Ford Explorer (2014) expert review

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Ford Explorer (2014) expert review

The 2014 Ford Explorer ranks 18 out of 21 Affordable Midsize SUVs. This ranking is based on the analysis of published reviews and test drives of the Ford Explorer, as well as reliability and safety data.

expert rating

4.6/5 rating

video review

pros

Good fuel economy with 4-cylinder EcoBoost
Luxurious
High-tech interior
Smooth and quiet ride

cons

Snug third-row seat
Narrow side windows Limited towing ability
All-wheel drive not available with 4-cylinder

full review

1. Exterior

Explorer hits some high points of crossover SUV style. It's a dialect of sharp angles and straight lines, the opposite of softly rounded wagons like the Volvo XC90 (actually a distant cousin to it). The Explorer's has a tall body, big glass areas and the three-bar grille.

Our rating: 4
2. Interior

Reviewers have stated that the 2014 Explorer’s interior is constructed with high-quality materials and classy elegant attire. Internally, the current Explorer makes no attempt to give nod to the past--and that's perfectly fine. Early Explorers had miserable, plastic interiors, which improved as it was groomed upmarket. Unlike the ungainly dashes in the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, the Explorer has set itself on top along with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango in tailored good looks, with maybe a half-degree more of the contemporary in its win column.

Our rating: 5
3. Practicality

The third-row seat is pretty cramped for adults, but it's more than adequate for children, who can climb into the narrow space created when you flip the middle row forward via an easy lever. For cargo duty, the Explorer comes with a fold-away third-row seat, power-operated if you want. With its foldable back seats and middle seats, that could fold nearly flat and is dressed with invulnerable secure grade of carpeting on the back, the Explorer lays bare 81 cubic feet of cargo volume—creating a spacious area for big, flat packages.

Our rating: 5
4. Ride and handling

By 3-row crossover standards, the Explorer feels solid and connected to the road. Steering is firm and accurate, and the vehicle handles curves reasonably well. From the driver's seat, however, the Explorer feels even larger than it is; that's due in part to the narrow side glass and the thick front and rear pillars, which impede visibility. You'll love the smooth, quiet ride, though.

Our rating: 5
5. Performance

.The standard engine on the Explorer is a 3.5-liter V-6, shared with many Ford vehicles, from the Edge to the Flex. With 290 horsepower, it's good for mid-eight-second 60-mph acceleration through a six-speed automatic transmission. If it sounds pedestrian, it's good to recognize that the six-cylinder's far more powerful on paper than the V-8 in the prior edition. Acceleration from a stop is strong, and most models have a sport-shift mode for quicker throttle and shift responses, but these Explorers don't get shift paddles to go with the automatic. The transmission will hold lower gears when told, though, and that alone makes it more responsive than almost any competitive crossover.

Our rating: 4
6. Running costs

It's very likely that if you're looking at a seven-passenger, three-row crossover like the 2014 Ford Explorer, gas mileage isn't a top priority. But if you're okay with only somewhat slower acceleration, there's a more efficient option. A turbocharged, direct-injected, 240-horsepower four-cylinder earns estimated EPA ratings of 20/28 mpg, or 23 miles per gallon combined--about 25 percent higher than the last-generation Explorer did in base form. It's optional, and only available in front-drive form. The other caveat is that it's only rated to tow up to 2,000 pounds, not the 5,000 pounds the V-6 Explorer can.

Our rating: 4
7. Reliabilty

Simply put, for almost everything that a family would throw at the Explorer, it does it better than before, and it does what the wide majority of us want to do in a crossover. It makes plenty of room for lots of people, or lots of stuff, and it does it much more efficiently than it ever did in the past. It holds on to those mud-running bona fides too--even if they probably were only ever weekend ambitions for most of their suburban owners.

Our rating: 4
8. Safety

The Explorer has earned top scores in both of the major crash-test programs. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named it a Top Safety Pick, including a "good" score on the roof-crush test--although it hasn't yet been tested in the new small-overlap frontal test. And it's earned five stars overall in the federal tests--with five-star scores in all the subcategories except for the mathematically determined rollover score.

Our rating: 5
9. Equipment

Each Explorer comes with all the standard features you'd expect to find in a QR 125,000. It has power windows, locks, and mirrors; cruise control; steering-wheel audio controls; a tilt/telescoping steering wheel; and an AM/FM/CD player with an auxiliary jack. The Explorer XLT adds on 18-inch wheels; satellite radio; a sport-shift mode for the automatic transmission; and reverse parking sensors.

Our rating: 5
10. Why buy

Many reasons to buy the Ford Explorer; mainly the affordable price and the fact that it is a car for everyone in the family make the explorer worth considering.

Our rating: 5

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