2012 New Ford Explorer

**3ple4** · October 3rd, 2011 03:45 AM

I agree with MT's point about the leather seats, noong sinakyan ko yung Explorer last month parang low quality leather ang ginamit.

Roadfly review....

Roadfly.com - 2011 Ford Explorer Review & Test Drive - YouTube

Consumer Reports review....

2011 Ford Explorer first drive from Consumer Reports - YouTube

Good point on the thick windshield pillar & far door panel.

I think the consensus is... MyFord Touch is VERY COMPLICATED

**niky** · October 3rd, 2011 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by 3ple4

MT Slams 2012 Ford Explorer 2.0L EcoBoost, Says it's Slow, Clumsy, Pricey and Thirsty - Carscoop

Lieberman is okay. He came from Jalopnik and TheTruthAboutCars before going to MotorTrend, so he's one of us Internet guys... a straight shooter. Good to see he's having an effect on the magazine.

That said... I can't agree that the Explorer is clumsy. The V6 AWD handles pretty well for a 2.2 metric ton vehicle. The leather and fake leather coverings on the door are not the highest quality, but they're more than plush enough, and they were chosen for their wash-and-wear durability. Having a CR-V with actual leatherette/leather on the door handles instead of the molded in synthetics on the Explorer, I can agree with Ford's decision... just four years in and the leather is bubbling and tearing due to exposure to rain every time you get out of the car. The Explorer's door cards got really wet in the rain yesterday, but were a simple wipe-and-dry affair. And the seats are pretty comfortable, to boot.

And those materials are 1,000,000 times better than the crap, easily degraded rubbers and plastics on the previous Explorer door-cards. (my Uncle had the Eddie Bauer) I kind of miss the Laz-E-Boy chairs of old, though.

Tire hum... can be down to specific fitment and whether or not the previous tester was doing parking lot donuts or trying their damnedest to flat-spot the tires under braking. And fuel economy? We're not getting the 2.0... we're getting the much better V6.

About the only bad thing I can say about the Explorer is the Ford's MyTouch is indeed pretty complex, almost to the point of i-Drive insanity and the stability/traction control is intrusive in the wet and at the limit. You'll appreciate it at the limit, because it really helps curb understeer (though it's not necessary, the Explorer handles pretty well in street-mode), but in wet conditions, the traction control is pretty finicky, tugging the steering left and right as it senses slip at the front tires.

Pricing? Ford promises pricing at an insane price. Who needs JPEPA? An AWD, dual sunroof Explorer with power-fold third row (as fascinating to watch as the MX-5 tin roof), selectable AWD drive modes with active roll control (in the most aggressive off-road mode, the anti-roll bars feel like they're completely decoupled, allowing more wheel articulation and body lean) will cost within spitting distance of a CX9 or Pajero without all of these associated goodies.

I'm pretty sure, at this point, the my uncle will be trading in his Expedition for one of these babies.

**3ple4** · October 3rd, 2011 11:38 AM

What does MyFord Touch actually control? Is it more on the entertainment system of the ride? Can we just not use the MyFord Touch para iwas sakit ng ulo?

**niky** · October 3rd, 2011 01:33 PM

It's not too bad if you're used to similar systems in other cars... but the iMac/iPad boys were tearing their hair out in frustration. It's an integrated vehicle information center, entertainment control center, rear parking camera, Microsoft Sync, etcetera. There's also separate TWIN digital data screens on the instrument cluster that you can configure to show an analog/bar-style tachometer, fuel readouts, etcetera... and you can also use this to adjust traction control and auto-start / convenience features.

But there are so many things that you can fix that it's annoying sometimes trying to figure out how to do simple things. Like turning on the rear AC. There's fan and temperature controls in the back, but you have to enter the MyTouch system, enter the vehicle syb-menu, go up to Amsterdam, down to Spain, then activate the rear controls. Wait... what? You need to activate the controls to use them?

I loved the AdvanceTrac toggle, and we played around with the vehicle controls. The Explorer drives very nicely. Only nit to pick with the vehicle dynamics is that you can't turn stability control off, so you can't find the limits of the vehicle on the racetrack.

**ghosthunter** · October 7th, 2011 01:09 PM

October 6 2011, all new FORD EXPLORER 3.5L V6 launching event at the Rockwell Tent...

Click the link for more pictures from the event: 2011 Ford Explorer 3.5L V6 4x4 (launch event)

LINK: 2011 Ford Explorer 3.5L V6 4x4 (launch event)

**ghosthunter** · October 7th, 2011 06:21 PM

Car news from KOTSE.COM

[SIZE=3]Ford's all-new Explorer makes landfall in the Philippines[/SIZE]

While it was a good feeling to experience Ford's latest SUV ahead of everyone else at the Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-P) test fest last Sunday, we're pretty sure the boys of the Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI) - as well as the party guests - equally enjoyed seeing the all-new 2012 Explorer in its glamorous element. The blue oval brand officially launched their mid-size SUV last October 6, 2011, at the Rockwell Tent in Makati City, and its ready to take the Philippines by storm.

Sculpted by the talented and former Land Rover design engineer Jim Holland, the Explorer is built like a tank with its broad shoulders and muscular lines. And if that's not brute enough, its short front and rear overhangs, large wheel arches, and polished 20-inch aluminum rims should put other SUV's to shame. But this car isn’t all brawn. This seven-seater's interior is adorned with polished metal, wood, and leather to give it a dash of luxury and is fitted with the exclusive MyFord Touch control system. The 8-inch display controls everything from the sound system, climate control, and even interior mood lights. And admittedly, it does take a bit of brainwork and head scratching to figure out all these fancy knick-knacks, but it’s ultimately well work the fiddling.....

click the link to continue: Ford's all-new Explorer makes landfall in the Philippines

LINK: Ford's all-new Explorer makes landfall in the Philippines

**eggman** · October 7th, 2011 06:51 PM

Saw this SUV and it looks really good..

**AG4** · October 7th, 2011 07:36 PM

2012 Ford Explorer Limited 4WD, only P2.35M!
Lower than the P2.395M regular price of the old 4x2 Explorer Eddie Bauer?

Ford Philippines launches all-new Explorer

The all-new Ford Explorer is hitting Ford Philippines' 26 showrooms with a surprisingly competitive price at P2.35 million. We say surprising as a lot of potential buyers were expecting the SUV to be sold at the P3-million mark (see Price This Car feature here).

"This all-new Explorer adds class-leading fuel efficiency to a legendary portfolio of capability, performance and customer convenience," said Randy Krieger, president of Ford Philippines. "SUV customers in general--and Explorer customers specifically--told us they want the freedom and empowerment Explorer always has stood for, with improved performance and significantly increased fuel economy."

The new Ford Explorer is packed with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 290hp--80 more horses than that of its predecessor's--and 346Nm of torque. Despite its impressive numbers, the new Explorer claims to be 20 percent more fuel efficient than the previous model, thanks to multiple enhancements that improve its mechanical efficiency. These include a one-way clutch for the alternator, a direct-acting mechanical bucket valvetrain with polished buckets to reduce friction, piston-cooling jets, improved bay-to-bay breathing through the cylinder block, and composite cam covers that reduce engine weight. The V6 mill also features improved deceleration fuel shut-off technology to maximize fuel economy in closed-throttle situations.

Paired to the engine is a six-speed SelectShift Automatic transmission that allows a driver to manually change gears using a shifter-mounted +/- toggle switch.

Read More: Ford Philippines launches all-new Explorer - News | TopGear.com.ph