Ford Explorer

The first cars of Ford's new Explorer can probably be delivered from June next year. Ford Norway expects to open for orders in the spring. We have tried to look at Ford in the cards. Is it worth the wait?

On tour of Norway

A new Ford Explorer is currently being driven around to Norwegian dealers. I got to see it when it stopped by the Oslo Motor Show at the weekend. Today it is located on Jæren and will drive up Western Norway to Namsos before heading down the interior towards Southern Norway.

See the itinerary here

Seeing the car in real life gave me a better impression than what I got from the press photos. In the pictures, I think the car appears shapeless, underbite and perhaps somewhat voluminous - in the sense of "bloated". Seen with my own eyes, I could see that the new Explorer is smaller than the Mustang. It is then also 28 cm shorter. I also got the impression that it had more of a passenger car feel than the advertising has tried to create. This is a car for roads all over Norway, but not a car I would drive in a desert with, as in the advertisement. And the underbite front? It is actually quite alright with a modern, unfussy lighting arrangement with a low grill for cooling the batteries. Like the Volkswagen ID.4 which shares the same platform, the air intake has to share space with the front bumper, which must have been a challenge for the designers.

Ford Explorer. Trunk with ski hatch and an extra storage compartment underneath for charging cable.

Place

The space conditions are normal for the class. The luggage compartment holds approximately 450 liters with a small space for the charging cable, warning triangle and the like - but no "frunk". By comparison, the Ford Mustang Mach-E takes 402 liters in the back and 100 liters in the front. The Volkswagen ID.4 takes 543 litres. I thought the new Ford offered more space, but in return I can say that it is quite stylish - in other words - a good compromise between shape and space.

Thumbs up for the adjustable screen in the Ford Explorer and the large storage compartment in the center console. The gear selector is located by the steering wheel.

Will there be any news?

The commercial highlights "new features" such as an adjustable touch screen, 17-liter storage space in the center console and a soundbar on the dashboard. Some might also highlight the square steering wheel. To see if any real news can emerge, we have to look at what Volkswagen is doing. The drivetrain in the new Explorer is, as is well known, sourced from Volkswagen. The so-called MEB platform is shared with the Volkswagen ID.4, which currently has a 77 kWh battery with a range of 520 km for rear-wheel drive cars and 512 km for the 4-wheel drive. Volkswagen is currently working on developing MEB+, which can operate with a range of up to 700 km. It will be exciting to see when the upgraded platform becomes available in the ID.4 and the other models on the same platform. If it happens before the summer of 2024, the Ford Explorer will probably also be available on the MEB+ platform.

Worth the wait?

If you don't want to wait, you can order a Volkswagen ID.4 now and maybe have it delivered before Christmas. However, considering that ID.4 may be upgraded in a few months, it may be worth waiting a few weeks and see what happens. Worth waiting before ordering is also for the new Ford Explorer - as well as the Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4. If you don't want to wait, these days you can get great deals on beautiful, well-equipped. smooth-driving and long-range Ford Mustang Mach-E at the same price as next year's Explorer.

Next electric Ford model?

When Ford Europe announced its new electric car venture, it was said that there will be 2 new models. The next model will probably be a crossover with a low-built glass body, like the ID.5 – i.e. a car that will have a more coupe-like shape. It is rumored that this model may be named "Capri". Has Ford's management decided that new electric cars will inherit the names of previous, legendary models?

- Maybe you can call it recycling?

See

Ford Europe has big ambitions for electric cars. By 2030, they will only offer electric vehicles in Europe. The production plant in Cologne will be converted into something they call an Electrification Center . Production of the Fiesta has already stopped there – and if I'm not mistaken, production of the Focus will be moved by the end of the year.

Another Explorer?

When Ford unveiled the first of its new electric cars this week, they showed us what they're up to. But it didn't just give answers – it also gave more question marks.

One might wonder why Ford is creating a new Explorer, when they already have a model with the same name in their model range - and neither of the two models have anything in common. I am also surprised that the new model should be so close to the Mustang Mach-E in terms of size, features and price. I also can't find any external features of the new Explorer that highlight it compared to the Volkswagen group's own MEB-based models such as the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron, although it's probably a matter of taste and comfort.

I think Ford would have been better served by developing a more popular model that could appeal to Ford's existing markets on the continent and in the UK. Here at home, the new Explorer can probably have a fair chance as a cabin car. We obviously can't get enough of square SUVs with heavy batteries. In addition, many customers will probably choose Ford based on previous brand loyalty and good experiences with Ford dealers.

Square steering wheel and adjustable screen

The launch of the new Explorer did not give very much concrete information about the MEB platform, although everyone knows that it is er there and offers range, charging and engine power on par with the best on the market. Also, the platform may receive further improvements as it nears production.

What else is worth noting about the new Explorer?

A square steering wheel and an adjustable screen. I think many people will welcome the latter. It's actually a good idea. Watch the demo!

Too early to draw conclusions

When I express skepticism about Ford's new electric car, it is primarily because I do not see any significant advantages, compared to both Ford's own Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen Group's own MEB models. Surely Ford could have come up with something better than an adjustable screen? But let me also add that the car is hardly fully developed. It may be that Ford has an ace up its sleeve when the cars go into production.

You can reserve the new Ford Explorer right now. It is completely without obligation. Your reservation will be an option to be among the first to book when bookings open.

Ford.no

A marriage of convenience

The collaboration between Volkswagen and Ford does not involve any ownership in each other's companies. It is about a kind of marriage of convenience that both benefit from. The two companies have collaborated in the past, including on the Ford Galaxy and Volkswagen Sharan models. Today's collaboration was formalized in 2019 and includes several key models.

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New Ford models based on MEB

From the second half of this year, production of the new Ford Explorer based on Volkswagen's MEB platform will start at Ford's own plant in Cologne. The first cars will be delivered at the beginning of 2024. During 2024, Ford will also launch another new electric car model, also based on the MEB platform. It is likely that Ford can get batteries supplied from Volkswagen's new production facility PowerCo with production starting in 2025.

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Ford Explorer - worth the wait?