an Americanly relaxed, each in his own chair. Because this is how the rear sofa is made.
Difference in position. For Americans, Ford Explorer is primarily a family car, as evidenced by the possibility of interior transformation. Two extreme passenger places are completely folded in order to open access to the third row of seats, which are hidden in the floor of the trunk. If this sofa is removed and hidden in the garage, then two useful niches are exempt under the floor for various items. The central chair of the second row of seats simply lowers the back, which allows you to transport long loads. In America, Explorer is also the indicator of the marital status and prosperity.
We have a big black jeep-toned with American standards with a symbol of prestige and social status. And in this capacity, the new Explorer has a serious chance of success. First of all, it is due to a moderate, but well-thought-out complete set, as well as excellent driving qualities. Use it as a battle projectile to participate in jejit parties of various degrees of difficulty is hardly someone becomes - the price and technical capabilities will not allow. But as a working and executive car during the business week and as a means of delivering owners and provinces to a house in the village on weekends - a very good option.
 
Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo Alexey Ilyin

Model / Modification Ford Explorer
Firm Manufacturer / Country Ford Motor Co./Ssha
BODY
Universal type type
Number of doors / seats 5/5
Ladder type frame element
ENGINE
Type gasoline with multipoint electronic injection
Location Front Overlit
Working volume (cube cm) 4601
Number / Cylinder Location 8 / V-Fig
Power, kW (hp) with rpm. / Min. 177 (239) at 4750
Moment (nm at rpm.) 380 at 4000
TRANSMISSION
Rear drive, plugged full
Transmission automatic, 5-speed
SUSPENSION
Front / rear independent spring, on double triangular levers, transverse stability stabilizer / independent spring, multi-dimensional, transverse stability stabilizer
STEERING
Gear Rake Type with Hydrauscitel
Min. Diameter of reversal (M) 12.5
Torkemose
Front / rear disc ventilated / disk
ABS 4-channel with EBD system
Sizes / Volume / Weight
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4813/1832/1827
Wheel base (mm) 2889
Mass Curb (kg) 1968
Tires / Discs 255/70 R16 / Alloy, 7JX16
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km / h) 180
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (sec.) 8.6
Economy
Middle fuel consumption (city / highway, l / 100 km) 17.0 / 11.0
Price in Moscow from $ 42 thousand.
 

A source: "Autopilot"