FORD EXPLORER 1991-1994
The "Nineties" Station Wagon

Remember the Country Squire station wagon? Along with similar offerings from GM and Chrysler, they were wildly popular in suburbia in the 60's and 70's. Fake woodgrain, whitewalls, chrome everywhere. They were big, versatile and could handle large families with all their stuff. Comfortably. Equipped with huge V8's, they could tow a big trailer too.

But as the 80's wore on, a new trend was developing. Consumers were ditching their wagons for two newcomers: minivans and well-appointed sport utility vehicles (SUV's). Popular offerings included the V8 Grand Wagoneer, Cherokee, Land Cruiser, Blazer and Bronco.

The category, particularly the "compact" segment, was exploding. Just as it shifted into high gear, Ford launched the new Explorer. Sales were phenomenal and it quickly established itself as the sales leader by a wide margin.

Strengths Weaknesses

Overall competence
Room
Reliability
Value Heavy off-road stuff
Emergency handling
Vague steering

What's Available
Both 2-door and 4-door body styles were produced. Each could be had with either rear- or four-wheel drive. Initially there were four trim levels, the base XL, the mid-range (and most popular) XLT, and the upmarket Eddie Bauer (4door). A Sport version of the 2-door was also available.

In mid-1993, a new top of the line Limited version was added. It was fully loaded and had only three options -- a JBL audio system, a towing package and a flip-up sunroof. One engine, a 4.0-liter OHV V6, came with all Explorers. A 4-speed overdrive automatic and a Mazda-built 5-speed manual were your transmission choices, but the 5-speed is a tough find, especially on the four-door.

Exterior Design
When introduced, the Explorer was one of those rare vehicles that looked just right. Clean, uncluttered and contemporary looking from all angles, the angular body practically shouted "sport utility vehicle". The 2-door version, with its slanted rear-pillar and short wheelbase even managed to look, well, sporty.

A chrome grille with rectangular headlights on the XLT and Eddie Bauer adorned the front, while the XL and Sport made do with black plastic. Chrome was splashed liberally around the XLT and Eddie Bauer, much less so on the XL and Sport. The Limited sported its own monochromatic paint scheme.

The rear hatch is one piece and swings upward. The window works independently of the hatch, a plus.

What They Said When New
"The ride feels smooth only on the best roads. Large bumps caused bounding, and a full, 900-pound load made matters worse, especially in the rear. This ride is about as quiet as in most sedans.".......Consumer Reports 9/90
"The nicely laid-out interior and comfortable seating for five are just a few of the reasons why the Explorer is outselling the competition two to one.".....Automobile 9/91

"Complementing the Explorer's outstanding interior comfort is a softly tuned suspension that provides a plush ride over most road surfaces, making it an excellent choice for around-town driving.".......Motor Trend 10/93

Interior Design
Again, the Explorer's interior is clean and contemporary in its design and well laid out. For its time, the Explorer was clearly the class leader. The dash houses a complete display of easy-to-read gauges. The typical late 80's, early 90's Ford stereo is difficult to use, but everything else is logically placed and easy to operate.

Bucket seats (or "Captain's chairs") and a steering column shift come with all Explorers. A console with cup holders resides between the seats.

The four-wheel drive is engaged by a handy push button ("touch-drive") on the dash.

Materials for the most part are well coordinated and have a look of quality, but there are a few plastic pieces that could use some upgrading.

Room & Comfort
One of the Explorer's strengths is that it delivers car-like comfort. While almost all SUV's can do that today, in 1990 it was unusual and it undoubtedly contributed greatly to the Explorer's success. Statistics show that 90% of SUV's never make into the rough stuff, so Ford clearly tuned the Explorer for paved roads.

Stepping into an Explorer is not the difficult proposition that it can be in many other SUV's. Foregoing the raised suspension, big fat tires and a "macho" look, the door sills sit relatively close to the ground, allowing easy entry and exit. Running boards, an option, further assist shorter passengers, but tend to get in the way of taller folk.

Once in the cabin, you'll find that it is bright and airy, allowing the driver a great view of the surroundings, although short drivers may have difficulty seeing over the tall dash. Most Explorers were equipped with a full complement of power accessories.

There's plenty of room for the driver and front seat passenger. The seats are comfortable on all but the longest trips where the overall softness of the seat begins to take a toll on your lower back. The Eddie Bauer and Limited versions with their multi-adjustable power seats allows you to custom tailor seat support.

The rear is large enough for three and is as comfortable as most good sized sedans. The bench seat is not contoured however, and lacks lower back support. As you would expect headroom is ample front and rear.

The Explorer's cargo capacity is tops in the "compact" SUV class. In fact, it will hold more than many larger SUV's such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Mitsubishi Montero. The rear seat is split 60/40, allowing the extra versatility.

All that cargo room does come at a price. The spare tire is mounted underneath the vehicle, making tire changes difficult and decreasing ground clearance.

Ride, Handling and Performance
Under everyday driving conditions, the Explorer delivers a smooth and comfortable ride. Body motions are controlled, response is good and the cabin remains quiet. The steering is rather vague.

This a truck with an antiquated suspension, however (it's based on the Ranger pickup of that era) and poor roads transmit plenty of harshness and body shudder to passengers. Emergency handling is controllable but sluggish -- slow response with plenty of body roll and pitch. Unlike some other SUVs, however, it doesn't feel "tipsy".

All Explorers housed a 4.0-Liter 6-cylinder engine generating 155hp (160hp in '93 & '94). It goes about every day chores unobtrusively but makes a rather coarse racket when pushed. It moves the Explorer adequately.

The auto transmission is typical Ford - smooth most of the time but possessing certain gear/powerband combinations that feel anything but refined. A least they're infrequent. We could not locate an Explorer with a manual transmission for this report.

Braking distances are somewhat long, (typical for the class) but are uneventful.

Mainly due to its soft suspension, the Explorer has a modest cargo load capacity of 900lbs. Depending on which rear axle is installed (standard or a 3.73 performance ratio), you'll be able to tow anywhere from 3500 to 5200 pounds.

For a big rectangular box, Ford did a good job of keeping wind noise at bay. There's little intrusion, even at highway speeds.

Safety
As was customary in the early nineties, (the Jeep Cherokee was the first SUV to get a driver airbag in 1993), the Explorer has no air bags. It does however, have front and rear shoulder belts. Initially, anti-lock control resided solely on the rear drum brakes. A proper 4-wheel ABS system with four-wheel disc brakes had to wait until 1993.

Government crash tests on a 1994 model resulted in a three star (good) rating for the driver and a five star (excellent) rating for

the front passenger. That's a pretty good rating on its own merits and exceptional for the SUV's of the period.

Service
Normal maintenance charges are low for an SUV and about average for all vehicles. The ohv engine has no need for a timing belt replacement. As with any 4-wheel drive vehicle, transfer case and differential fluids should be replaced if you are in deep water for any extended period of time.

1991-93 models used the old R12 a/c refrigerant. A recharge will run you about $150-$200. Conversion to the new 134a refrigerant will run $300-plus.

Reliability
Overall, the Explorer has proven to be a reliable workhorse. The few problems it has are minor and easily repaired. Major systems have held up well, with the exception of spotty performance from the automatic transmission.

A common complaint is radio frequency interference with the sound systems. Ford has issued a TSB for this and can provide you with an inexpensive filter kit (part# E7PZ9B357A) to rectify the situation. It was covered under warranty, so it's likely to have already been taken care of. Just listen for hiss coming from the stereo.

Rough engine operation frequently crops up after 50,000 miles or so. Often this can be traced to the Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF). Before replacing it (about $200), try having the sensors cleaned -- usually that will do the trick. The procedure is detailed at a terrific website: www.4x4central.com/tips.htm.

Summary
Value pretty much sums up this Explorer. No, it doesn't excel in any one area. Others ride better, are more comfortable, tackle the trail better, or go faster. And newer versions of almost all sport utes (including the Explorer) have gone well beyond this Explorer in all of these areas.

But the Explorer is a classic case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. It does just about everything well, and at a reasonable price to boot. That adds up to a pretty attractive package.

Best bet? A '93 or '94 model with the upgraded brakes and slightly stronger engine.

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