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The big news for 2016 is the addition of an Explorer Platinum trim, which gets the 3.5L Ecoboost V6 as standard. Think of it as an Explorer Sport for those who don’t want an Explorer Sport. There’s also a 2.3L Ecoboost replacing the old 2.0L unit.
77 Comments on “Los Angeles 2014: Ford Freestyle Ecoboost Debuts...”
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$50K, don’t forget that
And it’s more ghastly looking than ever. It looks OLDER than the current one! Honestly just get a loaded GC.
Agreed. This screams 2008, as in “two thousand and late” like a certain song of that time.
Ever wanted the s!des and rear of an Acadia, with the front of an 09 Optima? Boy have we got a car for you!
Corey, that front end is all Range Rover, Aston-Martin has left the building
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Geneva_MotorShow_2013_-_Land_Rover_Range_Rover_Autobiography_front.jpg
IMO, the proportions of the RR (while still being too bling at the front) are just right and blocky-sturdy. This new Explorer looks tugged and pulled, and too curvy. And haphazard.
It’s the Joan Rivers Edition, so there’s that
The refresh definitley makes it look more like the Freestyle than it has since it was a Freestyle.
Front end looks like they had to piece it togethor from a junkyard.
But I’m sure the minivan demographic will love the changes.
The lights and grill of a late 90s sedan on top of the lights of the new F-150 on top of a 2 foot black air dam. Just horrid.
This has the drag coefficient of a welding rig.
I thought the entire point of the new, softer Explorer was to make it NOT look like it shared the front end with a Ford Ranger Edge.
What an abortion on what is as of right now an attractive vehicle.
Derek, are you in L.A.? Just curious…
Is there a time frame for when Ford finally moves beyond the 6-speed automatic?
See 2005-2007 (CFT-30).
2016 F150
The new RWD based Explorer TTAC has reported can’t come soon enough!!!
Just in case you ever wanted a really fancy cop car…
In other words, it’s like the Mercedes E-Class, which is a popular police car and taxi cab in Europe.
Read: How to get people to pay X5 and M-Class prices for a FWD-based Explorer…
If only. A well-equipped V6 X5 M-sport, leather, entertainment, phone integration, etc, costs $70K after discounting $5K.
A similarly equipped Explorer Sport is $43K.
62% more for the BMW.
At least you can get the most popular 2015 XLT Explorer for $30K ($34K MSRP).
JGlanton – well said.
I think the Explorer is one of the best looking SUVs out there.
Crossover*, not even close to a SUV.
JGlanton – Agreed, 100%
Is it just me or do Len_A and JGlanton perfectly fit the bill for a user with multiple accounts?
Lol nice try Ford!
Yep it does.
AGuy: Oh what a wrong opinion of this Ford Motors product.
ManDude: @AGuy how right you are, what successful product!
Uglier than sin, but will serve its target market well. For all the people saying “Get a Grand Cherokee” this is considerably roomier inside. It’s more like a Durango competitor, although it’s even got more room than the Durango.
I am wholeheartedly surprised that no one has mentioned the the awful fog lights. Although they do fade into the background because of the buck-toothed Range Rover esque grille.
Ack, that thing is a monster. Perhaps they could call it the Ford Nostyle. Who drops $50K on that thing? You’re in MDX/JXQXwhatever territory.
So confused on what this thing is or aspires to be.
Signed,
Taurus X owner
P.S.
Does it also have a CVT time bomb transmission?
Did the Taurus X ever have a CVT? I thought just the Freestyle had the CVT of doom.
The current Explorer has two versions of the Ford 6F transmission depending on which engine option is selected.
I thought the Montego/Five Hundred also got the CVT of doom.
They did. The first D-platform Fords (05-07) had ZF/Ford CVTs. The Montego/Five Hundred did not have the CVT in FWD form. They got the Aisin 6 speed that was also found in the Fusion.
Once the joint GM/Ford 6 speed was ready, everything moved to 6F.
This is the first Ford that I never got to see what it looked like at M1 or VP build.
And it looks like sh*t. Bring on the new RWD ASAP.
Is that RWD for real or a “maybe, but not likely”?
I’m just quoting Derek’s articles. I know nothing about any of that ¯_(ツ)_/¯
“I know nothing about any of that”
hmmm, ok
Derek ain’t in the business of lying.
More coming after LA
…so don’t touch that dial, folks
I’m also in the camp that thinks this thing took a big step backwards in the design department. It actually looks older. Is a bitter ex-Freestyle stylist leading the revamp team?
The current Explorer is actually quite competently styled for what it is.
I like the looks of the 2016 Explorer. And the low brow, sarcastic comments I’m seeing here is the main reason I loathe TTAC.
Ford will sell every 2016 Explorer they build, with very low incentives, just like they are currently with the 2014.
The 2016 Explorer Platinum just made my short list for my next car.
Cool story, bro.
Drive further.
….to a Cadillac dealer for an ATS, DW?
Yep.
I’m going to get an ATS and then mid it with Sonata gauges and a motor from the last gen CTS-V.
Right after your release from Bellevue
Go for it in MY16, although if you loathe the site you should probably avoid it.
“Ford will sell every 2016 Explorer they build”
Pontiac sold every Aztek it built, meh
It’s amazing what can be sold down to every last one built when production and/or prices are slashed.
One of the big rental car agencies just placed an order for 350,000 Nissans. That’s going to help keep the line going at the Versa, Sentra & Altima plants.
I think the Explorer is the worst of the Ford D-platform CUVs, but it is certainly the most successful thing to ever be built on that platform, including any Volvo product.
Maybe you don’t like the looks of this or the Aztek, fine, but unlike the Aztek, the Explorer sells nearly 200k units a year with an average transaction price around $35K.
I will say that the Explorer redesign makes the Flex look even better than it already does.
Honestly in terms of looks and proportions they are eerily similar, the Ford simply lacks door cladding and wears a better face.
Well the RX kinda looks like an Aztek too, and that never seemed to hurt its sales.
My old man loves the Explorer. I like the Flex and will never understand why that didn’t sell. That was the best product that I got to work on.
It’s all personal taste.
I meant every car manufacturer sells every car they build, it’s no big deal… How many unsold Studebakers, oldsmobiles and Mercurys do you see on dealer lots? It’s an empty statement by a guy that doesn’t care much for us
Len_A, wrote
“I like the looks of the 2016 Explorer. And the low brow, sarcastic comments I’m seeing here is the main reason I loathe TTAC.
Ford will sell every 2016 Explorer they build”
This is what I was addressing
The Flex and MkT are great vehicles that just don’t sell. I understand why the MkT doesn’t sell, but the refreshed Flex should be killing it based on looks, diveability, and the quality of the interior.
My visit to a closed Ford dealership in 2012 with unlocked vehicles told me the only Ford I’d consider based upon actually having a quality feel – was the Flex.
This one has a more definite “face” than the current model, which has all the personality of an Abrams tank and looks almost as heavy.
This one doesn’t hide the bulk, but I suspect that isn’t what the demographic for this vehicle wants.
Jesus that grill is ugly.
I thought this was a story about a new wagon. Very disappointed (and horrified).
Yeesh, that is one damn busy looking front end. Any styling cliches they managed to miss? It looks like they had several design mock ups, couldn’t decide which one looked best and just said f*ck it, and combined ALL of them into this monstrosity.
I think the Explorer is built on the Volvo XC90 chassis? If so, I’d rather see the 10+ year old styling of the XC90 than this.
And they do seem overpriced, and not discounted/rebated that much, but hey, wait until December 1, when the year end sales wars start!
But really, when it comes to the family utility vehicle, I’ll drive our AWD Sienna into the ground, though I wish DEARLY that it came with a Ford 3.5L Ecoboost engine!
Ford makes a product with less unecessary styling, more utility, AWD, and also has the 3.5L Ecoboost. This thing outsells it almost 10 to 1.
What’s that you say?
Despite the Flex being more reliable, better looking, more comfortable, and more practical than the Explorer, buyers rarely choose it over the Explorer.
Until 2013, the Flex also had the advantage of having the 3.5EB while the Explorer only had the 3.5L Duratec. Didn’t matter.
Buyers want something that looks like an Abrams tank. The ones in gunmetal gray seem to sell well, too.
If the Explorer came with the Rheinmetall 120MM smoothbore gun as an option, I would check that box.
They just haven’t seen the Woody Flex. If Ford pushed it, they’d sell more
http://www.ptwoody.com/graphics/ford_flex_03.jpg
Flex Country Squire
I have seen a better version of the Country Squire thing in photos, can’t recall where. That fake plood looks pretty haphazard and sloppy on there.
The other thing is – now that the new version is out the old one looks really dated, and I wouldn’t have it. Must have F L E X across hood. Must have Limited with dark bits at the top!
Corey-
You are 100% correct about the refresh. It is a refresh done right that also made the old version look OLD.
My in-laws have a 2014 Flex Limited.
3.5EB, AWD, dark red, black roof, black wheels, almost every option (including the fake wood delete).
That sounds like it would look very nice. I might’ve left the wood in though. What’s there instead?
The black roof and wheels are part of an appearance package that adds unique trim to the dash (among other things). It’s black and aluminiumish. I don’t hate it, and it matches the seats.
I will have to check that out next I’m looking for a car in several years. Lol.
Refresh? It’s still a shoebox, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s a shoebox none the less
I’ve owned four Explorers…none of the current incarnation with the bloated Edge front treatment, though. The 2016 model front-end treatment looks more like a proper Explorer. This is what the 2011 Explorer SHOULD HAVE looked like!
I’m gonna go against the grain and say I like this grille better than the “cut down F150” grille the Explorer has now. It’s still a ghastly vehicle, though. F***ing ponderous.