EXPLORER 4TH GEN

About the Explorer 4th Gen

Ford put the Explorer on a new frame shared with the Mountaineer and the fourth gen finally drove like something other than a truck. The 4.0 SOHC V6 made 210 hp, the 4.6 V8 pushed to 292 hp, and independent rear suspension was standard across the range. That was the real change. The ride smoothed out, the handling tightened up, and the Explorer stopped feeling like a Ranger in a suit. The interior was genuinely comfortable with available heated leather, a power liftgate, and Ford's Audiophile sound system. Third-row seating turned it into a seven-passenger family hauler. Stability control was standard after the Firestone years made Ford allergic to rollover headlines. The fourth gen was the Explorer growing up. Truck roots fading, family SUV identity solidifying.