Ford Explorer wagon shows new designs for a powerful package
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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STRAWBERRY, Ariz. -- The blacktop strip of Arizona 87 slices through a pine forest on the lip of the high Colorado Plateau before dropping down the Mogollon Rim escarpment. It plunges in a series of curves that wiggle like a spaghetti noodle dangled over a cliff to the village of Strawberry, nestled in shadows of the rocky ramparts.
Run this dicey descent at speed in a sporty car and you may expect some hair-raising excitement as the suspension checks the chassis for each off-camber bend and tires wail in protest to the too-tight kinks.
Run the same route in a conventional truck-based sport-utility wagon and you may also expect hair-raising excitement, but not the good kind: An inherently sloppy suspension will no doubt prompt the truck's body to pitch with each cascading curve as you wonder whether the wagon will remain on pavement or stray over the rim of the cliff.
Then run it in the latest edition of Ford's Explorer.
A new chassis that's wider and longer, stronger and far less flexible than the previous issue forms the core of the new design for Explorer, and it carries a suspension system rarely found on a truck -- there are independent components suspending the rear wheels as well as the front ones.
These structural changes to the chassis and suspension of Explorer virtually revolutionize the wagon's ride and handling characteristics.
It's smooth and settled now like it's a part of the road, and when pitched into the face of a hard corner, like the escarpment hairpins on Arizona 87, it reacts with a flat stance to forge a stable track through the curve without pitching the structure off-center or unsettling riders strapped inside.
The trip down the cliff route in this Explorer turns into a confidence-inspiring exercise as the vehicle demonstrates its dexterity in dancing through all curves.
It's also stoked with power.
The standard engine, a 4.0-liter single-cam V6 with aluminum heads, produces 210 horsepower and strong torque dispersed evenly across the range of engine speeds.
Coupled to the V6 is a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic that uses adaptive shift logic through sophisticated electronic controls.
The automatic in effect adds another notch between first and second gears of a four-speed automatic. This creates more precise gear ratios and quicker response for accelerating, towing a trailer or, with four-wheel-drive traction, heading away from pavement into rough terrain.
Explorer also offers the option of V8 power with a new aluminum plant in single-cam design and 4.6-liter displacement. It leaps to 240 hp at 4750 rpm, with torque numbers boosted to 280 lb-ft at 4000 rpm and trailer tow ratings rising as high as 7300 lbs.
The V8 mates exclusively with the five-speed automatic.
These two powertrain packages appear in four trim variations of a four-door Explorer wagon cast as 2002 models for the new generational design.
Explorer's name traces back to its inception in 1990 as the first sport-utility wagon to provide cushy comforts and push-button conveniences of a conventional sedan. A second generational design in 1995 introduced a short-and-long-arm independent front suspension to replace the original cumbersome twin I-beam arrangement.
New designs for 2002 Explorer on the longer and wider chassis carry the short-and-long-arm independent suspension to rear wheels in a concise mechanical scheme that not only develops a smoother and more controlled ride quality but liberates cabin space at the rear for the addition of an optional third-row bench seat that flips forward and folds into the floor of the cargo bay.
The new structure, with fully boxed chassis rails, adds two inches to the wheelbase length, 2.5 inches to the track width and several more inches to the overall height. Front and rear overhangs have been pared to create better approach angles for scaling rough terrain when traveling off-road and the platform stands higher so the ground clearance improves.
More safety systems also apply, including anti-lock brakes as standard issue, optional curtain-style air bags above side windows and the first sport-utility application of sophisticated technologies that Ford labels as a Personal Safety System.
The equipment includes sensors that gather data timed in milliseconds about the type and intensity of a frontal crash. A computer can analyze this data at the onset of an incident and react to it by deploying various safety devices in a manner appropriate for circumstances of the collision.
For instance, sensors track the severity of a frontal crash along with driver's seat position in proximity to the steering wheel, and whether seat belts are in use. The brain may activate pretensioners on belts to hold the rider in place but also decide if the crash intensity warrants deployment of frontal air bags. Set with two stages of force, the air bags inflate with lower energy during a lesser crash but can maximize force for an intense incident.
Later in the year, Explorer will also offer roll-over protection via the curtain-style side air bags that will deploy if sensors detect roll-over movement of the vehicle.
Further, Explorer scores with available power adjustable brake and accelerator pedals.
The optional four-wheel-drive Control Trac system also relates to safety, as the mechanism has an automatic mode that monitors grip for all wheels and can selectively distribute traction between front and rear wheels to maintain tire bite on slippery roads. New push-button controls also let the driver lock the system in high or low range of four-wheel-drive for off-road travel.
Yet another optional safety device -- AdvanceTrac -- will be introduced later in Explorer's 2002 model-year with the application of traction control as well as electronic stability (or lateral) vehicle control.
The exterior design for Explorer looks strong with chiseled lines and hard edgework. Thick bumpers and side molding form a visual ring around the base of the vehicle that emphasizes round wheel arches and flared fenders.
Inside, the spacious cabin has new firm bucket seats in front of a second bench in 40/20/40 sections that fold forward quickly and simply, plus the optional two-person third bench.
There's far more room inside, due to the expanded chassis plus a smaller driveshaft tunnel that frees floor space for the second row. In the rear, the cargo room expands by seven cubic feet to match size-wise competitors.
Explorer for 2002 rolls out with luxurious equipment increasing through the four trim designations of XLS, XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited.
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| 2002 FORD EXPLORER VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size 5-door SUV wagon
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size 5-door SUV wagon
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| Wheelbase: |
113.7 inches
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| Overall Length: |
188.5 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 4.0-L V6
SOHC 4.6-L V8
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| Transmission: |
V6: Manual/5, Auto/5
V8: Auto/5
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| Drive: |
Rear 2WD, 4WD Control Trac
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/EBD
opt. Advance Trac stability
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| Airbags: |
2 (front)
+ opt. 2 (side curtain)
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| Towing Capacity: |
7300 pounds |
| Payload: |
1581 pounds |
| Gas Mileage: |
V6 2WD: 16/22 mpg
V6 4WD: 15/20 mpg
V8 2WD: 15/20 mpg
V8 4WD: 14/19 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
$ 27,000 to $ 37,000 |
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