2000 Ford Explorer Road Test

Interior Features

The inside of the Ford Explorer looks like America's living room, which is appropriate, considering that so many Americans spend so much time there. The front passengers get a pair of comfy captain's chairs, covered in a premium cloth for the XLT. The bench seat offers three-passenger capacity; the rear seat is split so that either half can be folded down for versatility when moving cargo and people at the same time. Big doors make access easy, though the XLT doesn't have the running boards standard on the Eddie Bauer and Limited models. Of course, half the time running boards only get in the way and you wind up with dirt on your pants cuff.

The Explorer has its automatic shifter mounted on the column with an overdrive-off button located on the end, handy when hauling or towing a trailer to prevent automatic transmission hunting (and overheating) in hilly areas. The dash features full instrumentation in a neatly laid out nacelle. The radio and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) controls are centered on the dash in a pod; that pod also houses a knob that controls the 4WD operation. The audio and cabin temperature controls are easy enough to use though we'd prefer an old-fashioned twist knob to control station tuning on the radio. The XLT has a handy center console/arm rest.

Front seat side-impact airbags are optional. Also optional is an ultrasonic sonar system that beeps ever faster as you back up within 6 feet or less of objects behind the vehicle. Considering the poor rear vision SUVs have when backing up, this rear sensing system is an important safety option.