Ford Explorer 3.0 PHEV 450 CV AWD ST-Line road test: the biggest in every way

Seeing the Ford Explorer on our streets, and not as a grey import, is quite a novelty. The big American off-roader is available in our market thanks to electrification and the emerging market for plug-in SUVs with the “0 emissions” label.

And, like any good American off-roader, it has everything, and has it on a grand scale. It is a seven-seater that is lavish with interior space, with a hybrid engine capable of delivering 450 CV, all in a body that is over five metres long and weighs almost 2.5 tonnes. Is this American proposition from Ford interesting for old Europe? I think so, as long as we steer clear of prejudices.

Design: big in every sense

Outwardly the Ford Explorer is a vehicle of large dimensions, not only because of its length of over five metres or its enormous height, but also because of its imposing front end, with a huge grille and thoroughly American lines. The front is upright and abrupt.

From the side, the Explorer stands out for its 20-inch wheels, with a size halfway between road and off-road (255/55 R20), partly thanks to the tall sidewall, which is welcome off the tarmac. The side glazing is generous, with large windows that let a lot of light into the interior (along with the sunroof).

At the rear, the four exhaust outlets stand out (and all four are real, which is a novelty these days), although the outlets are angled towards the lower part. The tailgate, which is electrically operated, gives access to the huge boot.

Inside, the Ford Explorer is a very spacious car, in the front seats as well as the rear ones, and even in a relatively comfortable third row of seats.

The multimedia screen stands out strongly in the dashboard design, in the form of a “tablet” in a vertical position that looks detachable (although it is not). Personally I think a more integrated design would suit it better, although its operation and visibility, in all kinds of conditions, are fine.

The instrument cluster is completely digital, changing its display according to the chosen driving mode, simple in its graphics but correct in terms of information. From the centre console we can control the automatic gearbox, the driving modes and the electric modes, among other options.

The driving position is very comfortable: we sit high, with good visibility and seats that hold the body perfectly. The seats have electric adjustment, massage, ventilation and heating.

The rear seats (second row) consist of individual seats with fore-and-aft adjustment and backrest recline, roomy enough for three adults, and they also have independent climate control, seat heating and charging sockets, including a 220V plug.

The third row of seats consists of two independent seats (which fold and unfold electrically) with enough room: a child will travel comfortably, while an adult will find it a bit tighter, mainly because the seat cushion is low, although the width is sufficient. Access is not practical either, but it is acceptable.

The boot is surprising in volume, reaching 635 litres (with five seats) or 240 litres (with seven seats); even at its smallest it is bigger than that of many city cars.

Engine and performance: powerful 3.0 V6 with 450 CV

The Explorer is big, even in the powertrain. This hybrid set-up consists of a three-litre V6 petrol engine with 363 CV and a 102 CV electric motor, which together deliver overwhelming figures: 450 CV and 825 Nm of torque.

The engine runs smoothly as long as we drive in “ECO” mode and are gentle with the accelerator pedal (a very sensitive pedal in this American), because if we press the pedal down too far, the engine wakes up forcefully, almost instantly, pins us to the seat and might even give us a stiff neck (joking aside, it has an outstanding ability to pull instantly).

The engine is very pleasant to use: besides its power, it delivers strength almost without faltering, with a sound above 4,000 rpm that reminds us more of a sports car than an SUV.

On the other hand, thanks to the hybrid system, we can drive smoothly and silently for up to 35 km in fully electric mode.

Electric motor, electric range and charging

As I mentioned in the previous section, this Explorer is fitted with a 102 CV electric motor, with a 13.6 kWh battery, capable of offering a range of more than 40 km, according to the WLTP cycle.

In practice, with a full charge we can drive on the road in 100% electric mode for about 30-35 km, and we found it difficult to get more in the various tests we carried out.

Charging the battery can be done in just 3.5 hours at 3.7 kWh, or take five hours from a conventional 2.8 kWh socket.

Handling: fast, sporty and big, very big

The first thing we notice at the wheel of the Ford Explorer is comfort, especially on the road or motorway, where the insulation and the plushness of the seats make any journey comfortable.

Its size and weight are also noticeable on the move, even though the engine does everything it can to make us forget that we are moving 2.5 tonnes. On wide roads or motorways it is a car that really moves, and you can feel the 450 CV.

Where it is much clumsier is on twisty roads, which is entirely logical. Its “Sport” mode tries to mitigate some of the inertia and ends up with very sound behaviour, but with understandable inertia. Even so, all of this makes it much more fun to drive.

In town it is a very big car to manoeuvre, but comfortable, especially in electric mode.

Off-road behaviour: all-wheel drive

The Ford Explorer has all-wheel drive; we normally drive with four-wheel drive with more torque at the rear. It has several off-road driving modes: slippery terrain, tracks and sand/snow.

It is not a car designed for extreme off-roading, partly because its angles are not good and its ground clearance is low compared with other off-roaders. That said, the traction system responds properly when we use the modes above, getting out of tricky situations without too much difficulty.

Consumption: reasonable for its power, size and weight

The hybrid technology shows in the consumption figures: on the road if we start with the battery charged we can cover 100 km with a consumption of just 6.0 litres per 100 km, compared with 8 litres per 100 km without a charged battery over the same route.

On the motorway, it is content with 8.5 litres per 100 km, a very reasonable figure. In town, without battery, consumption rises to 11 litres per 100 km.

Equipment: everything included for 74,000 euros

Although the price of the Ford Explorer may seem high, especially for a mainstream brand, in terms of equipment there is only one trim level, “ST-Line”, which includes everything we could need in a car.

It does not forget the leather seats, with electric adjustment, satnav, full-LED headlights, three-zone climate control, electric sunroof, Ford Co-Pilot 360, a range of driver aids (traffic sign recognition, lane keeping, blind spot, front and rear automatic braking…), a 10-speaker B&O sound system, among others.

Verdict and price of the Ford Explorer

The starting price of the Ford Explorer PHEV is 70,452 euros, and as I discussed in the previous section, it may seem like a high price, but in return it comes fully equipped.

Who is this American SUV aimed at? Well, at those who are looking for a different car; the Explorer is American by birth and by concept, and it is hard to fit it into the European market, although with this plug-in version, consumption is no longer a problem, and it is even economical.

It stands out for space, its seven seats are roomy, it stands out for its concept, it is not an off-roader but it has certain off-road abilities that allow it to leave the tarmac or head onto the snow without any trouble. At the wheel it is a purely American car, which by the way is welcome, since it is different.

And perhaps that is the key to this Ford Explorer: being different. A big seven-seater SUV that is different from the usual fare in the European market.