Used 2013 Ford Explorer

When Ford introduced the all-new Explorer last year, it didn’t just do a slight refresh of the existing model. Instead, Ford created an entirely new vehicle unlike any Explorer before it. For 2013, the Explorer continues to attract new buyers swayed by its sleek, almost Land Rover-like good looks, cutting-edge technology and efficient engine choices, including the first turbocharged 4-cylinder engine ever to grace an Explorer engine bay. With seating for seven, the Explorer is definitely family-friendly and, thanks to an advanced multi-setting 4-wheel-drive system, the family can now venture confidently off-road (something the old Explorer wasn’t very good at). Ironically, the one vehicle that stands to lose market share to the Explorer is its own sibling, the Ford Flex.

It takes only a few minutes of seat time in the 2013 Ford Explorer to realize this is no ordinary SUV. The rigid unit body has none of the squeaks and rattles so commonplace in most truck-based SUVs, while Ford’s Curve Control throttle intervention helps maintain a safe speed when rounding sharp corners. The Explorer’s adept suspension is aided by a host of electronic assists designed to make this mid-size SUV handle like a lithe sport sedan. Our short time testing the Terrain Management 4-wheel-drive system netted some pretty impressive results, especially considering the Explorer’s modest 7.6 inches of ground clearance and somewhat soft suspension. Still, we wouldn’t put this vehicle up against a Toyota 4Runner, for example, whose body-on-frame architecture and hi/lo transfer case make it more conducive to serious off-road challenges. Then again, few truck-based SUVs can match the 2013 Explorer’s outstanding fuel economy, exceptional cabin comfort, user-focused functionality and class-leading connectivity.

Look inside most trucked-based SUVs and you’ll find the same utilitarian dash and door panels as their pickup truck counterparts. Not so with the 2013 Ford Explorer, where an elegant cabin is awash in high-quality, soft-touch surfaces. The Explorer’s instrument cluster is clean and simple on the base models and, on the XLT and Limited, it can be upgraded to include the MyFord Touch package that features configurable LCD screens in place of the traditional analog gauges. At the rear, a single-piece rear liftgate opens to expose 15.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which can be expanded to a maximum of 80.7 cubic feet by folding down both rows of rear seats.

With the 2013 Explorer, Ford has jettisoned the boxy, upright design of old and replaced it with an elegant body highlighted by a boldly-rakish front end. The Explorer’s tall doors and lower roof give it a slick, almost low-rider look, as do the Sport and Limited’s 20-inch wheels. But, the design is an optical illusion because there is plenty of headroom inside as well as ground clearance below (7.6 inches to be exact). The Explorer’s wide track benefits interior occupants with more hip and shoulder room, as well as greatly aids in improved handling and cornering.

MYFORD TOUCH
This latest version of Ford’s driver-connect technology is standard on the Explorer Limited and available on the XLT. It utilizes an expanded version of the automaker’s SYNC voice-command system to allow and facilitate a broader range of input commands for the audio, navigation, climate control and phone systems.

CURVE CONTROL
A world-exclusive, this standard safety enhancement automatically senses when the vehicle is entering a given corner too quickly and automatically engages throttle and braking intervention to help it maintain the desired driving path.

In addition to its V6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, the 2013 Ford Explorer boasts numerous power assists, MyFord driver connectivity, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio with media hub, air conditioning, cruise control, tilt/telescoping steering column and more. The XLT adds auto headlights, foglights, 18-inch wheels, rearview camera with zoom function, premium cloth upholstery, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, SecuriCode keyless-entry pad and the SelectShift feature. Leather-upholstered, the Limited gets all that and the XLT’s Driver Connect and Comfort Packages – plus a Sony premium audio system with HD Radio. Safety items include AdvanceTrak with Roll Stability Control and Curve Control and Hill Start Assist.

For 2013, all Ford Explorers offer 4-wheel drive with multi-mode Terrain Management System and Hill Descent Control. XLT buyers can add the Driver Connect (MyFord Touch/SYNC, premium audio, dual-zone climate control and rearview camera). The Limited’s Luxury Seating Package (perforated leather, heated/cooled front seats, power-folding third-row seat, power liftgate and navigation) is available with or without the 302A Group (Blind Spot Information System, adaptive cruise control, Auto Park, HID headlamps and rain-sensing wipers). Stand-alone options for the XLT, Limited and Sport models include navigation, dual-panel power moonroof, power liftgate, inflatable second-row outboard seatbelts, power tilt/telescopic and heated steering wheel and the blind spot system.

The 2013 Explorer’s standard engine is Ford’s high-tech 3.5-liter Ti-VCT (twin-independent variable camshaft timing) V6 that makes 290 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque. With the 6-speed automatic this engine delivers class-leading 17/25 mpg city/highway EPA numbers in front-drive Explorers and 17/23 mpg in the 4WD versions; it also accelerates from zero to 60 mph in roughly eight seconds and gives the Explorer a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity. Optional on front-drive models is the new 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine that makes 240 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, but is recommended to use premium fuel. Fuel economy ratings for the EcoBoost are an estimated 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. The Sport gets a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine rated at 350 horsepower.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
240 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
270 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/28 mpg

3.5-liter V6
290 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
255 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg (FWD), 13/18 mpg (E85), 17/23 (4WD), 12/17 mpg (4WD E85)

3.5-liter turbocharged V6
350 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
350 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: NA