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Explorer 2006
How do you improve a 14-year class leader? And, if it's already that good, why bother?
With competition extra tough and getting tougher every day, car companies must consistently improve their products. They must continue to upgrade and redesign them just to keep up, let alone get or stay ahead, but they typically tend to do it very carefully.
For 2006, Ford's Explorer-America's best-selling SUV with sales totaling nearly 5.5 million-gets a new interior, a freshened exterior and substantial engineering upgrades. Among those are more power, improved ride, quietness, emissions and fuel economy as well as a host of advanced safety technologies.
New and Improved Engines
The new optional 4.6-liter SOHC V-8 shares the same 3-valve cylinder heads and variable cam timing used on the 5.4-liter Ford F-150 and Mustang GT V-8. Delivering 292 hp (53 horses more than the previous 4.6-liter 2-valve V-8) and 300 lb.-ft. of torque, it's mated to the first-in-class 6-speed automatic transmission, with a wide first-to-sixth ratio spread that improves both low-end performance and high-number fuel economy. As a result, for example, the V-8 4x2 Explorer delivers lower emissions than the '05 and as much as 10 percent better fuel economy (15 mpg EPA city and 21 mpg highway, even with the added power. The lively V-8 also churns out exhilarating performance and very satisfying sound.
The standard 4.0-liter SOHC V-6, upgraded for 2006, has new calibrations and controls that reduce emissions, while new spark plugs and a new camshaft improve idle quality by 40 percent, Ford says.
New Frame and Suspension
Explorer's all-new frame is 63 percent stiffer in bending and 55 percent more rigid in twisting, enabling great improvements in ride, handling, steering response and interior quietness. The crossmembers pass through the framerails (as with the F-150), creating inherently stronger joints. Combined with more precise manufacturing techniques, this very solid structure also helps to significantly reduce long-term squeaks and rattles.
The new trailing-arm independent rear suspension is lighter and stronger than the previous short/long-arm design. The new control-arm front suspension-also lighter and stronger-like the rear uses monotube shocks tuned to take advantage of the stiffer frame for excellent ride with less harshness. The standard 4-wheel-disc brakes-with ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist-are redesigned for improved heat dissipation and durability to accommodate the increased 1,520-pound maximum payload and 7,300-pound maximum tow rating (when properly equipped). We found the braking to be linear and powerful and the ride, handling and steering-with a nicely tight turning circle-surprisingly well for a truck-based SUV.
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