Comments on: Next Ford Explorer a crossover?

By: autonutt

autonutt — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:49:32 +0000

Nissan tried civilizing the 2nd-gen Pathfinder with a unibody platform.. and went right back to the body-on-frame last year. If Ford really wants to take the off-road and towing prowess out of the Explorer and pitch it to the soccer moms, they would be wise to build the concept Bronco (2 and 4 doors) on the existing Explorer platform to compete with the Xterra, Wrangler and other lower-volume true trucks.

By: Erwin

Erwin — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:45:45 +0000

Ford does not need to copy Japan in order to make a great selling SUV. In 2004 the Ford Explorer was the best selling SUV in the US. Then the redesign came, too soon, and really screwed up the Explorer; sales plummeted. Now Ford thinks they have to copy Japan –unibody, low ride-height, v6-only powerplant, “easy to steer”– to make a car people will like. I think the only reasons people have been buying the Explorer is because they, 1) look and ride great, 2) have the ability to tow, 3) have an available v8, 4) are American made. It’s no secret that Japanese manufacturing is higher quality; Japanese automakers have many more engineers working on their production lines, as opposed to many much less educated workers on production lines here in the US; causing the need for higher production tolerances. So the reason American’s have been buying Explorers can’t be quality or reliablity. Ford needs to identify with their buyers and market to them. Acknowledge their downfalls and try to improve, while marketing their SUV’s for what they are: great trucks that have an advantage over their Japanese counterparts by being able to drive off-road and tow a heavy load, all the while doing it with style and comfort. I say enough with the cookie-cutter Japanese bubble SUV’s. On a side note, I would love to see our government put tariffs on imported vehicles, much like the ones our exporters have to pay on virtually every item we sell to other nations. But I digress. I agree with the lot of you who say Ford has enough cross-overs, the Edge, Freestyle, and Escape can handle this market. Ford really needs a truck-based SUV to hold it’s advantage over Japan.

By: dl_caldwell

dl_caldwell — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 23:44:10 +0000

Don’t forget they are planning a new “crossover” based on the Fairlane concept that may replace the Freestyle too. So Ford will have the following crossovers: Escape, Edge, Explorer, Fairlane(?). That’s an awful lot for a company that can’t move product now.

By: S-60-driver

S-60-driver — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 21:50:10 +0000

Ford is doing this to compete with GMC Acadia and maybe upcoming Chevy version. GM said that they will drop the Trailblazer and Envoy soon.

Ford Edge can only hold only 5 passengers and its not excalty competing with Acadia/Outlook. Edge is a little smaller and in completely different class.

I personally think its a smart move for Ford with the Explorer. The fuel MPG will improve. Hold 7 passengers. Smoother and lower ride.

By: BrokenCadillac...

BrokenCadillac... — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 21:37:53 +0000

A body on frame ute like the 4Runner and the Pathfinder is what the Explorer stands for. Ford would be foolish to abandon it’s core mission for another xover. I don’t believe this for a second.

By: Bush

Bush — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 20:30:41 +0000

Capt. Zoom –

When Jeep “replaced” the Cherokee with the Liberty I would have thought that there would have been to some degree a loss in weight. In fact just the opposite, by at least 400 lbs.

By: MikeFX

MikeFX — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:45:57 +0000

I’d like to believe Ford has a solid game plan, but not the funds and balls to roll it out soon. As such, we get these dribbles and drabs that don’t make much sense right now, but hopefully will in the future. Either that, or we will be talking about the Big Two very soon!

By: bigjob

bigjob — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:43:04 +0000

oh no….I feel him coming….where is that comment?

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:32:08 +0000

@A4–Agreed.

Ford has a lot of problems and moving the Explorer to a car-based platform will not solve any of them. Currently, the division has five distinct SUV/CUVs: Expedition, Explorer, Escape, Freestyle, and Edge. With the Edge, you either take it or leave it. With the others, you just don’t care. The Freestyle and Escape look alike and are both boring as h-e-l-l. A new Escape is coming for the 2008 model year, but it will be as boring as the car that it will replace. The Explorer is boring. The Expedition is new for 2007, but is even more boring than the 2006. New for 2007 is a stretched version of the Expedition that replaces the late and unlamented Excursion.

Ford has lost its way. It needs to drop at least two of its SUV/CUV lines. Next, it needs to hire a design staff to add soul to its remaining lines.

By: spider

spider — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:25:24 +0000

Define ‘Crossover’

(ref: Jeep models, see ‘Capt. Zoom’, above, Ranger Rover, etc…)

By: Capt. Zoom

Capt. Zoom — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 19:09:03 +0000

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander and Jeep Liberty are all unibody construction off road ready SUV’s. If Ford were serious about maintaining the Explorer’s towing and off road performance, they should look at going unibody and shedding a ton of weight in the process, maintain the traditional 4×4 configuration and improve the fuel econmy by making the beast lighter.

By: bdizzlefizzle

bdizzlefizzle — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 18:27:55 +0000

Yeah, what’s this about the Escape being on the 500 platform? I assume they meant to say “Freestyle” since that’s on the same platform as the 500.

The Explorer shouldn’t go cross-over. They already have 2 cross-overs. If they did this, they’d have no full-size real SUV.

With the Edge, they didn’t put in a 3rd row because they said they already had 2 vehicles in that space-segment with 3rd rows (Freestyle and Explorer), so why would they not follow the same logic here? I don’t see how having a 3rd row would hurt the Edge, but I do see how not making the Explorer a capable SUV would hurt it. If people want a cross-over, Ford has 2 options for them (assuming Ford makes the Freestyle a real competitor, and gets the Edge to drop 500 lbs).

By: MyGodBeatsYourGod

MyGodBeatsYourGod — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 18:22:55 +0000

When did the Escape leave the Focus ‘platform’ and join the 500??

I agree with this idea…most Explorer (with a capital E) owners want security in snow/ice/heavyrain and the occasional country/dirt road. They are not used as Jeep Wranglers by 99% of the owners. (As opposed to about 50% of Wrangler owners using them as Jeeps).

The Freestyle never seemed to sell well, though…less than 50k/a I think…Mazda can sell that many 7s!

By: 04focus

04focus — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 18:14:56 +0000

So it’s going to be a new freestyle with the explorer name on it? On the other hand, the Montero/Pajero went unibody and it’s still an SUV.
LLN: afaik the 500 and Escape do not share a platform. You may mean Freestyle.

By: A4

A4 — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 18:11:57 +0000

ok so what the hell do we go off-road with ford? you have the edge, keep the explorer body on frame, but make it look GOOD, not boring like the fleet-friendly bullshit we have now. Get the price on them down as far as you can and give people a quality looking, good looking, durable off-road-capable vehicle, much like the Xterra, only size it just a notch larger to keep it consistent.

By: truong

truong — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 18:03:38 +0000

haha.
sorry i didnt realize the 500was soo big.

By: joshthenurse

joshthenurse — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:28:59 +0000

I drive a 2006 Explorer Eddie Bauer, and the only shortcoming is the fuel consumption, which is awful. The ride, quietness and handling are top notch, and not just among trucks, but for all cars in general. I don’t off-road, so if Ford claims it can make the ride even more comfortable and the handling better with a crossover platform, I think this new Explorer will be a huge hit. For everyone who hates on the Explorer, go out and test drive one. I think you will be very surprised at how refined it is. If Ford can successfully convert the Explorer to a crossover without sacrificing the utility that has made it so popular, they will have a hands-down winner. My input for Ford- get rid of the 4.0L V-6. It makes decent power, but the fuel mileage is ATROCIOUS (14 mpg on my truck, and that’s driving it with a light foot). Shock the market with a fuel efficient but powerful powertrain, and offer flexibility in the way of fuel types. Bring the Explorer name back to what it once was with something revolutionary !!

By: Brendino

Brendino — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:24:30 +0000

CX7 Platform = Ford Edge. Though stretching it wouldn’t be out of the question.

I had assumed 500 since an Explorer crossover would replace the Freestyle.

By: lanapat7

lanapat7 — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:17:14 +0000

Well, why don’t use the Mazda CX7 platform?

By: adam713

adam713 — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:15:08 +0000

For the love of God Ford, build another car. Drop the SUVs and Crossovers, you’ve got plenty of them.

By: Brendino

Brendino — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:06:51 +0000

@truong – The 500 has a length of 200.7 inches…longer than the Explorer at 193.4. Wheelbases are similar, and widths are identical. The Explorer is actually only a foot taller than the 500 currently…the 500 is a big car.

As a purist, I kinda resent this, but as a business decision this is smart. What this does is improve fuel efficiency (CAFE is gonna burn Ford if they’re not careful), it keeps the Explorer name (while maybe not associated with great reliability, it is iconic), and will probably replace the Freestyle, which will be dead in three years (that’s about all its upcoming refresh is gonna give it). The only thing it sacrifices is off-roading (who cares? probably 1% of Explorer users take their cars off road) and towing (the only real drawback).

A smart move, though I hate to see the Explorer name used for a less capable vehicle.

By: Bush

Bush — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:00:53 +0000

truong – I take it you have no experience with the concept of “downsizing”.

By: truong

truong — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:44:39 +0000

how is a 500 or escape large enough to be an explorer platform?

By: Bush

Bush — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:42:24 +0000

Most SUV’s have failure written all over them anyway.

By: Joey D

Joey D — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:34:05 +0000

That has failure written all over it.

By: Egbert Souse

Egbert Souse — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:21:19 +0000

Good luck with that