2006 Ford Explorer consumer reviews

extended warranty recomended. transmision had to be overhauld at 42,000 miles . purchased it with 32,000 miles. at $15,300. vehicle was emaculate, well serviced with car fax report. now runs like new suv.ford dealer repair was 5 star.

We have owned our fully loaded 2006 Eddie Bauer Explorer for 3 years now and have 37k miles on it. It has been very reliable and the only thing we had break was the electronic third row seat. Ford took care of it and I just had to pay $100 for repair since my warranty was up. We bought this vehicle because they were dealing so low on the big SUV's. MSRP was $44k and they gave us $10k off sticker price for it brand new. We had a 2002 Mustang before this which is now owned by a family member and no problems at all with that car either. I'm starting to think Ford makes a decent car now.

This car is a true SUV with excellent towing, interior space, and many features. I love the power third row seats, and the smooth highway drive. V8 is outstanding with a smooth 6 speed auto trans. Took car to Colorado from Florida this winter and averaged 21.9MPG. Great ride. I tow a 5,000 pound boat with no effort and 14MPG.

I leased a 2006 Ford Explorer from november of 2005 to 2007. It was comfortable and I felt safe driving it. I live where there is snow and it goes through snow unbelievably and is heavy which makes a person feel better in ice and snow conditions. Overall it handles well and has a nice tight steering that allows for the feeling of total control of your vehicle.

This is my 3rd Explorer in 5yrs. Best yet. I've had 2 GM SUV company vehicles during that time,and I couldn't wait to get back in my Explorer on the weekends! I traded in my 04 with 70,000 miles and only put $245 into it for brakes. Great Value!!

This vehicle is amazing in design, safety, and function. Must go for the limited v8 model. Tons of power, and a very smooth transmission. Gas mileage is adequate for an SUV in city, sensational for highway driving. Watch for corrosion of chrome on rear tailgate. I had to have my front headlamps replaced due to a defect (cracking of the lens). I observed the same recently on a 2007 demo. I have also had to have driver seat replaced due to a collapse in the seat bolsters (all issues dealt with under warranty by Ford of Canada). Take a look and compare to anything else on the market in its class. It wins hands down. Note: Notice that the new Pathfinder for 2008 has played "copycat" by adding the optional V8. If Ford could just apply these design principles to the Expedition....

My wife and I purchased a year old (06) Explorer Limited this year. Compared to the 4.0 V6, the V8 has incredible power, and the 6-speed automatic is exceptionally smooth. Convenient controls and wonderful seats round out the interior and the 6 disc changer feeds enough sound to the speakers to drown out the throaty rumble of the engine (if you want it to). It loses some points on exterior styling, as rain water collects on the running boards and rear bumper, so if you're not careful, you may get a little wet while loading the kids and groceries into the truck. We considered the Freestyle (now the Taurus X) as well as the Explorer for purchase. We elected to buy the Explorer largely because the mechanical components are better proven, and slightly easier to work on in a rear-wheel drive / front-to-rear oriented engine. That the vehicle is built upon a traditional frame leaves it strong enough to tow a trailer in addition to be tough enough to our off road excursions without having to pack the whole family into a pickup. Over the past month or two that we've had it, we've experienced fuel mileage of approximately 16 mpg, overall. Without any long road trips under our belt yet, true highway mileage is tougher to ascertain, but the trip computer is indicating 19 to 21 miles on the few 200 mile jaunts we've had. The best part of the whole experience, is that there are a lot of Explorers out on the road--Ford not only knows how to build them, but they sell a ton of them too. What that means for the used car buyer is that you can find these vehicles on the lot with 18,000 to 25,000 miles for about 60 percent of original sticker price.

I have had 2 issues with it. The ticking noise from the 3V motor irritates me, makes it sound like I have a lifter problem or something. Very annoying, especially when you are in a closed in area like at the bank at the drive thru. Have learned to live with it. Also there is a transmission issue that they are not able to correct yet, still writing a program to correct this. "design flaw". When you get to a red light after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle jerks forward, almost like someone tapped you from behind. Not a random thing, happens constantly and there won't be a fix for it until sometime first quarter 2008, I'm told. Ford should offer people with a problem that they "can't" fix yet either another vehicle or an extension on their warranty. SOMETHING. It may sound like I hate my car, but I don't, I love it, just hate these issues.

The 4.6 v8 is smooth, strong and well suited to push the 4100 pound SUV. I feel safe due to its construction, weight and crash test ratings. I now have 42,600 miles with nothing more than an oil change and normal manitenance. Only bad thing is you have to select your Ford dealer for the ones who know how to service the car. I look for the training certificates, the more of them, the better the knowledge and solution.

Our 2006 Eddie Bauer V8 has been in the shop over a dozen times in less than a year. The 6 speed transmission is junk and they don't know how to fix it. The camel interior shows any little mark on it and the seats do not wear well for leather interior. The lights leak water and the air conditioning has a horrible mildew smell to it all the time. Buy something different, I know should of.