The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer
Ford revealed the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer at Ford Field. |
Explorer is now more capable, comfortable, sportier and
roomier in all three rows thanks to Ford’s flexible new rear-wheel-drive
architecture.
Southern Belle Supernova was invited to the special reveal
event for employees, fans, dealers, suppliers, government officials and media at
Ford Field in Detroit, where the strengths of the all-new Ford Explorer were
showcased.
“Explorer drivers told us what they want – more capability,
more power, more space,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s head of product development
and purchasing. “They want more technology, not just for the driver, but for
the whole family. And they want all of it with a beautifully sporty exterior.
This new Explorer gives them all of that, and more, helping make every journey
more enjoyable.”
Improved
off-road capability comes courtesy of intelligent four-wheel drive and an
available new Terrain Management System™ that features seven easy-to-engage
drive modes. Powertrain offerings include a 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost® V6
projected to produce 365 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque using 93-octane
gas, making this the most powerful Explorer ever. The Explorer lineup now
features standard, XLT, Limited, Limited Hybrid, ST and Platinum models.
The all-new Explorer comes packed with more than a dozen new
standard features for only $400 more over the previous model. Standard features
include a power liftgate, 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine with all-new 10-speed
transmission, 8-inch digital touch screen with SYNC® 3, FordPass Connect™ Wi-Fi
service for up to 10 devices and more.
Owners will find design and engineering updates throughout
that deliver comfort and SUV functionality. Explorer’s stylish, sloped-roof
silhouette protects rear-seat headroom, while its comfort-enhanced second-row
seats slide to improve access to the third row.
“We obsessed about what Explorer customers need and want,”
said Bill Gubing, Explorer chief engineer. “We met with customer groups, pored
through internet forums, and dissected social media posts to determine what
they love about today’s Explorer and understand their pain points. Then we
found ways to improve it across the board. Every enhancement on this all-new
Explorer was inspired by our customers.”
Technology designed to heighten the experience of traveling
Building upon Ford’s push to bring more driver-assist
technology to market, the all-new Explorer introduces available Active Park
Assist 2.0. The class-exclusive feature – standard on Explorer Platinum –
allows the driver to park in a parallel or perpendicular spot with a touch of a
button without having to work the steering wheel, gear shifter, gas pedal or
brake pedal. Available reverse brake assist, also standard on Platinum, uses
radar and ultrasonic sensors to detect an object in Explorer’s path, and can
apply the brakes automatically to avoid an imminent collision when the vehicle
is backing up at a low speed – such as when exiting a driveway.
Explorer also is available with Ford’s all-new Intelligent
Adaptive Cruise Control with Speed Sign Recognition. In addition to
automatically slowing when traffic ahead slows and helping keep the vehicle
centered in its lane, the system uses cameras to read speed signs and, combined
with the available navigation system, adjusts cruise control settings
accordingly.
Explorer comes standard with Ford Co-Pilot360™, a suite of
driver-assist technologies including:
·
Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency
Braking, which includes Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning and
Dynamic Brake Support
·
Blind Spot Information System with Cross-Traffic
Alert
·
Lane-Keeping System
·
Rearview camera with built-in lens cleaner
·
Auto headlamps with auto high-beams
Other available Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies include Evasive
Steering Assist, which provides steering support to help avoid a collision; and
Post-Impact Braking provides braking after a collision to lessen injury and damage
caused by a secondary crash event.
“It’s not about filling the vehicle with technology for
technology’s sake,” said Chris Billman, Ford Co-Pilot360 engineering manager.
“It’s about improving the experience, making driving less stressful, and helping
the driver to feel more confident behind the wheel.”
Passengers
in all three rows will enjoy FordPass Connect, a standard feature that serves
up 4G LTE Wi-Fi for up to 10 mobile devices with a compatible wireless
subscription service. FordPass Connect gives drivers remote access to their
Explorer, allowing them to use their smartphone to lock, unlock, locate and
start the vehicle, as well as monitor key vehicle diagnostics.
Explorer features an available 10.1-inch touch screen mounted
in portrait configuration on the center stack. Navigation maps can fill the
entire screen for easy viewing, or split the space with audio information. The
screen uses capacitive glass comparable to what consumers are accustomed to on
smartphones and tablets, providing a quicker, more responsive interaction with
the updated SYNC 3 system. Standard SYNC 3’s more intuitive layout gives
drivers compatibility with available features such as Apple CarPlay®, Android
Auto® and Waze navigation.
A wireless charging pad is available that allows customers to
recharge compatible mobile devices, and up to four USB ports, including new
type-C outlets, charge next-generation mobile devices. Up to three 12-volt
outlets and a 110-volt outlet are also available.
For music lovers, Explorer offers an available 980-watt,
14-speaker B&O premium audio system. Access to SiriusXM™ satellite radio is
standard and comes with new touch screen graphics and functionality – including
a display of the day’s sports scores. HD Radio™ is standard on Limited and
Platinum models.
The touch screen shares information with the available
12.3-inch all-digital instrument cluster, which displays important vehicle
information such as speedometer and gas gauge. It uses 3D animated graphics to
change information depending on which of the seven drive modes are selected
using the available Terrain Management System.
Meticulously recrafted to be the best Explorer ever
Ford’s recipe for Explorer has always relied on three main
ingredients – capability, comfort and design. The new rear-wheel-drive
architecture enables bumper-to-bumper improvements that include an even more
athletic appearance, increased capability and the best passenger accommodations
in an Explorer ever.
The powerful new engine lineup features a pair of EcoBoost
entries – a 2.3-liter turbocharged I-4 that comes standard on base, XLT and
Limited models, and a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that powers Explorer
Platinum. The reinvigorated 2.3-liter engine is projected to produce 300
horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, both improvements over the outgoing
Explorer equipped with the same engine.
“A vehicle like Explorer can’t just be good-looking,” said Craig
Patterson, Ford SUV marketing manager. “Explorer customers need it to do
certain things. They need to be able to drive certain places and haul specific
items. This Explorer performs no matter what adventures you have in store.”
Up to seven selectable drive modes are available for customers
to tailor their drive experience to road, weather and terrain conditions on
demand. Rear-wheel-only Explorer drive modes include normal, sport, trail,
slippery, tow/haul and eco. Vehicles equipped with intelligent four-wheel drive
add a deep snow and sand mode for improved performance off-road.
Rear-wheel
drive also enables more towing capability when properly equipped, regardless of
engine. Vehicles equipped with a 3.0-liter EcoBoost can tow up to 5,600 pounds,
a 12 percent increase over outgoing models with 3.5-liter EcoBoost. New models
outfitted with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost and Class III Trailer Tow Package can tow
up to 5,300 pounds, versus the 3,000 pounds today’s similarly equipped Explorer
is capable of.
Hauling boats and trailers was certainly a priority for the
Explorer team, but so was accommodating smaller items such as everyday drink
bottles and cellphones. With every detail scrutinized, the new Explorer can
boast 123 cubic liters of stowage space throughout the cabin, giving passengers
in all three rows no shortage of places to stow personal items.
Available PowerFold® third-row seats and new E-Z entry
second-row seats let drivers create a flat-floor cargo area that stretches out
to offer 87.8 cubic feet of cargo space – wide enough to fit standard 4-foot
building materials, depending on seating configuration. Accommodating families
of all sizes, second-row seats feature a new mechanism that allows for easy
entrance and exit to the third row using just one hand. Redesigned ISOFIX
anchor points allow child seat installation anywhere in the second and third
rows. Second-row windows are equipped with available retractable sunshades.
A stylish, modern design that is pure Explorer
A number of consistent design qualities have helped define
Explorer over the past 29 years, and the design team strived to hold on to
these important pieces of heritage. Longtime traits – including Explorer’s
blacked-out A-pillars and D-pillars and body-color C-pillars – are retained. Changes
to the overall profile include a more sloping roofline and shorter front
overhang, giving the vehicle a sportier, more stylish appearance.
Explorer comes standard with 18-inch painted aluminum wheels,
but across the lineup drivers can opt for one of seven wheel designs, including
21-inch premium aluminum wheels available on Platinum models. Other Platinum
differentiators include door handles with satin aluminum insert, liftgate
appliqué, lower bodyside cladding insert, roof-rack side rails and a unique
grille with satin aluminum finish.
Platinum models also feature a standard twin-panel moonroof,
which allows light to flood the most comfortable Explorer cabin ever. Explorer
Platinum includes special leather seats, plus leather-wrapped steering wheel,
dashboard, door rollovers, and door and front console armrests.
To complete its
broadest-ever lineup of Explorer SUVs, Ford later revealed two all-new models
that will take Explorer drivers faster and further than ever before.
The all-new Explorer ST and the all-new Explorer Hybrid
complete a lineup that includes a variety of driver and passenger comforts, an
array of technologies that improve every drive, and new powertrain options that
deliver power and efficiency.
The new Explorer family, which follows on the heels of Ford’s
hot-selling new Expedition, goes on sale this summer. As America’s favorite
SUV, Explorer will set the pace for the rest of the Ford’s utility lineup,
which continues growing this year with an all-new Escape – and more.
Highlights
from Ford Field below:
Bill Ford shared photographs of Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. |
Wanderlust and road trips were the theme of the evening. |
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The audience enjoyed the poetry of Prince EA. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer is redesigned from the ground up. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer's rear-wheel-drive architecture enables a sportier, more athletic design, improved on- and off-road capability and 600 pounds more in maximum towing capacity. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer approaches the field. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer is revealed. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer hits the road. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer on a road across America. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer handles snow with ease. |
The stars of the evening - the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer times four. |
Jim Farley, EVP and President, Global Markets and Jim Hackett, President and CEO with the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
Jim Farley, EVP and President, Global Markets and Jim Hackett, President and CEO with the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's head of product development and purchasing with the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's head of product development and purchasing discussed the new technology. |
Amazon Alexa in the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
Jim Farley and the 2020 All-New Ford Explorer team. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer's grill art. |
The 2020 All-New Ford Explorer. |
That's a wrap, y'all! |
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