2020 Ford Explorer (New Car Test Drive)
The three-row 2020 Ford Explorer SUV has been redesigned, with seating for six or seven passengers and for the first time, with a hybrid model.
Except for a few familiar design cues, nearly everything has changed. As a result, the 2020 Explorer forges ahead of its predecessor in practically every way. Attractively styled, encompassing a well-appointed interior, the 2020 Explorer is built on a fresh rear-wheel-drive platform. Weight-saving measures have slashed some 200 pounds. Most versions get a new generation of turbo-4 and V-6 engines, coupled to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Base (Explorer), XLT, Limited, Limited Hybrid, Platinum, and sporty ST trim levels are offered. In base and lower-trim Explorers, a 2.3-liter turbo-4 engine makes 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.
ST models step up to high-output V-6 power, in the form of a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter that generates 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet. A firmer-tuned suspension is installed. So is a system that sends simulated engine sounds into the cabin. Platinum models get a 365-hp variant of the 3.0-liter.
The Limited Hybrid uses a non-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 tied to an electric motor and battery pack, producing 318 combined horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque in all.
Rear-wheel-drive is standard. Four-wheel-drive is an option for most models.
