The four-door Ford Explorer is available in a full range of trim levels: XLS, XLT, NBX, Eddie Bauer, and Limited. (We specify "four-door" because the two-door Explorer Sport and Explorer Sport Trac versions are built on the previous-generation platform and are not covered here. All references to the Explorer in this review refer to the four-door models.)
An overhead-cam V6 engine is standard on all models. An overhead-cam V8 ($800) is an option for all models except the XLS. All models come standard with the five-speed automatic. Most offer a choice of two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive.
XLS ($26,285), XLS 4WD ($28,510), and XLS AWD ($28,510) come with cloth upholstery, AM/FM/CD/cassette, and a center console with a storage bin and cup holders. (And yes, 4WD and AWD are the same retail price.) An optional XLS Sport package ($1,175) adds the high series center console, black step bars, Medium Dark Platinum wheel lip moldings, 16-inch painted cast aluminum wheels (to replace the standard steel wheels) and front and rear floormats.
XLT ($29,025) gets nicer sport cloth upholstery, a six-way power driver's seat, the Medium Dark Platinum exterior trim, and more luxury features, such as a temperature gauge and compass, rear map/dome lights with second row reading lamp, outside approach lighting, fog lamps, extra power outlets, and an illuminated keypad for keyless entry. An upgraded center console offers a tissue box, power points, pencil holder, and coin holder in addition to cup holders and a storage bin. XLT comes with aluminum alloy wheels, a new chrome grille and black-grain outside door handles. Four-wheel-drive Control Trac and All Wheel Drive models retail for $31,250. Leather trimmed upholstery with a six-way power driver's seat is available for $655. XLT buyers can choose a $1,175 Sport package consisting of 17-inch machined aluminum wheels, P245/65R17 All-Terrain OWL tires, Platinum gloss step bars, cladding, wheel lip moldings and two-tone front and rear fascias.
NBX ($1,175) is actually a package designed for outdoor enthusiasts. NBX includes a Yakima LoadWarrior roof rack, which features a cargo basket made of heavy-duty steel, two-tone bumpers, body cladding, wheel-lip moldings, step bars, front tow hooks, and 17-inch aluminum wheels with P245/65R17 all-terrain tires. The NBX interior is trimmed with unique seat fabric, special rubber floormats, and a soft liner for the cargo area with a storage bag.
Eddie Bauer ($33,100) and Limited ($33,975) come with leather trimmed seating surfaces, automatic dual-zone climate control, 290-watt six-CD stereo with seven speakers, and wider tires. Six-way adjustable heated power seats with dual lumbar supports are used in front, and the driver's seat has a three-position memory feature. Four-wheel drive adds $1965. The top two Explorer models differ in their distinctive trim: Eddie Bauer comes with Arizona beige bumpers, moldings, lower bodyside cladding, 17-inch satin-nickel wheels and grille, and P245/65R17 all-terrain tires. Limited uses monochromatic bumpers, moldings and cladding with a chrome grille and unique 17-inch chrome wheels. The Limited model is available in new Ceramic White Tri-Coat.
Options include third-row seating ($670), auxiliary air conditioning ($610), power-adjustable pedals ($120), Reverse Sensing System ($255), and a power moonroof ($800). A Trailer Towing Prep Package ($395) replaces the standard Class II hitch with a Class III hitch and adds a 3.73 limited-slip rear axle.
Instead of conventional front side-impact airbags, Explorer offers an optional ($560) Safety Canopy Air Curtain System. Located in the roof, it is designed to help protect first- and second-row outboard occupants during side-impact or rollover accidents. The safety canopy is designed to improve side-impact protection by staying inflated for a longer period. Ford has done a great deal of research on this technology and we strongly recommend ordering the safety canopy.
Seatbelts use retractors and pre-tensioners designed to reduce injuries in a hard crash. The second-row center seat has an integrated shoulder belt, a feature not found on all SUVs. All occupants should always wear their seat belts as they are the first line of defense in an accident.