For those in the market for a large, seven-seat crossover, there are several good options out there. If you’re in the ballpark of under P4,000,000, some of the choices are pretty solid. You can pick the Ford Explorer, Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-90, or Subaru Evoltis.
Okay, it’s not exactly the widest selection, but it’s a lot better than nothing. Besides, there are people out there who do prefer a car-based crossover over a truck-based SUV. As good as the latter is now, large crossovers generally ride and handle better.
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But if it’s a slice of Americana you want, the only choice among those four is the Ford Explorer. It seems like there’s a greater demand for it as Ford Philippines announced that more stocks of the large crossover are now in dealerships nationwide. Customers can either visit the nearest showroom to register their interest or do it online via Ford’s online reservation portal.
Locally, the Explorer is only available in one variant, the Limited. This variant sits around the middle of the trim level hierarchy in the US. But what it lacks in variant choices, it does make up for in equipment in specifications.
For starters, it comes with Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology, the company’s term for advanced driver assist systems. It includes These include the forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control, just to name a few.
Inside, there’s leather seats with heating and ventilation at the front. Power seats are also standard, along with a memory function for the driver’s side. A panoramic sunroof lets more light into the large cabin, while the power folding third row seats add convenience.
As for infotainment and entertainment, a large 8-inch touchscreen handles that. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, along with wireless charging. Sounds are then channeled through a 12-speaker audio system care of Bang & Olufsen.
The lone powertrain option for the local-spec Explorer is a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that makes 300hp and 420Nm of torque. It then shifts with a ten-speed automatic transmission. For those feeling a little adventurous, they will be glad to know that it comes with all-wheel drive with seven drive modes for on- or off-road.
Interested? The 2024 Explorer can be yours for P3,498,000, undercutting most of (if not, all) its main competitors in the country.
