savagegeese savages the 2020 Explorer

[Buster]

Interesting video. Pretty comical how Ford borked this. The list of Big3 vehicles I would buy is diminishing. That last Big3 car I bought was in 2012.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emrawH_HsFY

[corsvette]

He disliked the ugly-ass new Sonata too. I like his reviews, has no love for any particular car company. And yeah, haven't heard a really glowing review yet of the new Explorer. I'm waiting for the new Yukons, but I'm a GM slappy and we're on our third one and they've all been great.

Not much save for the Mustang and Bronco intrest me from Ford.

[killramos]

Interesting video. Pretty comical how Ford borked this. The list of Big3 vehicles I would buy is diminishing. That last Big3 car I bought was in 2012.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emrawH_HsFY

You need a ZR2

[Darkane]

You need a ZR2

Yeah? I gotta say they catch my eye every time I see one. I sat in the back of a regular canyon, and it was sad. Tiny even.

For the same price you get a killer halfton. But, they’re cool for sure.

[killramos]

Yeah? I gotta say they catch my eye every time I see one. I sat in the back of a regular canyon, and it was sad. Tiny even.

For the same price you get a killer halfton. But, they’re cool for sure.

Well I don’t disagree with you, I got the half ton lol, but the ZR2 is a great package.

[Buster]

You need a ZR2

Ya, although the platform has a few issues and it's old at this point. I really need more of a fake truck like the RL than a real truck.

[killramos]

Ya, although the platform has a few issues and it's old at this point. I really need more of a fake truck like the RL than a real truck.

At least you are honest about it haha

[bjstare]

Ya, although the platform has a few issues and it's old at this point. I really need more of a fake truck like the RL than a real truck.

I know exactly what you're talking about, but every time you call it an RL, this is what pops into my head.

93134

[ExtraSlow]

What does he mean by RL?

[Buster]

What does he mean by RL?

Ridgeline

[ExtraSlow]

Who said that?

[The_Rural_Juror]

Not I.

[finboy]

I do like how he is honest about tech and piano black trim in modern cars, it is going to age horribly.

[ExtraSlow]

People who don't buy domestic vehicles don't like domestic vehicles.
Shocked Pikachu face.

[Aleks]

It does seem that new Explorer is quite a flop and really only a Ford fan would actually consider one given what else is out there. Too bad because they actually offer some excellent engines in them unlike most others.
Here is another well respected reviewer (Canadian), just seem poorly put together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFcn9Q1sVI

[danno]

Guy at work bought the explorer st, it’s like 70k. �� apparently it’s pretty fast, he likes it.

I actually see tons of them on the road too.

[Darkane]

It does seem that new Explorer is quite a flop and really only a Ford fan would actually consider one given what else is out there. Too bad because they actually offer some excellent engines in them unlike most others.
Here is another well respected reviewer (Canadian), just seem poorly put together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQFcn9Q1sVI

...she was surprised at 8”.

She expected larger.

[SkiBum5.0]

Someone correct me, but I heard they tried a “virtual” shakedown of the vehicle, simulating what it would be like after leaving the assembly line. And amazeballs, the real thing wasn’t like that at all. When I say that I mean they skipped the stage of production where they check the completed product. Just nutty

[Team_Mclaren]

I cant take "savagegeese" reviews seriously... seem like some nobody trying to act like "experts".

[heavyD]

The problem with the Explorer is that they MSRP at $10-15k more than they are worth. I get that nobody pays MSRP for domestics but even when you add incentives and whatever else you can get taken off you are still paying way too much for an SUV with the interior of a $20k CUV. Only the strippers make sense for this vehicle and you may as well buy something else at that point. Ford better hope the Bronco sells after the initial hype as they currently only sell two compelling vehicles in the Mustang and the F150.

[revelations]

Glad the Koreans are stepping up their game. So many better options now.

Looks like companies like Ford are pretty much prioritizing rental and fleet vehicles with this setup - get it out the door ASAP - just in time for the C19 debacle where fleets are being massively reduced.

Maybe in 2-4 years this might make more sense? After they have fixed the issues.

[gpomp]

Ford builds SUV with crappy interior and drivetrain = worst SUV on the market.
Toyota builds SUV with crappy interior and drivetrain = best SUV on the market.

:dunno:

[Dynasty 88]

The Korean twins have the interior of a luxury vehicle but the engine and platform is just average. I want the Explorers platform and engine with a Telluride interior for the price of a Hyundai.

[revelations]

Interesting comment in the YT video:


]Engineer on the Explorer program here. All I can say about this entire vehicle is “Look how they massacred my girl.” I expected nothing less coming into this review, but it hurts to hear nonetheless as an engineer who takes pride in his work. Your final thoughts nutshell what’s wrong with U625 perfectly, although as with any nutshell, it doesn’t give a good sense of the scale of the issue. It wasn’t just the plant, or the engineers, or the designers, or the management, or the workers. This program has suffered so many cock-ups that literally everyone involved has made a contribution to this end result.

The Fields administration wasted far too much time and money switching the Explorer back to RWD for “platform synergies.” The CD6 platform’s cost ballooned out of control and became hopelessly delayed as they tried to develop an architecture that would be able to underpin nearly 10 different cars - that failed so badly that most the vehicles whose future relied on CD6 were outright canceled or stayed on older platforms, with the Explorer and Aviator being the only two left. The platform was then re-optimized for the SUVs at the insistence of project leads, who wanted to sell it on performance and supposedly had research to back up their claims it would sell better if it handled better. It definitely does, but they were dead wrong about most consumers noticing, never mind caring, about the engine layout and primary driving wheels. Engineering was too worried about the new architecture and engines to devote adequate time to pretty much anything else.

The F-150 program requires about 120-200 test mules per new generation, spanning all trims and powertrain combinations. The Explorer program built over 300, and Aviator tacked on a more reasonable but still significant number. We ended up building nearly twice the number of test mules as the 2021 F-150 program did, and because of the need to keep building testers, the PP cars were delayed, meaning that the process of engineering that new assembly line had to be compacted down to meet the deadlines. Can’t make a line to build the cars without knowing how the car is built, after all. Chicago Assembly being its typical shithole self (engineers and management alike were practically dragged kicking and screaming into choosing Chicago) finished off any hope of this launch being anything short of disastrous.

I’m still a firm believer in the Blue Oval, and, flawed as she is, I proudly stand by the Explorer, enough to order an ST for myself - it arrives later this year. The sad truth is that this has been happening ever since Fields took the reins and focused on sucking up to Wall Street instead of running a car company. Nearly ever program started under him and inheriting his bullshit attitude if salutary neglect has stumbled. The 2020 Escape/Corsair are the only ones that haven’t, and that’s at least in part due to getting a free troubleshooting extension after Explorer pillaged a big chunk of staff to help out with fixing its own shitstorm. Hackett has not done anywhere near enough to fix this, but some effort towards a better culture is better than actively destroying it. Ford will learn; the question is how long until it forgets again.

[dirtsniffer]

As enthusiasts we should support the rear drive architecture for sure. the ST does sound like an interesting package, the problem is it's in expedition / 6.2L gm territory and I don't think it wins that fight.

[killramos]

As enthusiasts we should support the rear drive architecture for sure. the ST does sound like an interesting package, the problem is it's in expedition / 6.2L gm territory and I don't think it wins that fight.

People want their SUV’s to be based on trucks? Weird.

[Xtrema]

Someone correct me, but I heard they tried a “virtual” shakedown of the vehicle, simulating what it would be like after leaving the assembly line. And amazeballs, the real thing wasn’t like that at all. When I say that I mean they skipped the stage of production where they check the completed product. Just nutty

worked for Tesla.

[Buster]

worked for Tesla.

It did?

Teslas are shit.

[Xtrema]

It did?

Teslas are shit.

Should have put the "" around worked.

You just need to right fanboys.

The amount of OEM and manufacturer following Tesla's "lead" is sickening.

VAG now have those god awful dual touch screen.

New MBUX now advertises less physical buttons as a selling feature.

[vengie]

Its just shocking to me how expensive vehicles are these days.
$51k for that thing? crazy.... $70k+ for an ST? Even crazier.

Then you factor in how many you see on the roads and it makes you wonder how long people are financing these things for just to "afford" them.

I like the exterior of the new explorer but agree that the interior is a massive fail.

[The_Rural_Juror]

Touchscreens are the worst! If you can't give me buttons, at least give me wheels!

93176

[heavyD]

Ford builds SUV with crappy interior and drivetrain = worst SUV on the market.
Toyota builds SUV with crappy interior and drivetrain = best SUV on the market.

:dunno:

Don't look at me. I wouldn't buy a Toyota SUV. Most overrated automaker on the planet IMO.

[bjstare]

Should have put the "" around worked.

You just need to right fanboys.

The amount of OEM and manufacturer following Tesla's "lead" is sickening.

VAG now have those god awful dual touch screen.

New MBUX now advertises less physical buttons as a selling feature.

Touch screens in cars are the goddamn worst. I remember getting a Jeep GC for a rental on work travel earlier in the year and had to navigate to the heated seats through multiple touch screen menus. What a joke.

[revelations]

Sounds like the vehicles with vehicles with limited buttons (all buried in menus) of the last few years, are going to have horrible resale values down the road.

[dirtsniffer]

I like the touchscreen in my silverado, but all it's used for is to change stations and some sound setting options like balance, bass...

climate functions through the infotainment is the worst.

[killramos]

Yea my GMC has buttons and a touch screen. You can get into the weeds in the touch screen but you can essentially do anything with the physical buttons.

Definitely beats the stupid touchpad Lexus has.

[revelations]

My brother has a $140k LS500 and one needs to spend a good 60s every time you get in, to go through the menus, to tell the climate control and seats what to do.

It also does not have a way to automate this as well, so that for eg. Driver 1 cannot have this done upon entry (preferred temp, seat cooling, etc.)

First world problems for sure.

[Darkane]

Does this help? An XLT with sport package is 3k less!

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/08/11/2021-ford-explorer-price-cuts/

Still might be a bad interior, but the price is starting to reflect it.

[cars5431]

Wife went from an explorer (2013) to the Kia Telluride. Awesome suv highly recommend