Ford is repositioning itself in Europe. More US models are added to the portfolio and there is cooperation. For example with Volkswagen. The Ford Explorer is the first product on the Wolfsburg-based MEB platform. But you don’t see it at all.
The first contact with the new Ford Explorer is accompanied by several aha moments. Firstly, the future Explorer is no longer an XXL SUV. And secondly, you don’t see that component sharing is being carried out with the Volkswagen Group. So there is now a new, quite compact SUV that impresses above all with its characteristic design. The new automotive multifunction tool built in Cologne stands out from the competition, exudes a thirst for adventure and a touch of trekking character. The front draws particular attention to itself with the black connecting piece between the rather futuristically shaped headlights, in which the architects placed the model name have — in large, raised letters. The same band can also be found between the rear lights. The side is characterized by a deliberately high belt line; a window line that rises slightly towards the rear flows directly into the extravagant C-pillar. This is emblazoned with a pattern that connects to the rear window in a slightly offset form — you may like it or not, but the design is always an eye-catcher. Extremely short overhangs are an indicator that the developers have made good use of space. Slightly modified drives Ford’s engineers have not simply adopted the drives from the Wolfsburg company, but have touched on them again. The performance values deviate slightly. The range of drives extends from 125 kW/170 hp to 250 kW/340 hp. The latter version has two electric motors under the sheet metal, a synchronous motor at the rear and an asynchronous drive for the front axle. The base has rear-wheel drive. The golden mean is the 210 kW/286 hp Explorer with rear-wheel drive. It is unclear whether Ford has also worked on the charging capacity and goes beyond the peak of 135 kilowatts, which is still the current status of the VW ID.4. Inside, the view is caught by the 14.6-inch central touchscreen. Not that it differs fundamentally from the equally expansive screens that you would find in the previous Explorer or Mach-e, but there is a clou with this one: it can be tilted by 30 degrees. There is also a compartment behind the screen in which valuables can be stowed, for example. Everything new in the interior Anyone who was afraid that the Ford might not be independent enough inside should be taught a lesson. The interior designers had a clear agenda here: brand genes must be visible in the interior. Mission accomplished, you find yourself in a Ford, which can be seen from the design of the air vents alone. The decorative elements in the doors pick up on the design language of the dashboard. On the center console there is a visually exciting “soundbar”. Interior design must also be practical, think the designers from Cologne and install a center console with 17 liters of storage space. Speaking of which: after the backrests have been folded down, the luggage compartment will be able to hold luggage equivalent to 1400 liters. The technical delicacies of the new Explorer include the full arsenal of assistants with various autonomous braking functions in addition to the LED matrix light. What is new is that the Explorer will also be able to change lanes itself. The market launch will take place in the course of the year. With a bit of luck, the first customers will get their cars before Christmas.
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