2018 Ford Explorer Preview
CARS.COM
Competes with: Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota Highlander
Looks like: The current Explorer, now with new foglights
Drivetrains: 290-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6; optional 280-hp, turbocharged 2.3-liter I-4; or 365-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6; six-speed automatic; front- or all-wheel drive
Hits dealerships: Fall 2017
Two years after it underwent a major redo, the Ford Explorer gets some minor updates for 2018. In fact, try and spot the differences. That’s okay — by most measures, the Explorer (which first appeared at a pre-New York International Auto Show event) is doing just fine as it is, with plenty of space, a choice of powertrains, and a few fun updates for 2018, including additional tech.
More 2017 New York Auto Show Coverage
Exterior
Not much changes on the outside. There are four new paint colors, five new wheel designs, new grilles and foglights. Out back, the Explorer Sport and Platinum get a quad exhaust when paired with the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine for a racier look. The Explorer was already a good-looking ride, and the changes don’t do much to affect that one way or another.
Interior
Not much changes inside either, with the big news coming in the “things-you-can’t-see” department. A new optional embedded 4G hot spot can support up to 10 devices at once, and users can connect to the system from up to 50 feet outside the vehicle. The new Sync Connect function is also present, allowing people to operate the vehicle’s systems using the FordPass smartphone app that can lock, unlock, start and locate the car via data connection.
Safety
For 2018, Ford is bundling some of the more popular safety features into a new Safe and Smart Package. The new package includes adaptive cruise control with collision warning and brake support, blind spot warning, cross-traffic alert, lane keep assist, automatic high beams and rain-sensing automatic wipers in one place.
Ford has not announced pricing for the 2018 Explorer, but the revised SUV goes on sale this fall.
