2012 Ford Explorer EcoBoost first drive

August 30, 2011 by Lijo Mathai
Filed under First Drive, Ford

Many times, its seen that most of the car buying public in their quest to SUVs, be they big or small, eventually land up at a Ford show room. Ford are notorious in the aspect that they have built a reputation for themselves for being the best manufacturing force as far as SUVs are concerned. Not only this, they are also credited with going eco in a big way. Case in study is the 2012 Ford Explorer EcoBoost with its EcoBoost technology. The last time around, I had reported that manufacturers are going green by improving their technology but downsizing purely on the engine capacity. How far Ford has persuaded the customers to accept this philosophy is but anyone’s bet seeing their rising sales numbers and stuff. Also, the Explorer saw its numbers going up after the paradigm shift to the smaller engine. Also buyers now count fuel efficiency as one of the factors while shopping around for SUVs. A first drive of the 2012 Ford Explorer EcoBoost is what it took to confirm whether Ford’s decision to change to a V6 really helps or not.

Did some one mention the Taurus here? Yes, the Explorer looks very similar to the much bigger Taurus and Ford’s engineers say that they wanted to maintain a corporate look altogether. The wing mirrors have been suitably altered to just maintain the right amount of aerodynamics thing. Also the Ford engineer told me that there are special flaps on the grille which actually reduce the air drag once the SUV has attained certain speeds. The 18 inch wheels are also one of the best around with a Kia type wheel design. Moreover, keeping in with the theme of the car, it is a low resistance tyre which has been put up. The side profile threw up an interesting design element with the front mated to the rear in the best possible way together. As for the rear, the design element here also means that this car looks pretty much hip and not ponderous that SUVs usually look. Infact the rear would look pretty good even on a sedan. The large Explorer badge at the rear also looks neat in all its chrome bling.

As for the interiors, its all done in soft black color. The steering wheel of this 2012 model has got a few corrections done here and there. The addition of a few more buttons on it infact makes this a step ahead than its competitors. But, holding it made me feel if technology has become more interfering over the years or so. All the controls fell easily into hands and there was no mistaking the user friendliness that this package brought with it. Throw in the goodies that Ford is known to offer with almost its entire SUV range and this makes sense. The sense of occasion that the power folding third-row seating, power liftgate as also the navigation system which was voice-activated was priceless. Then there is the all too criticized MyFord Touch system which didn’t win my vote. However the Ford engineer put in his two cents saying that this was the most loved feature by all the buyers of the Explorer and that this system is very intuitive. He however didn’t realize that it may also be the result of clubbing different options together and getting the unwary customer to opt for the best package which included the MyFord Touch system. As for the seating arrangement, they just about made it without the feeling of being cramped or being liberal either. Luggage space was as expected and with the multiple folding seats option, it was all the more easy to store all the knip knacks.

Ford have sacrificed the 4×4 option in this Explorer and this is a bid to make the SUV overall lighter and hence more fuel efficient. All the power is now sent to the front wheels only. This not only makes this SUV lighter but also makes it more easier to maneuver it around corners, the low rolling resistance tyres not withstanding. There is plenty of grip for this SUV around corners and amply so. As for the ride quality, just like its predecessor, it was a bit on the lumpier side. What Ford have done is amply curb the in cabin noise for this brute. It’s on the lower side of what the competition has to offer and the steering wheel is also a delight to use. It’s a tad on the lighter side but weighs up nicely once the locks have been dialed in and also as the speeds increase.

The 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder engine in the new Explorer puts out a hefty 240 Hp of power and 270 pound feet of torque. It is aligned with an Eco shifting 6 speed auto transmission. Ford have also shaved the kerb weight of this SUV and now it stands at 4500 pounds. This kerb weight means that its not so easy to assign it some towing duties. The gears are slick and fall in place all too efficiently. Also, the apparent lack of a few ponies here and there doesn’t seem to make a difference since considerable weight has been shed from this SUV as well. The power deficiency wouldn’t have being highlighted unless someone actually showed me the details on paper. Its so indiscernible. Moreover, there is more of the heady rush that a V6 delivers than a docile 4 cylinder one under the hood. What Ford wanted to provide for was in the department of fuel efficiency and here, the company have delivered it in spades. The new Explorer returns 20 mpg in city and 28 mpg on the highway. This is nearly an increase of 3 mpg over its predecessor. The previous gripe about the brakes has been solved to some extent but not to my entire satisfaction. This is the best that Ford could have sorted out without increasing the price to a great extent.

Speaking of the price, the 4 cylinder engined Explorer now comes in with a bigger price tag. The 2012 Ford Explorer EcoBoost EcoBoost price starts at $42,625.