As he put it, Ford took a VW platform, built a sensible, honest family car and added just enough handling pep to evoke the brand’s turn-of-the-century glory days and make the Explorer feel distinct from its German cousins and worthy of bearing the Blue Oval.
Well, I agree with Steve on all counts. Early in my days with the Explorer, I found myself counting the VW parts – which include plenty of the switchgear and even the key fob.
But beyond those bits, it looks and feels like a Ford. And you know what? VW switchgear is pretty good, generally (particularly since Ford hasn’t ported over the controversial infotainment sliders).
Some of the switchgear in Rachel Burgess’s opulent Bentley Bentayga long-termer is recognisable from elsewhere in the VW Group, and if it’s good enough for Bentley, then it’s fine for Ford. And, really, why change stuff just for the sake of it? And while the Explorer doesn’t quite have the pep of a Fiesta or a Focus, it certainly holds its own with any of Ford’s petrol SUVs.
So, basically, Steve was right. Case closed, then. Actually, hang on, because there’s still a separate yet related question to answer: what’s the Explorer like to live with? After all, even if it looks like a Ford, feels like a Ford and, er, quacks like a Ford, that doesn’t matter if it can’t deliver on the brief of an electric family crossover.
Well, generally, I liked it. It’s the sort of car that takes a bit of time to warm to but reveals plenty of strengths over an extended period. The styling featured plenty of SUV cues but had enough edge that it looks better in the metal than in photos. It’s well sized too: despite that boxy exterior, it was pleasingly compact and proved very easy to place on the road.
It had strong all-round visibility as well. Typically for a Ford, the interior was pleasant and comfortable enough but definitely majored on practicality rather than premium sheen. Nothing wrong with that, though.
One bit of VW switchgear that did annoy was the window control panel on the driver’s door, which featured tactile ‘buttons’ and made me press a toggle to operate the front or rear windows.