Used 2. 01. 3 Ford Explorer for sale Pricing Featuresmore about this model. Hard to believe its been nearly two years since the new generation Ford Explorer rewrote the rules for the nameplate that became probably the most synonymous with the acronym SUV. The 2. Explorer took the tried and true, body on frame Ford SUV that for more than a decade was Americas station wagon and turned that formula on its head. The new unibody Ford Explorer became a crossover. With the Explorers transformation came definitively more acceptable road manners and ride quality. But nobody was going to accuse the three row, wide body and nearly 2. Explorer of offering any sort of enthusiast appeal. And why should it Because there are Hemi powered Jeep Grand Cherokees and Range Rover Sports, thats why. Sirius Zip Code Finder' title='Sirius Zip Code Finder' />Hold People, Haul Stuff, Go Fast Pick All Three. Our point is not to question the rationality of a high performance crossover. Theyre oxymoronic, yes, but they exist. They exist because people mostly fairly affluent people want to buy them. An even more puzzling proposition is the high performance, three row crossover. This is an even rarer bird, and with the exception of the Dodge Durango, you have to look to V8 powered European stuff, thus the reason Fords people have the temerity to mention the Range Rover as a competitor for the just released 2. Explorer Sport. The 2. Ford Explorer Sport certainly is less costly. Base price is 4. Mercedes Benz GL5. Mercedes MLs, BMW X5 and the Range Rover Sport. Then again, you say, a Ford is not a BMW. Fair Enough. Consider, then, that the 2. Explorer Sport, with the same 3. Eco. Boost V6 we know from the Taurus SHO, doesnt hold up too shabbily to the high powered Euro competition, whose V8s churn out significantly more power but also are markedly porkier on the scales. Enter your ZIP code to show only relevant vehicles for sale nearby. Steve Moore Chevrolet in Charlotte, NC is a new and used car dealer serving as your Rock Hill, Concord and Gastonia, NC Chevy dealer alternative. We have a huge. Solid Signal, connecting you to your signal solutions. Looking to upgrade your home entertainment system Solid Signal has everything you need to get the job done We. If you consider the Sports most likely competition to be domestic, the Eco. Boost is 5 horses stronger though down 4. Hemi powered Dodge Durango RT and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Explorer Sport is 7. V6 powered Explorer and produces fuel economy ratings of 1. The Explorer Sports chief engineer proclaims it to be the most fuel efficient gasoline powered high performance SUV out there. Whether all this will impress the seat of your pants is for now subjective, as weve yet to test it. But, when pressed, engineers say there might be as much as a 2 second reduction in 0 6. Explorer Limited. What the seat of our pants told us The Explorer Sports Eco. Boost propulsion makes a huge difference when midrange thrust is what you seek. Passing back road dawdlers will have all occupants as many as seven checking the tightness of their seatbelts far less than in, say, the Scion FR S. Thats gotta be good for something, right Higher Performance Through the Steering Wheel, Too. Stop us if youve heard this before, but the engine may not be the best part. The Explorer Sports chassis upgrades are at least as gratifying as the extra engine grunt, even though well allow that they dont make the 4,9. Sport the slot car of crossovers. Ford engineers know the standard Explorers electrically assisted power steering isnt the paragon of tactility, but the Explorer Sports steering gear is solidly mounted to the front subframe and the steerings programming has been retuned. Then they did something nobody typically associated with improving steering precision or turn in ever does They replaced a bushing at each rear wheel knuckle with a bearing. Result steering thats at least responsive and locked in on center, if still not particularly alive with feedback. We wouldnt call the Explorer Sports steering radically better than the standard Explorers, but its close close enough that the chassis gang got the hard mounted steering gear and the rear suspension revision approved for all Explorers as a running change. It Wont Float. What we like about the Sports improved handling is that Ford engineers didnt stiffen the stabilizer bars or go overboard in jacking up the spring rates in pursuit of sports car cornering. There are Sport specific springs and dampers, but the result is merely better body control, such that low frequency humps taken at high speed on a back road are pleasingly and efficiently absorbed, never affecting the steering or allowing the Sport to get floaty. Yet theres still a large degree of comfort orientation Without overly stiff tuning, the wheels dont crash and your head doesnt toss when the road gets rough. There still could be more assertive rebound damping, though, and the Sport continues to exhibit uncomfortable body lean in more abrupt corners. The Explorer Sports front brakes are beefed up by 1. Diameter for the rear discs increases from 1. Yet we still think theres work to be done here. Why does everybody but the Germans chintz out on something so vital yet so essentially cheap as brakes The Explorer Sports 9 inch wide 2. Explorer, although the 2. Dont want fuddy duddy all seasons Summer rubber is optional. All Explorer Sports are fitted with a specially tuned all wheel drive system that includes the standard Terrain Management selections. A paddle shifter six speed automatic transmission remains as well. The Sport rides so marginally lower at the front your eye will never notice. I Want It To Turn Black. The 2. 01. 3 Ford Explorer Sports strategy on visual differentiation can be summed up with one word and one color black. So if you want folks to know youve popped for the Sport, youd better hope they notice the black grille and the all over black exterior accents, including the lower body cladding and Explorer specific alloys. Some may question the very notion of high performance utility vehicles, but with the 2. Explorer Sport, its hard to argue the balance of Fords approach. The Sport is not about off the charts acts of violence like the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Rather, its just enough of a boost to keep Mom or Dad interested in the upcoming corner without beating them up later this evening on the grocery run. The Explorer Sport is effective even when viewed as little more than a new trim level for the Explorer lineup, given that its not much more expensive than a similarly equipped Explorer Limited. The takeaway is that the overall performance envelope of this new Explorer feels just about right. Theres enough power to flex it when needed, and the Explorer Sports handling feels tidier than the V8 Grand Cherokee or Durango RT. If you sometimes want to haul six or seven and always want a dose of performance, the Explorer Sport expands a small class. Edmunds attended a manufacturer sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report. Ford Explorer Overview The 2. Ford Explorer is offered in the following submodels SUV. Available styles include XLT 4dr SUV 3. Game Motocross Madness Full Version more. L 6cyl 6. A, XLT 4dr SUV AWD 3. L 6cyl 6. A, and Limited 4dr SUV AWD 3. L 6cyl 6. A. Explorer models are available with a 3. FFV engine, with output up to 2. The 2. 01. 3 Explorer comes with front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Available transmissions include 6 speed shiftable automatic. The 2. 01. 3 Explorer comes with a 3 yr. Whats a good price on a used 2. Ford Explorer Save up to 3. Ford Explorers for sale at dealerships within 2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with prices as low as 1. Nov 1. 8, 2. 01. 7, based on data from 1. Price comparisons for used 2. Ford Explorer trim styles The 2. Ford Explorer XLT is priced around 2.