| Pros | Cons | What's New |
|---|---|---|
Great cabin quality | Lost off-road charm | Enters 5th generation |
Superb ride quality | Cramped third row | Now part of the mid-size crossover SUV segment |
Plethora of advanced features | Cargo room isn't the best | |
Excellent steering |
$30,360
price290 hp @ 6500 rpm
horsepower255 lb.-ft. @ 4000 rpm
torque6-Speed Automatic
transmission3.5L 6cyl AWD 6A
engine-
basic warrantyAfter the discontinuation of the Bronco, Ford had introduced the Explorer as their first family-oriented SUV in the market. Inspired by the Ranger pickup truck, the Explorer was as sophisticated as a sedan with its four doors and a massive cabin. It is known for its versatility and off-roading ability.
Our recommendation goes for the XLT trim that will cost you $31,520 and offer a premium exterior design with good quality materials inside its cabin. It adds better features as compared to the base trim. With that, you also get fog lamps and a Sirius Satellite radio. The Rapid spec package adds the high-end technology features from the Limited trim. You can avail of the AWD system at an extra cost of $2,000.
After ruling for four generations, Ford has brought the Explorer back for 2011 with its fifth generation, that too as a midsize crossover SUV. The 2011 Explorer starts at $28,360 and is available in three trim levels. With its capabilities and performance, it will compete with rivals such as the Chevrolet Traverse, Nissan Pathfinder, and the Dodge Durango.
The all-new Ford Explorer is available in three trim levels. The rugged base trim has a price of $28,360 and is capable of touring with its roof racks and a Class III trailer tow package. You have cruise control as well as other convenience features like a six-way power driver seat with manual reclining. The XLT trim gets 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, Sirius Satellite radio, and leather-wrapped steering and gear shift knob. The top-end Limited trim gets leather upholstery, 20-inch aluminum painted wheels and certain high-end convenience features.
|
Trims |
Base |
XLT |
Limited |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP (FWD) |
$28,360 |
$31,520 |
$37,535 |
|
MSRP (AWD) |
$30,360 |
$33,520 |
$39,535 |
|
Key Features |
17-inch steel wheels |
18-inch painted aluminum wheels |
20-inch painted aluminum wheels |
|
Foundry grey painted grille |
Fog lamps |
Heated 10-way power driver seat |
|
|
Cruise control |
Satin silver finish grille |
Leather upholstery |
|
|
6-way power driver seat and lumbar support |
Unique cloth upholstery |
Dual-zone automatic climate control |
|
|
Roof racks with side grille |
Leather-wrapped steering and gear shift knob |
8-inch MyFord touch LCD touchscreen with navigation |
|
|
Class III trailer tow package |
Sirius Satellite Radio with a 6-month subscription |
Premium audio sound system |
We Recommend
Our recommendation goes for the XLT trim that will cost you $31,520 and offer a premium exterior design with good quality materials inside its cabin. It adds better features as compared to the base trim. With that, you also get fog lamps and a Sirius Satellite radio. The Rapid spec package adds the high-end technology features from the Limited trim. You can avail of the AWD system at an extra cost of $2,000.
The 2011 Ford Explorer is now more capable and powerful with its 3.5L V6 that outputs 290hp which is 80 horses more than the previous generation. Instead of the rear wheels, the V6 now powers either the front wheels only or all the 4 wheels. Still, the torque output of 255lb-ft isn't that promising. The V6 on the Explorer is mated to a 6-Speed Selectshift automatic transmission. It manages to reach from 0-60MPH of speed in just 7.6 seconds. A quarter-mile timing of 15.8 seconds is good enough for such a massive SUV. Moreover, it can do a top speed of 130 MPH.
|
Models |
2011 Ford Explorer |
2011 Chevrolet Traverse |
2011 Nissan Pathfinder |
2011 Dodge Durango |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$28,360 |
$29,370 |
$28,570 |
$29,195 |
|
Engine |
3.5L V6 |
3.6L V6 |
4.0L V6 |
3.6L V6 |
|
Drivetrain |
FWD |
FWD |
RWD |
RWD |
|
Transmission |
6-Speed automatic |
6-Speed automatic |
5-Speed automatic |
5-Speed automatic |
|
Power |
290 hp @ 6,500 RPM |
281 hp @ 6,300 RPM |
266 hp @ 5,600 RPM |
290 hp @ 6,400 RPM |
|
Torque |
255 lb-ft @ 4,100 RPM |
266 lb-ft @ 3,400 RPM |
288 lb-ft @ 4,000 RPM |
260 lb-ft @ 4,800 RPM |
|
0-60 MPH (seconds) |
7.6 |
8.5 |
7.8 |
9.0 |
|
Quarter mile (seconds) |
15.8 |
16.0 |
15.9 |
16.2 |
|
Top Speed (MPH) |
130 |
125 |
128 |
122 |
With its revised powertrain, the Ford Explorer is quite competent in its mid-size crossover segment. Both the Explorer and Durango output a similar 290 hp from their V6, but the former is comparatively faster, while the latter takes 9 seconds to reach the 60mph mark. However, the torque output pulls back the Explorer from towing heavy trailers. The Nissan Pathfinder is the closest rival with its similar performance figures and produces 266hp and 288lb.-ft of torque, but has a better towing capacity. The 2011 Chevrolet Traverse lies midway between in the segment.
With its new V6 engine, the 2011 Ford Explorer has a decent fuel economy. It delivers 17 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. With a combined 20 MPG and an 18.6-gallon fuel capacity, it has a maximum range of 465 miles. With the AWD system, you get slightly lower 23 MPG on the highway that leaves you with a combined 19 MPG. The Explorer isn’t exactly what one would call “light” but for the weight, and the capability, the fuel economy is pretty good.
|
Models |
2011 Ford Explorer |
2011 Chevrolet Traverse |
2011 Nissan Pathfinder |
2011 Dodge Durango |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MPG (City) |
17 |
17 |
15 |
16 |
|
MPG (Highway) |
25 |
24 |
22 |
23 |
|
MPG (Combined) |
20 |
19 |
17 |
19 |
|
Fuel Capacity (Gallons) |
18.6 |
22.0 |
21.1 |
24.6 |
|
Range (City/ Highway/ Combined, in Miles) |
316/465/372 |
374/528/418 |
316/464/358 |
393/565/467 |
The all-new Explorer fares well against the rivals with its best-in-class fuel economy. On the second spot, we have the Chevrolet Traverse with its close enough mileage. The Dodge Durango has a slightly lower fuel economy in the city and on the highway but manages a similar combined efficiency as the Chevrolet averaging 19 MPG and the Nissan Pathfinder is the last one in the segment. Still, the Traverse and the Durango offer a better range than the Explorer with their massive fuel tanks that can hold 22 and 24.6-gallons, respectively.
The fifth-generation Ford Explorer comes with amazing upgrades to the cabin. It is more spacious and attractive and now offers a more convenient 7-person seating capacity. The new dashboard layout looks cooler with the illuminated LED controls and the metal-look accents. The instrument cluster is kind of sporty with its single gauge layout and a 4.2-inch configurable color driver's display. It gets a 3-spoke leather steering wheel as well.
As standard, we have a 6-way driver and 2-way passenger adjustments where the top trim offers a 10-way power driver seat with power lumbar and 6-way power passenger adjustments. The second row has a 60:40 split-bench seat with a foldable seatback. At the back, we have a 50:50 split-bench third row that can be folded to the floor for more cargo room. From simple cloth upholstery, the Explorer even offers leather upholstery with Limited trim.
|
Models |
2011 Ford Explorer |
2011 Chevrolet Traverse |
2011 Nissan Pathfinder |
2011 Dodge Durango |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Seating capacity |
7 |
8 |
7 |
7 |
|
Front row (Headroom/ Shoulder room/ Legroom) inches |
41.4/61.3/40.6 |
40.4/62.0/41.3 |
40.0/58.3/42.4 |
39.9/58.5/40.3 |
|
Second row (Headroom/ Shoulder room/ Legroom) inches |
40.5/61.0/39.8 |
39.4/61.3/36.8 |
39.0/58.4/34.2 |
39.8/58.3/38.6 |
|
Third row (Headroom/ Shoulder room/ Legroom) inches |
37.8/50.8/33.2 |
37.8/57.6/33.2 |
36.7/57.1/28.1 |
37.4/50.4/31.5 |
|
Cargo capacity to 3rd row (Cu.-ft) |
21.0 |
24.4 |
16.5 |
17.2 |
|
Cargo Capacity to 2nd Rowe (Cu.-ft) |
43.8 |
68.8 |
48.9 |
47.7 |
|
Cargo Capacity to 1st Rowe (Cu.-ft) |
80.7 |
116.4 |
79.2 |
84.5 |
The fresh-looking cabin of the Ford Explorer has some new tricks down its sleeve. In terms of seating space, it is the most practical SUV as you get a proper seating area in all the rows. However the third-row bench seat may not be the best for taller passengers, that's why it is suitable for kids. The seat trim is soft and is comparatively better than the rivals. However, its cargo capacity of 80.7 cu.-ft is lower than most of its competitors, especially the 2011 Traverse that has a trunk volume of 116.4 cu.-ft. That said, some of the highlighting features are:
With the base trim, you get limited infotainment features like an AM/FM stereo with a CD player and an MP3 player that powers a six-speaker audio system. The XLT trim adds a SiriusXM satellite radio with 6 months subscription. The Limited trim gets a SYNC entertainment system with Bluetooth compatibility, USB connectivity, and an input jack.
It also offers a GPS-based turn-by-turn navigation system with a real-time traffic display. You can get video input for both infotainment and navigation with a huge 8.0-inch touchscreen display powered by MyFord touch. To give you a proper surround sound experience, you can also avail yourself of a Sony audio system with 12 speakers and an HD radio. Some of the highlights of the infotainment system are:
The fifth-generation Ford Explorer has taken inspiration from the Land Rover SUVs in terms of exterior design. It has a sculpted design that looks way better than its previous midsize SUV profile. The Explorer is massive yet sporty with its blacked-out A, B, and D pillars and a sloping roofline. The front fascia gets a redesign with stepped HID headlamps and a black front bumper with a front diffuser below the mesh grille and optional fog lamps on either side.
Ford has given it a unique styling with blackened side skirts and black surround wheel arches that gives it a premium SUV styling. The dual-tone side mirrors offer integrated LED turn signals. With design lines on the doors, there are also chrome surround door handles and a chrome bar that, along with the blacked-out pillars, make the crossover look big.
The roof slopes down to a rear window spoiler where we have a huge liftgate and LED tail lamps. There's a chrome bar that splits the rear door into two and says “Explorer”. The lifted rear bumper comes with a trailer hitch in the middle and dual-tip tailpipes. The Limited trim gets a chrome tip for the exhausts.
|
Models |
2011 Ford Explorer |
2011 Chevrolet Traverse |
2011 Nissan Pathfinder |
2011 Dodge Durango |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Curb weight (lbs) |
4,557 |
4,790 |
4,427 |
4,913 |
|
Length (inches) |
197.1 |
205.0 |
192.3 |
199.8 |
|
Width (inches) |
78.9 |
78.4 |
72.8 |
75.8 |
|
Height (inches) |
70.4 |
70.4 |
72.0 |
70.9 |
|
Ground clearance (inches) |
7.6 |
7.2 |
8.7 |
8.1 |
|
Wheelbase (inches) |
112.6 |
118.9 |
112.2 |
119.8 |
With its total redesign, the Ford Explorer is still lighter than most of its rivals and limits itself under 200 inches where the Traverse is the longest SUV. Moreover, Ford has made the Explorer wider than any other SUV in the segment. It isn't the tallest SUV as it shares its height with the Chevrolet Traverse but with its 7.6-inch clearance, the Explorer can hit the off-road in style, with some of the highlights of its exterior being:
The 2011 Ford Explorer is now based on the new D4 platform with rigid unibody construction. With that, it offers better dynamics and balance on the road. The new high tensile steel adds strength to the structure where the crumple zones help the Explorer to withstand impacts and that's why the IIHS has chosen it as the Top safety pick for 2011.
Leaning more towards a family SUV, the 2011 Ford Explorer is now more versatile with its practical space, comfort, convenience, and performance. It offers a better economy than its rivals, however, it needs a bigger fuel tank. It welcomes both long journeys and tough terrains where it can go beyond it with its capability and exciting features. With a starting price of $28,360, the Explorer is more mainstream and accessible than ever before.
Car Name | 0-60 MPH | Quarter Mile | Top Speed | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Ford Explorer Ranked #7 | 7.3 sec | 15.8 sec | 132 mph | |||
2011 BMW X5 Ranked #1 | 6 sec | 14.7 sec | 130 mph | |||
2011 Lincoln MKX Ranked #2 | 6.5 sec | 15.1 sec | - | |||
2011 GMC Yukon Ranked #2 | 6.5 sec | 14.3 sec | 118 mph | |||
2011 Subaru Tribeca Ranked #3 | 6.6 sec | 14.1 sec | 144 mph | |||
2011 Ford Edge Ranked #4 | 6.8 sec | 15.5 sec | 120 mph |
Car Name | MPG City | MPG Highway | MPG Combined | Fuel Tank Capacity | Range (C/H) | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Ford Explorer Ranked #7 | 17 mpg | 25 mpg | 20 mpg | 18.6 gal. | 316.2/465 mi. | |||
2011 Chevrolet Equinox Ranked #1 | 22 mpg | 32 mpg | 26 mpg | 18.8 gal. | 413.6/601.6 mi. | |||
2011 GMC Terrain Ranked #1 | 22 mpg | 32 mpg | 26 mpg | 18 gal. | 396/576 mi. | |||
2011 Nissan Rogue Ranked #2 | 22 mpg | 28 mpg | 25 mpg | 15.9 gal. | 349.8/445.2 mi. | |||
2011 Kia Sorento Ranked #3 | 20 mpg | 27 mpg | 24 mpg | 18 gal. | 360/486 mi. | |||
2011 Mazda CX-7 Ranked #4 | 20 mpg | 28 mpg | 23 mpg | 16.4 gal. | 328/459.2 mi. |
Car Name | Length | Width | Height | Ground Clearance | Wheelbase | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Ford Explorer Ranked #8 | 197.1 in. | 78.9 in. | 70.4 in. | 7.6 in. | 112.6 in. | |||
2011 Nissan Armada Ranked #1 | 207.7 in. | 79.3 in. | 77.2 in. | 9.8 in. | 123.2 in. | |||
2011 Chevrolet Traverse Ranked #2 | 205 in. | 78.4 in. | 70.4 in. | 7.2 in. | 118.9 in. | |||
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Ranked #3 | 202 in. | 79 in. | 76.9 in. | 9.1 in. | 116 in. | |||
2011 GMC Yukon Ranked #3 | 202 in. | 79 in. | 76.9 in. | 9 in. | 116 in. | |||
2011 Buick Enclave Ranked #4 | 201.8 in. | 79 in. | 72.5 in. | 8.4 in. | 118.9 in. |
Car Name | Trunk Capacity | Passenger Volume | Max Trunk Volume | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Ford Explorer Ranked #9 | 21 cu.ft. | 151.7 cu.ft. | 80.7 cu.ft. | |||
2011 Volvo XC90 Ranked #1 | 8.8 cu.ft. | - | 170.4 cu.ft. | |||
2011 Chevrolet Traverse Ranked #2 | 24.4 cu.ft. | 153.1 cu.ft. | 116.4 cu.ft. | |||
2011 GMC Yukon Ranked #3 | 16.9 cu.ft. | - | 108.9 cu.ft. | |||
2011 Mazda CX-9 Ranked #4 | 17.2 cu.ft. | 139.4 cu.ft. | 100.7 cu.ft. | |||
2011 Lincoln MKX Ranked #5 | 32.3 cu.ft. | 108.4 cu.ft. | 68.6 cu.ft. |
Car Name | Cargo Volume | Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area | Max Cargo Volume | Bed Length | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Ford Explorer Ranked #1 | 83.1 cu.ft. | 21 cu.ft. | 80.7 cu.ft. | - | |||
2011 Buick Enclave Ranked #2 | 73 cu.ft. | 23.3 cu.ft. | 115 cu.ft. | - | |||
2011 Nissan Armada Ranked #3 | 41.8 cu.ft. | 20 cu.ft. | 97.1 cu.ft. | - | |||
2011 GMC Yukon Ranked #4 | 108.9 cu.ft. | 16.9 cu.ft. | 108.9 cu.ft. | - | |||
2011 Subaru Tribeca Ranked #5 | 74.4 cu.ft. | 8.3 cu.ft. | 74.4 cu.ft. | - | |||
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Ranked #6 | 15.3 cu.ft. | 16.9 cu.ft. | 108.9 cu.ft. | - |
Car Name | Towing Capacity | Payload Capacity | Weight | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Ford Explorer Ranked #7 | 5000 lbs. | - | 4557 lbs. | |||
2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Ranked #1 | 8500 lbs. | 1774 lbs. | 5636 lbs. | |||
2011 GMC Yukon Ranked #1 | 8500 lbs. | 1673 lbs. | 5636 lbs. | |||
2011 Nissan Armada Ranked #2 | 8200 lbs. | 1728 lbs. | 5372 lbs. | |||
2011 Volkswagen Touareg Ranked #3 | 7700 lbs. | 1462 lbs. | 4711 lbs. | |||
2011 Dodge Durango Ranked #4 | 6200 lbs. | 1330 lbs. | 4756 lbs. |
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User Overall Rating
Posted On: June 17, 2024
I owned five Explorers and enjoyed each one a little more. First one was a 1995 XLT then 2 Eddie Bauers then 2 more XLts. I'd never buy another brand SUV I enjoyed owning every one. Usually I did a 2 year lease but owned 2 outright and the last one had a little over 100k
