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Author Topic: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three  (Read 1037 times)

Offline Autos_Editor

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Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« on: February 10, 2012, 03:03:43 am »


Transporting boxes of donated food for the local food bank proved to a revealing test of the Explorer's utility.

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Offline airbalancer

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 06:23:43 am »
has anyone seen one on the road  ???
I think they are pretty rare
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Offline overtakeyouintheleftlane

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2012, 06:45:50 am »
I just saw one on Wednesday, I thought it was a really ugly minivan coming my way.
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Offline paul246

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2012, 07:20:05 am »
A woman driving one of these cut me off a couple of days ago. I sat behind her thinking " what a fat pig"... I was referring to the Explorer of course. As for the driver, I could barely make out her seemingly tiny head through the back window.
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Offline Sir Osis of Liver

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2012, 08:21:11 am »
Lots of them around here.
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Offline Mike

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2012, 08:55:28 am »
Quote from: airbalancer on February 10, 2012, 06:23:43 am
has anyone seen one on the road  ???
I think they are pretty rare

Burl-Oak loves them.  I see a few everyday
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Offline airbalancer

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2012, 09:05:45 am »
Quote from: Mike on February 10, 2012, 08:55:28 am
Quote from: airbalancer on February 10, 2012, 06:23:43 am
has anyone seen one on the road  ???
I think they are pretty rare

Burl-Oak loves them.  I see a few everyday

Peterborough to Belleville,  I do not see them on the road
Oakville is Ford country, out this way it is GM country
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Offline Mike

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2012, 09:09:58 am »
Quote from: airbalancer on February 10, 2012, 09:05:45 am
Quote from: Mike on February 10, 2012, 08:55:28 am
Quote from: airbalancer on February 10, 2012, 06:23:43 am
has anyone seen one on the road  ???
I think they are pretty rare

Burl-Oak loves them.  I see a few everyday

Peterborough to Belleville,  I do not see them on the road
Oakville is Ford country, out this way it is GM country

Good point.  Factory employees are probably picking up them for pennies on the dollar.
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Offline hemusbull

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2012, 09:22:00 am »
It isn't the Explorer of previous decade - this one is much more highly priced upscaled and...fewer people buy it. But seems to me it is nowhere in terms class positioning - it doesn't compete with German and Asian luxury models and probably just Durango is directly against it in terms price and customer base IMO.
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Offline jyarkony

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2012, 11:07:59 am »
Brampton is also crawling with them... I drove one and even though it has a Ford badge, it is luxurious and comfortable, and the ride is better than any body-on-frame SUV and many other crossovers, but I, for one, couldn't imagine choosing this bland CUV over the Flex — while there's not much to pick between the interiors, the rolling-refrigerator look of the Flex does it for me.

For some reason, i didn't have any issues with MyFord Touch... except that it wouldn't always play music from my iPhone... and the reaction time was slow or screen sensitivity weird... but the ease of connecting my phone and accessing its functions was fine.
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Offline JRM

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2012, 11:12:36 am »
I read in Motor Trend that the Explorer doesn't handle at all well, another point against it.
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Offline Mike

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2012, 11:42:12 am »
Quote from: JRM on February 10, 2012, 11:12:36 am
I read in Motor Trend that the Explorer doesn't handle at all well, another point against it.

It honestly didn't handle bad for its size.  In fact compared to the old body-on-frame explorer this thing is down right agile.
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Offline Fobroader

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2012, 11:47:53 am »
I cant believe how the Explorer has fallen off the face of the planet with this new model. The old body on frame one was really popular, this new one.....I think I can count on one hand the number Ive seen. I wasnt really a big fan of the old Exploder but I could see the reasons why people bought it, full frame, good 4x4 system, reliable 4L and a very affordable price. This new one.....I dont know, its just another overpriced CUV.
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Offline Schmengie

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2012, 12:13:31 pm »
Up until a few years ago when Hyundai and Kia really came into their own the Explorer was by far the most popular SUV/CUV in these parts, they were literally everywhere. Now the soccer-Mom specials of choice seem to be from those two manufacturers by a wide margin. IMO that's probably because their offerings are more car-like, easier and cheaper to drive and a whole lot cheaper to buy. I haven't seen a single 2012 Explorer on the road although the dealer lot is overflowing with them.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2012, 12:15:02 pm by Schmengie »
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Offline airbalancer

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2012, 12:55:22 pm »
Quote from: Schmengie on February 10, 2012, 12:13:31 pm
Up until a few years ago when Hyundai and Kia really came into their own the Explorer was by far the most popular SUV/CUV in these parts, they were literally everywhere. Now the soccer-Mom specials of choice seem to be from those two manufacturers by a wide margin. IMO that's probably because their offerings are more car-like, easier and cheaper to drive and a whole lot cheaper to buy. I haven't seen a single 2012 Explorer on the road although the dealer lot is overflowing with them.
What does Hyundai and Kia that would match the |Explorer in size  ???
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Offline paul246

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2012, 12:56:39 pm »
The Explorer will probably make a good rental prospect for when its tremendous girth could be actually useful. Otherwise I for one will have nothing to do with it because I can't justify owning vehicles that are this porky.
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Offline Mike

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #16 on: February 10, 2012, 01:02:27 pm »
Quote from: airbalancer on February 10, 2012, 12:55:22 pm
Quote from: Schmengie on February 10, 2012, 12:13:31 pm
Up until a few years ago when Hyundai and Kia really came into their own the Explorer was by far the most popular SUV/CUV in these parts, they were literally everywhere. Now the soccer-Mom specials of choice seem to be from those two manufacturers by a wide margin. IMO that's probably because their offerings are more car-like, easier and cheaper to drive and a whole lot cheaper to buy. I haven't seen a single 2012 Explorer on the road although the dealer lot is overflowing with them.
What does Hyundai and Kia that would match the |Explorer in size  ???

Although it did die last year

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Offline airbalancer

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2012, 01:05:00 pm »
Maybe, I think the Acadia is a closer match
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Offline Sir Osis of Liver

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #18 on: February 10, 2012, 01:08:05 pm »
Midsize SUV sales Canada 2011. Combined Acadia, Traverse, Enclave is 14046. Combined Edge, Explorer, Flex is 27901.

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2012/01/canada-suv-sales-2011-december.html#more
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Offline airbalancer

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Re: Long-term test drive: 2012 Ford Explorer, part three
« Reply #19 on: February 10, 2012, 01:20:43 pm »
Quote from: Sir Osis of Liver on February 10, 2012, 01:08:05 pm
Midsize SUV sales Canada 2011. Combined Acadia, Traverse, Enclave is 14046. Combined Edge, Explorer, Flex is 27901.

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2012/01/canada-suv-sales-2011-december.html#more

Sir, why do you inclide the Egde in those numbers?
I think of the Edge as a smaller CUV
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