Ford Explorer Interior Review
The inside of the Ford Explorer looks like America's living room, which is appropriate, considering that so many Americans spend so much time there. The front passengers get a pair of comfy captain's chairs, covered in a premium cloth for the XLT. The bench seat offers three-passenger capacity; the rear seat is split so that either half can be folded down for versatility when moving cargo and people at the same time. Big doors make access easy, though the XLT doesn't have the running boards standard on the Eddie Bauer and Limited models. Of course, half the time running boards only get in the way and you wind up with dirt on your pants cuff.
The Explorer has its automatic shifter mounted on the column with an overdrive-off button located on the end, handy when hauling or towing a trailer to prevent automatic transmission hunting (and overheating) in hilly areas. The dash features full instrumentation in a neatly laid out nacelle. The radio and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) controls are centered on the dash in a pod; that pod also houses a knob that controls the 4WD operation. The audio and cabin temperature controls are easy enough to use though we'd prefer an old-fashioned twist knob to control station tuning on the radio. The XLT has a handy center console/arm rest.
Front seat side-impact airbags are optional. Also optional is an ultrasonic sonar system that beeps ever faster as you back up within 6 feet or less of objects behind the vehicle. Considering the poor rear vision SUVs have when backing up, this rear sensing system is an important safety option.
Ford Explorer Road Test
The Explorer is easier to drive on a daily basis than the bigger SUVs in the Ford stable. It is far more nimble in crowded parking lots with narrow spaces or on forest roads with tight switchbacks. If a small turning circle is paramount, the 2-door is a better choice, at 34.7 feet curb to curb, though the 4-door Explorer manages a fairly nimble 37.3 feet.
The V6 is the most popular engine. But the 5.0-liter V8 assures a certain command of the road with an ability to accelerate with all but the sportiest of automobiles, handy for merging or passing. It's the best choice for doing any towing, with reserve power for climbing hills and bucking headwinds. The V8 offers quiet cruising on the highway.
The Explorer is relatively free of wind noise and only a modicum of road noise filters up to remind you that you're in a truck. But the Explorer is indeed a truck. It's responsive to its rack-and-pinion steering, reacting smartly to a turn of the wheel, but there's no denying the high-mounted center of gravity and overall mass of the vehicle. It handles like a truck. The Explorer's relatively heavy tires and live rear axle arrangement also work against a luxury car ride. On a smooth road, you won't notice, but bumpy roads bring out the truck in the Explorer. It offers a stiffer ride than most cars, but at the same time it provides the feeling that it won't be swallowed up by the next pothole.
Ford Explorer Lineup
For the 2000 model year, the 2-door Sport is available with 4x2 and 4x4 drive trains for $19,970 and $23,070 respectively.
The 4-door Explorer is available in several trim levels. (The XL, with its vinyl seats and manual locks and windows, has been relegated to fleet-buyers only.) The XLS is now the base retail model, listing for $23,290 with two-wheel drive. The XLS includes such niceties as power mirrors, locks and windows, an AM/FM stereo cassette audio system, and aluminum wheels. With 4-wheel drive, the XLS starts at $25,170.
Explorer drivers can move up to the $27,185 XLT, which adds fog lights, privacy glass and interior trim items; the 4x4 XLT lists for $29,150.
Further up the Explorer hierarchy is the Eddie Bauer edition for $31,740 with two-wheel drive. This Explorer adds 16-inch wheels, automatic temperature controls, electrochromatic rearview mirror, upgraded audio and trim items, including leather upholstery. The Eddie Bauer 4x4 starts at $33,705, or $34,120 with all-wheel drive. The Limited is the top of the Explorer line, with more leather plus simulated woodgrain, special wheels and exterior trim, and retails for $31,995 for 4x2, $33,960 for 4x4, $34,375 for AWD.