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Ford Explorer: Old warhorse still has lots to offer
Thu, Sep 7th 2006
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| VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| type | 5 door, suv - full, 4wd |
| msrp | $25,995 |
| trans | automatic |
| gas mi. | 15mpg/21mpg |
| rating |  |
The Ford Explorer may be an overlooked old warrior in an age of increasing interest in more fuel-efficient vehicles. But when it comes to hauling people, gear and a pair of large dogs in comfort and style, it still has a lot to offer.
The Eddie Bauer Edition Explorer I test-drove was as deluxe as they come, with a sticker price to match: $43,000. But unless your dogs insist on watching “101 Dalmatians” on the high-end model’s second-row DVD player, you can find Explorer models starting under $30,000.
I put the Explorer to the ultimate dogmobile test: Two days at dog shows and a day of field training. This meant nearly 400 miles of hauling two retrievers and our competition gear on the highway, down country roads and across a few hundred acres of ranch land. The Explorer took it all comfortably in stride, whether in overdrive or four-wheel drive.
The cargo area was versatile, with seats that folded into assorted configurations to accommodate two dog crates and all the gear that goes with any kind of dog sport. Perfectly positioned cargo anchors allowed me to tie down the crates for added safety.
The Explorer also has one of my favorite dog-friendly features: a split rear door with a glass panel that flips up separately. This feature is essential for keeping the cargo area well-ventilated on cool days when it’s safe to leave the dogs in the vehicle for a while.
Struggling Ford is betting the farm on its more fuel-efficient vehicles, including its smaller SUV, the Ford Escape. I drove the Escape’s hybrid-drive cousin, the Mercury Mariner. And although I loved the fuel economy (and that two-piece rear door), I didn’t think it stacked up well for hauling dogs. The cargo space was too narrow for crates, and the rear seats were awkward to configure.
While a large SUV has never made much sense for a single-occupancy commuting, these vehicles still have a place. Like others in its class, the Explorer truly comes into its own when the terrain is variable and the load is a big one that must be moved in comfort.
-- Gina Spadafori
Carguy Comments: The Ford Explorer comes in two models for 2008, the 210-horsepower V-6 with emissions rating of ULEV II, and a 292-horsepower V-8 (LEV II). The total cargo capacity for the five passenger V-6 is 85.8 cubic feet. Maximum towing capacity for the V-6 is 5,140 pounds while the V-8 will tow 7,040.
-- Keith Turner, The Family Car
Ford Explorer does it all as a dogmobile
Barking Lot Banter: Sometimes, the best choice is not the new, but the tried and true. The Ford Explorer has been a top-selling mid-size SUV in the U.S. for years. And it’s easy to see why as it fits all the needs of a dog-loving families with plenty of power, style and comfort.
Comments
We have an ‘02 Ford Explorer which I absolutely loved as a dog car until our german shepherd kept growing, and growing, and growing! At 120 pounds, I can’t fit a crate big enough for him in the vehile anymore, and still have room for a medium sized crate to hold our 55 pound female shepherd. Our back seats do not fold completely flat, which leaves only the cargo area for crates, which, unfortunately, isn’t deep enough for our big shepherd’s crate. I could fit a crate with a side door big enough for him in there, but because the middle seats do not fold flat, that leaves our other two dogs out of a spot for their crates. I can however, fit two noz-to-noz mesh crates, one green size and one blue size, in there perfectly. This configuration worked perfectly until the giant one outgrew even the green size crate! We are now in the market for the next size up, an Expedition…
2008-01-05 16:18:50
My Explorer can hold 5 crates without much else, or 4 crates with all my gear. I had a custom platform built by Waldoch that fits over the wheel wells, making the space wide enough for three crates in the back end. This holds one border collie size crate, and two smaller crates that have side doors and can be placed lengthwise. The other crates and my personal gear sit on the middle seat. The underneath space is perfect for folding fabric crates, xpens, chairs, video camera… that nobody can see. The space between the crates and the windows in back is perfect for stuffing a roll of paper towels, tracking flags, etc. I also have a car top carrier that I haven’t needed yet.
I really am pushing the envelope with 4 dogs and 2-3 sets of crates on every trip. I wish it was larger for this reason, and I really dislike the gas mileage. But otherwise, this vehicle has worked well for me.
2007-12-13 12:28:07
My 2002 Ford Explorer is my second explorer (previous one was 1994)and with three large crates works fabulously as a dog mobile because the seats fold down flat and leave no gaps. When I was looking to upgrade to a 2005, I was stunned…huge spaces where dogs can fall through between the seats, seats don’t lie flat. What a pain!!! Who is redesigning these vehicles???? Do you have any dogs??? Joann
2007-10-17 12:05:11
we bought a 1997 Eddie Bauer in very good conditin when we got Max 3 years ago it’s his truck the tag says (4 Max) and he love;s it now Paco comes along for the ride and it’s great…
It good just in case a hurricane is coming so we can get out…
2007-09-10 20:12:23
We have a 07 Ford and we love it with our 2 Boxers!!
Couldn’t get any better!
2007-09-08 11:56:32
I’m on my 2nd Explorer – I currently have a 2002 and previously had a 1997 Merc Mountaineer. I can fit 4 30×21x24 wire crates it in perfectly. The back seats don’t fold down flat (they did in the 1997) so I built a platform to level it out. The crates fit my border collies perfectly (they could even be a bit smaller) and there’s room between the back crates and the back door for various things. I put 175K on the 1997 and so far about 110K on the 2002 and I’ve been happy with both. Right now I’m getting between 17-19mpg on average with some highway but mostly around town driving. I can get upwards of 22 on the highway.
2008-07-14 17:39:58