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What’s more, parts of the side body share design cues with the Taurus sedan, which shares its underpinnings with the new Explorer.
The interior is more refined and offers more technology and creative features, such as optional inflatable rear seat belts.
But the big challenge facing the new Explorer is whether it will be embraced by SUV loyalists and also appeals to those who’ve traded SUVs for more fuel-efficient alternatives.
“It will be very interesting to put this up against the GrandCherokee, which is still very much the traditional-style SUV,” said Aaron Bragman, an analyst for IHS Automotive. The new Explorer, he said, “does not so much feel … like an SUV.” But that may be smart, as drivers continue shifting to more fuel-efficient vehicles that offer SUV-like capabilities.
Adding to the challenge: Ford will market the Explorer as an SUV, even though it is a car-based crossover with less towing power than the outgoing Explorer. Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of marketing, said what matters most to consumers are fuel efficiency and capability — not whether the vehicle is a crossover or an SUV.
The new Explorer delivers in those areas. Equipped with the standard V6 engine, the Explorer delivers a fuel-efficiency improvement of at least

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