Honestly, I would never have imagine owning a Ford Explorer. My whole life was about Nissan and Toyota. My previous car was a 2008 Nissan Xterra, the basics of basics when it comes to a SUV. It was a reliable car that has never let me down but it did lack creature comforts. When the 5th generation Ford Explorer first came out I thought of it a typical family crossover SUV. My opinion changed when I discovered Platinum trim of the Ford Explorer. Here’s why I chose the 2017 Ford Explorer Platinum:
What caught my attention:
- The car seats. Yes, the design of the car seat single handedly attracted my attention. The quilted car seat reminded me of something from a Bentley.
- Leather everywhere. Can’t complaint about cheap plastic interior if the majority of the interior is lined with leather such as the dashboard and door panels.
- 2nd row captain’s chairs. This configuration just seemed nice to me. The spacing and the ease of getting in and out of the third row if needed.
- The engine and power. The Ford Explorer Sport and Platinum both have the EcoBoost 3.5L V6. When I first heard about the EcoBoost engine I didn’t think much in a sense that it was created for performance. The word Eco and green leaf logo gave me the impression the engine was created for efficiency. Upon more research into the engine, I was clearly wrong. The engine is able to put out 365 hp / 350 lb- ft torque. As a comparison, a 2007 Ford F-350 6.8L V10 puts out 362 HP.
- Fully loaded. Since this is the top trim it has a lot of features such as dual- panel sunroof, adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning system, lane-keeping assist, front/back camera and automatic self parking.
- Sync 3. This feature is only available on the 2017 and newer models of the Explorer Platinum. I like the fact that it supports Android auto.
- Higher sales figure. A total of 1,930,263 5th Gen Explorers were sold. This matters to me because the more model that was sold, the better after market car parts, and support from the community.
The drivers seat. What a beauty.
All leather dash
Captains chair
EcoBoost Engine
What didn’t appeal to me:
- The MPG rating isn’t the highest. The 5th gen Explorer Platinum only get 16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway compared to the newer 6th gen Explorer Platinum that gets around 18 mpg city / 24 mpg highway.
- Fuel tank capacity of only 18.6 gal. My previous car, 2008 Nissan Xterra, gets the same mpg and it has a 21.1 gal tank so I would assume the Explorer would have at least a 20 gal tank. Luckily, the newer 6th gen Explorer Platinum has a 20.2 gal tank. I also find it interesting that the 6th gen Explorer Platinum and ST is the only model that has a 20.2 gal capacity, all other trims get a 18 gal tank.
- The price. MSRP it cost $53,235. After 4 years, pre-owned they are going around 29k to 34k with 40k-51k mileage. Wow, I just realized, after 4 years this car depreciated around 41.76% or $22,235.
- You can’t really flex a Ford Explorer Platinum since most people don’t perceive it as the same level of luxury compared to a Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes. Yet the Explorer Platinum price is similar to these luxury brands.
Why didn’t I get the newest 6th Gen Ford Explorer Platinum? 2020 was the first year it was released, typically I like to buy a model that’s 3-4 years on the market so the manufacture can work out the kinks. Maybe in the future?
Also, I’ll be using my previous car, 2008 Nissan Xterra, as a comparison in future blogs. I understand that this might be an unfair comparison to some readers but I’m doing so because it’s the only vehicle I’ve driven daily for the last 12 years so this makes it the only vehicle I can make comparisons to. Do I hate the Xterra? Absolutely not, the Xterra has never broke down on me and I pampered it like it was my first love.