EXPLORER 6TH GEN

About the Explorer 6th Gen

Ford ditched the Explorer's truck bones and went rear-drive unibody for the sixth gen, sharing the CD6 platform with the Lincoln Aviator. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost four made 300 hp, adequate but not inspiring. The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 in the ST made 400 hp and could embarrass sports sedans at a stoplight. Ten-speed auto across the range, and it shifted well. Rear-wheel drive as standard was the quiet revolution — the Explorer drove like an actual car for the first time in its history. The interior was spacious, the third row usable for humans under five-foot-eight, and the infotainment ran Ford's SYNC 3 without major complaints. Cop cars used this platform because it handled. That tells you enough about the chassis.