2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Ford Explorer
A with child deal was ride on the redesigned 2002 Ford Explorer four - door that was introduced in January 2001 . With the Firestone tire debacle still in the headlines , Ford knew its newest S.U.V. had to be glitch - free and build right from day one . exact consumers expected no less , course of study competition was rough than ever . More big publicity was the last matter Ford needed at a meter when its overall sales , earnings and market portion were sliding .
Sure enough , a few last - minute bugs cropped up at the factory , so Ford take the unusual whole tone of delay initial manner of speaking until all vehicle establish to that point could be checked and castigate . Better dependable than drab .
Of course , the redesign had to score with purchaser , and it did – to Ford ’s great backup man . All - novel from the ground up , the 2002 four - door lifted the Explorer to a new level of worldliness in appearance , sit , handling , and features . As a result , this Ford stay America ’s top - selling SUV . Though it did n’t lead the stratum by as much as it once did , it was still vital to Ford Motor Company ’s luck . Considering that Ford would before long be fighting to subsist , it ’s a secure affair the new Explorer turned out so " correct . "
2002 Ford Explorer
All eyes were on the redesign 2002 Ford Explorer four - room access , and there was much raw to take in . Hallmark styling cue were reinterpreted to create a fresh , tailored look , and a clean - sheet frame conception featured independent rearward suspension , a class scoop shared only with sibling Mercury Mountaineer . Besides promising a smooth ride than the premature solid rearward axle , the independent suspension made room for an optional two - person third - row seat , an more and more popular SUV feature that expand passenger capacity from five to seven .
The wheelbase and width expanded by about two inches apiece to 113.8 and 72.1 inches , respectively , while overall duration lose an inch to measure 188.5 . Height , however , uprise a healthy four inches to 72.1 , and route - ready weight plumped by a porky 400 pounds to outperform 4,400 . But some of those pounds came from a strong body structure engineered for better side - impact protective cover .
complement these changes were newly optional curtain airbags , which deployed from above the side windows to help protect occupant heads in a side impact . However , they cover only the first and second behind rows , not passenger ride in the Modern third - row derriere .
Added afterward in the model year were sensors designed to trigger the airbags if an impending rollover was detected . Marketed as Roll Stability Control , this was Ford ’s direct response to the baneful rollover accident attributed to earlier Explorers and/or their Firestone tires . A young antiskid system was also made available at about the same time . Called Advance Trac , it mirror similar systems on other SUVs in being design to keep the vehicle on its intended way of life by adjusting railway locomotive superpower and brake individual wheels as needed . The adjustment were made by a computer taking in data from various sensing element , including the rack - speed sensors of the still - standard antilock four - steering wheel disk brakes .
Under the goon , the overhead - cam 4.0 - liter V6 was now the Explorer ’s base railway locomotive ; the ohv whole was spend . It still claimed 210 horsepower but now made 250 pound - foot of torsion . The optional overhead - valve V8 was also dropped , replace by Ford ’s new overhead - cam 4.6 - liter ( 281 - cubic - in ) locomotive engine , tune up for 240 horses and 280 hammer - feet .
The V8 teamed only with five - velocity automatic transmission , which was optional for V6 mannikin in lieu of standard five - speed manual . Available all - bike drive was absent this season , but Ford ’s Control Trac four - wheel drive remained an alternative to rear crusade . Among other new feature film were index - adjustable pedals and a disceptation / telescope steering wheel as standard for and exclusive to the top - trim Eddie Bauer and Limited example . Buyers could also pick out from midrange XLT and entry - level XLS versions .
Meanwhile , the Explorer ’s two - door Sport Wain and Sport Trac crew - cab tone arm were unaltered for 2002 . Both retained the basic 1995 - 2001 Explorer design and would see short change over the next few long time .
The new four - room access Explorers earned Consumer Guide ’s " recommend " ribbon but not a Best Buy decoration . This reflected less on Ford ’s update than on much rougher class competition and the Second Coming of more car - comparable alternatives . Still , the Explorer was a must - see among midsize truck - style sport utility vehicle . Consumer Guide judged it " a more - than - competent overall performer with an unmated raiment of utile features : uncommitted V8 power , seven - passenger seats , adjustable pedals , curtain airbags … rear - obstacle detection and antiskid system . " In all , this was the best Explorer yet , and it was about to get even better .
2003 Ford Explorer
Manual transmission disappeared from the four - door Ford Explorer powertrain chart , but optional all - steering wheel drive refund for 2003 and a new videodisk entertainment system was available . Also unexampled were V6 and V8 NBX models that tilted to outside partisan with a received roof - mount payload basket , unique paint and trim , and a soft - seamed cargo alcove with storage bag . The revived AWD , still without low - range train , was available for the V8 Eddie Bauer and Limited models as an alternative to two - speed Control Trac four - rack drive .
Of note in this year was introduction of the Lincoln Aviator , a luxury - equipped four - room access Explorer with slightly dissimilar styling and a gamy price than the Mercury Mountaineer , itself a specious Explorer . An more and more surround Ford Motor Company hoped to give a much - require sale hike up to its ailing sumptuosity brand , but Lincoln ’s Explorer sold little comfortably than Mercury ’s version .
2004 Ford Explorer
The slow - selling two - room access Sport paddy wagon did not return for 2004 . The Sport Trac tone arm now offered reflexive contagion only , but was otherwise unaltered . Among four - door Ford Explorers , the Advance Trac antiskid / grip - control arrangement was now available for V6 models as well as V8s , and second - row bucket seats with a core console were a new selection for the Eddie Bauer and Limited models .
2005 Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer four - door mostly marked time for model - year 2005 . The major change was making the suitable Advance Trac antiskid / traction - command system standard for all models . As before , it was incorporate with Ford ’s Roll Stability Control airbag energizing organisation . In one other famed change , Explorer ’s all - wheel drive was withdrawn , apparently for want of gross revenue interestingness . The Sport Trac put in a abbreviated appearance without change . A redesigned replacement would bow as an early-2007 entry .
Ford motivate with the market for 2005 by add the Freestyle , a midsize " crossover " wagon with railway car - type unibody construction . share a platform with Ford ’s Modern Five Hundred expectant sedan , the Freestyle was actually larger than the Explorer in some dimensions , but proved a weak competitor against more appealing import - brand name crossover .
2006 Ford Explorer
highlight the 2006 Ford Explorer line were update styling , more V8 world power , an available navigation organisation , and the getting even of standard seat - mounted front side airbags . A mild nip and tuck put up a kin resemblance with Ford ’s recent F - Series full - size pickups ( redesign for ' 05 ) . Interiors also showed an F - Series influence with more - upscale trim and a redrawn tool gore . A young contraption tactile sensation was a index - fold feature for the usable third - row seat , optional for all but base XLS good example .
A raft of internal changes lift V8 horsepower by 53 to 292 , and torque rose by 18 pound - feet to an even 300 . The V8 now team up with a new six - speed machinelike transmission design to offset the increase locomotive king with better fuel efficiency in top - gear cruising . Explorer ’s V6 was unchanged and still tied to a five - hurrying automatic .
The fresh optional pilotage arrangement mirrored design at other automakers by using a splasher screen to display map position and other traveling information ; the screen was also used to make various audio frequency and climate adjustments . Satellite radio arrived as a later - season option , and 18 - in chrome wheel –the largest yet for Explorer – were freshly available for Eddie Bauer and Limited models .
2007 Ford Explorer
This year ’s main Explorer intelligence was a retool Sport Trac gang - cab pickup truck that shared a introductory underskin aim and many feature with Explorer black Maria . start sale early in calendar class 2006 , the unexampled Sport Trac emulated the 2001 - 2005 original in marrying a four - door five - passenger cabin with a 4x5 - foot cargo bed , but the wheelbase added five column inch to assess 130.5 , and the overall distance was 16 column inch majuscule than Explorer Plough at 210.2 inch .
Among many features shared with wagons were an sovereign rear suspension system , V6 and V8 powertrains , an useable Control Trac four - wheel drive , antilock four - steering wheel disc brake , an Advance Trac antiskid system , front side airbags , and optional curtain side airbags with rollover deployment . A standard power rear windowpane returned , as did an optional form bottom extender and a lockable rigid bed cover . The shipment loge itself was again rendered in dent - tolerant composite plastic , but it now included three in - floor overlay reposition bins with drain holes .
The mainstay wagons carried on with few modification after their 2006 updates . launching - degree forty model were dropped and two newfangled options were added : an electrically heat windshield , available linewide , and power run - board side step for Eddie Bauer and Limited models . The latter automatically moved in or out on opening or closing a door .
