Photo: SB-Medien
Ever since the Bronco was discontinued in 1990, the compact SUV void left in Ford's model range was filled by the Explorer - a mid-size sport utility vehicle at first, then a full-size crossover starting with the 2011 - 2015 MY fifth-generation. Because it's already a 5-year-old car, the Ford Explorer is due an all-new generation and this is basically it.. sort of.
It's still a mystery if what our spy photographers have caught on film is a heavy facelift or a new generation, but one thing is certain - the 2016 Ford Explorer has some neat goodies in store for potential customers. Expected to debut at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show, this partially camouflaged test vehicle adopts a pretty different front fascia design compared to the outgoing Explorer we reviewed a few months ago.
Everything's been streamlined from the upper radiator grille to the lower, fog lights, bumper and such. Even the headlights appear to adopt a more modern, clear design. Looking at the thing from its profile, there's a sort of muscularity the outgoing model unfortunately lacked. Everything is pumped up, chunkier, steroidized, bigger. To boot, it even seems to ride a few inches higher off the ground.
Some say engineers used high-strength aluminum alloys for some of the body panels, maybe those dressed in the psychedelic camouflage, but other changes are also in store for you. The revamped Explorer is going to show off with a minimalistic interior design, dominated by tactile interfaces.
Expect Sync2 to also find its way inside, alongside the 8-inch color touchscreen we've seen on newer Ford models. As for the oily bits, expect the current engine lineup to be carried over except for the 2-liter turbocharged petrol unit, which might be replaced by the 2.3 EcoBoost four-pot of the 2015 Mustang.
Everything's been streamlined from the upper radiator grille to the lower, fog lights, bumper and such. Even the headlights appear to adopt a more modern, clear design. Looking at the thing from its profile, there's a sort of muscularity the outgoing model unfortunately lacked. Everything is pumped up, chunkier, steroidized, bigger. To boot, it even seems to ride a few inches higher off the ground.
The Explorer is a crossover labeled as an SUV, but the 2016 MY seems to be the other way around
Look beyond the swirly camo and the rear is more or less the same as ever, with minor differences coming in the form of a shark fin radio aerial and redesigned tail lamp clusters. Overall, the 2016 Explorer seems to try its best at being more of a Blue Oval product than a car many described as too Land Rover-ish styling, especially the D-pillar area and the tailgate's design.Some say engineers used high-strength aluminum alloys for some of the body panels, maybe those dressed in the psychedelic camouflage, but other changes are also in store for you. The revamped Explorer is going to show off with a minimalistic interior design, dominated by tactile interfaces.
Expect Sync2 to also find its way inside, alongside the 8-inch color touchscreen we've seen on newer Ford models. As for the oily bits, expect the current engine lineup to be carried over except for the 2-liter turbocharged petrol unit, which might be replaced by the 2.3 EcoBoost four-pot of the 2015 Mustang.
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