Ford Explorer reviews

2003 Ford Explorer Driving Impressions

It's smooth and stable on the highway and handles well on winding roads. The V8 engine offers excellent acceleration out of corners. The current Explorer offers substantial refinement over the previous (pre-2002) version, which rides like a buckboard wagon by comparison. Ride quality and handling were greatly improved, benefits of the Explorer's new frame, chassis and suspension system.

The Explorer now rides on a four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs all around. It's a sophisticated setup and it works very well. (Crude by comparison, the previous Explorer used torsion bars in front and a live rear axle on leaf springs.) The independent rear suspension offers better lateral stiffness yet more fore/aft compliance than a live rear axle. That means both ride and handling will be better.

The Explorer delivers a smoother ride on rough roads, and it handles better on winding roads. Bumpy corners doesn't upset its handling and it feels good in sweeping corners. The Explorer is very stable at high speeds and feels comfortably secure in bad weather. I felt safe and confident while pulling a trailer all day through Tropical Storm Isidore, running the length of Tennessee and into Arkansas. Just knowing it had had Auto 4WD and ABS was comforting when it was raining buckets. It's still a truck, though. Tire whir is heard; road vibration is felt. But the ride is more comfortable, less jouncy than, say, the Nissan Pathfinder.

Off road, the Explorer has never measured up to the Toyota 4Runner or Land Rover Discovery, and the new generation doesn't change that. The Explorer is not designed to tackle the Rubicon Trail or any other seriously rugged terrain. The current Explorer is better than the old one, however, and it is perfectly capable for off-highway driving on primitive roads. Ground clearance is increased by an inch over the previous Explorer, and shorter front and rear overhangs offer better approach and departure angles, all of which means you don't scrape the ground as much as before. If primitive roads and deep snow are the extent of your off-road driving, then the Explorer will serve admirably.

About 60 percent of Explorer buyers opt for 4WD, and the optional Control Trac four-wheel-drive system works great. We were surprised by the amount of grip the Explorer held on a muddy, snow-covered two-track in the Arizona high country near Sedona. Ford has refined this system to make it more transparent to the driver, while improving its abilities in limited-traction situations. The normal driving mode is Auto 4WD; there is no two-wheel-drive mode. In Auto 4WD, Control Trac directs power according to input from sensors that compare grip between the front and rear wheels. If the rear wheels lose traction, for example, the optimal amount of power is transferred to the front tires where there's more grip. Using a dedicated controller, the system checks for slipping tires 50 times a second and can anticipate situations, such as hard acceleration, that are likely to cause the wheels to spin. It feels secure on wet pavement, gravel, mud, and snow.

When the going gets rougher, press the 4WD HI button, which effectively locks the front and rear driveshafts together. This can be useful for severe off-road or winter conditions, though Auto 4WD does such a great job of transferring torque that 4WD HI is almost irrelevant in practical terms. Driving on a muddy, primitive trail, I couldn't tell the difference between Auto 4WD and 4WD HI. It may be possible to detect subtle slip in Auto 4WD on slippery, snow-covered surfaces, but the bottom line is that you can leave it in Auto 4WD for all but the worst conditions. 4WD Low works well for creeping over truly rugged terrain. We found it does a good job of engine braking down steep grades, and we suspect it would be helpful on slippery boat ramps.

Optional AdvanceTrac takes four-wheel drive to another level with a sophisticated traction system that adds stability by regula