The all-new Ford Explorer is available in three trim levels. The rugged base trim has a price of $28,360 and is capable of touring with its roof racks and a Class III trailer tow package. You have cruise control as well as other convenience features like a six-way power driver seat with manual reclining. The XLT trim gets 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, Sirius Satellite radio, and leather-wrapped steering and gear shift knob. The top-end Limited trim gets leather upholstery, 20-inch aluminum painted wheels and certain high-end convenience features.

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Our recommendation goes for the XLT trim that will cost you $31,520 and offer a premium exterior design with good quality materials inside its cabin. It adds better features as compared to the base trim. With that, you also get fog lamps and a Sirius Satellite radio. The Rapid spec package adds the high-end technology features from the Limited trim. You can avail of the AWD system at an extra cost of $2,000.

The 2011 Ford Explorer is now more capable and powerful with its 3.5L V6 that outputs 290hp which is 80 horses more than the previous generation. Instead of the rear wheels, the V6 now powers either the front wheels only or all the 4 wheels. Still, the torque output of 255lb-ft isn't that promising. The V6 on the Explorer is mated to a 6-Speed Selectshift automatic transmission. It manages to reach from 0-60MPH of speed in just 7.6 seconds. A quarter-mile timing of 15.8 seconds is good enough for such a massive SUV. Moreover, it can do a top speed of 130 MPH.

With its revised powertrain, the Ford Explorer is quite competent in its mid-size crossover segment. Both the Explorer and Durango output a similar 290 hp from their V6, but the former is comparatively faster, while the latter takes 9 seconds to reach the 60mph mark. However, the torque output pulls back the Explorer from towing heavy trailers. The Nissan Pathfinder is the closest rival with its similar performance figures and produces 266hp and 288lb.-ft of torque, but has a better towing capacity. The 2011 Chevrolet Traverse lies midway between in the segment.

With its new V6 engine, the 2011 Ford Explorer has a decent fuel economy. It delivers 17 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. With a combined 20 MPG and an 18.6-gallon fuel capacity, it has a maximum range of 465 miles. With the AWD system, you get slightly lower 23 MPG on the highway that leaves you with a combined 19 MPG. The Explorer isn’t exactly what one would call “light” but for the weight, and the capability, the fuel economy is pretty good. 

The all-new Explorer fares well against the rivals with its best-in-class fuel economy. On the second spot, we have the Chevrolet Traverse with its close enough mileage. The Dodge Durango has a slightly lower fuel economy in the city and on the highway but manages a similar combined efficiency as the Chevrolet averaging 19 MPG and the Nissan Pathfinder is the last one in the segment. Still, the Traverse and the Durango offer a better range than the Explorer with their massive fuel tanks that can hold 22 and 24.6-gallons, respectively.

The fifth-generation Ford Explorer comes with amazing upgrades to the cabin. It is more spacious and attractive and now offers a more convenient 7-person seating capacity. The new dashboard layout looks cooler with the illuminated LED controls and the metal-look accents. The instrument cluster is kind of sporty with its single gauge layout and a 4.2-inch configurable color driver's display. It gets a 3-spoke leather steering wheel as well.

As standard, we have a 6-way driver and 2-way passenger adjustments where the top trim offers a 10-way power driver seat with power lumbar and 6-way power passenger adjustments. The second row has a 60:40 split-bench seat with a foldable seatback. At the back, we have a 50:50 split-bench third row that can be folded to the floor for more cargo room. From simple cloth upholstery, the Explorer even offers leather upholstery with Limited trim. 

The fresh-looking cabin of the Ford Explorer has some new tricks down its sleeve. In terms of seating space, it is the most practical SUV as you get a proper seating area in all the rows. However the third-row bench seat may not be the best for taller passengers, that's why it is suitable for kids. The seat trim is soft and is comparatively better than the rivals. However, its cargo capacity of 80.7 cu.-ft is lower than most of its competitors, especially the 2011 Traverse that has a trunk volume of 116.4 cu.-ft. That said, some of the highlighting features are:

• Tilt and telescopic steering 
• Air filtration system
• 12V DC outlets
• Electrochromic rearview mirror 
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Power-adjustable pedals

How intuitive is the 2011 Ford Explorer's infotainment unit?

With the base trim, you get limited infotainment features like an AM/FM stereo with a CD player and an MP3 player that powers a six-speaker audio system. The XLT trim adds a SiriusXM satellite radio with 6 months subscription. The Limited trim gets a SYNC entertainment system with Bluetooth compatibility, USB connectivity, and an input jack.

It also offers a GPS-based turn-by-turn navigation system with a real-time traffic display. You can get video input for both infotainment and navigation with a huge 8.0-inch touchscreen display powered by MyFord touch. To give you a proper surround sound experience, you can also avail yourself of a Sony audio system with 12 speakers and an HD radio. Some of the highlights of the infotainment system are:

• Bluetooth Compatibility
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• SYNC entertainment system
• Turn by the turn navigation system
• MyFord Touch with 8.0-inch touchscreen
• Sony 12 speaker audio system (optional)

The fifth-generation Ford Explorer has taken inspiration from the Land Rover SUVs in terms of exterior design. It has a sculpted design that looks way better than its previous midsize SUV profile. The Explorer is massive yet sporty with its blacked-out A, B, and D pillars and a sloping roofline. The front fascia gets a redesign with stepped HID headlamps and a black front bumper with a front diffuser below the mesh grille and optional fog lamps on either side. 

Ford has given it a unique styling with blackened side skirts and black surround wheel arches that gives it a premium SUV styling. The dual-tone side mirrors offer integrated LED turn signals. With design lines on the doors, there are also chrome surround door handles and a chrome bar that, along with the blacked-out pillars, make the crossover look big.

The roof slopes down to a rear window spoiler where we have a huge liftgate and LED tail lamps. There's a chrome bar that splits the rear door into two and says “Explorer”. The lifted rear bumper comes with a trailer hitch in the middle and dual-tip tailpipes. The Limited trim gets a chrome tip for the exhausts.

With its total redesign, the Ford Explorer is still lighter than most of its rivals and limits itself under 200 inches where the Traverse is the longest SUV. Moreover, Ford has made the Explorer wider than any other SUV in the segment. It isn't the tallest SUV as it shares its height with the Chevrolet Traverse but with its 7.6-inch clearance, the Explorer can hit the off-road in style, with some of the highlights of its exterior being:

• HID headlamps
• LED tail lamps
• Satin silver grille
• Blacked-out pillars
• Chrome exterior surround
• 20-inch aluminum wheels
• Roof rails
• Rear window spoiler

The 2011 Ford Explorer is now based on the new D4 platform with rigid unibody construction. With that, it offers better dynamics and balance on the road. The new high tensile steel adds strength to the structure where the crumple zones help the Explorer to withstand impacts and that's why the IIHS has chosen it as the Top safety pick for 2011. 

• Rigid unibody structure
• 6 standard airbags
• Inflatable rear safety belts
• Advancetrac roll stability control with curve control
• Blindspot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert
• Rearview camera

Leaning more towards a family SUV, the 2011 Ford Explorer is now more versatile with its practical space, comfort, convenience, and performance. It offers a better economy than its rivals, however, it needs a bigger fuel tank. It welcomes both long journeys and tough terrains where it can go beyond it with its capability and exciting features. With a starting price of $28,360, the Explorer is more mainstream and accessible than ever before.