2005 Explorer
- Engine Size: 4.0L - 6 Cylinders
- Style: Crossover
- Fuel Type: Gasoline
- Model: Explorer
- Class: SUV Crossover
- Seating Capacity: 5 Seats
- Overview
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1729
A Good SUV.
Pros
Visibility, Comfort
Cons
Lack of Power, Transmission issues
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you are looking for a good SUV that has room, this is a buy.
I use the Explorer at work, and it goes 100-150 miles daily with my foot on the accelerator. I have driven it in all conditions, and for thousands of miles. To be honest, I know it better than my own house. It is a competent vehicle, and is well built. The Explorer is one of the most successful SUV's of all time, and it continues its run as the midsized SUV of the Ford company.
The Explorer XLT has a lot of good options. It comes with air conditioning, power steering, dual front airbags, power windows, rear defroster, alloy wheels, power locks, power mirrors, running boards, AM/FM CD single disc stereo, ABS brakes, cruise control, rear wiper, roof rack, fog lights, cloth seats, full sized spare tire(235/70/16), and 4WD. The engine is a 4.0 liter single overhead camshaft V6, which produces 210 horsepower. Fuel efficiency is listed at 15mpg in the city, and 20 mpg on the highway.(In reality its 13 and 18 mpg)The fuel capacity is 22.5 gallons.
I like the Explorer a lot. It is a practical vehicle that does drive well in all weather/road conditions, and can do fine in urban or rural areas. It is very user friendly, and has great visibility out of all windows. There is a slight blind spot in the far rear back windows, but its not that bad.With mirrors it is easy to change lanes, parallel park, etc. The seating position is excellent-you are upright and have good visibility over the tops of most cars. The front and rear seats are comfortable, and firm while providing decent cushioning. There is plenty of room for the driver and front passenger, for heights under 6"5.(One of our guys is 6"5 and he is still comfortable, after that you are on your own!) The rear seats have great legroom, and the bench will hold 3 average sized adults without any problems. The rear storage area has plenty of room to put backpacks, tools, and other equipment in it. The dash gauges are easy to read, and at night it illuminates into a pleasant green color. The gauges are: oil pressure, temperature, miles per hour, RPMS, gas tank, and battery meter. On the right side is a trip odometer, which works with a push of a button. The 4X4 buttons are to the right of the steering wheel, and it is easy to go into that mode. All you do is press 4x4 high or low, and it engages while driving! It works very well, and this vehicle is a joy to drive in snow. The radio is in the center, and there is a single disc player. It is a good system, and can really push out the bass. Its also very user friendly, and you can preprogram stations by holding in the button for 3 seconds. The A/C and heating controls are under the radio, and the A/C is freezing cold.(That is on the maximum A/C setting, otherwise its quite good but not as strong.) On the max setting, the wind from the vent can blow stuff around! The heat works well, and can defrost ice off the window in about 4 minutes. Braking is excellent, as the antilock braking system really does the job. There is no mushy feeling, as braking is steady and competent. In high speed conditions the vehicle is outstanding, and there is not a lot of sway in wind conditions that other SUV's have. Steering is very easy, and even people with low muscle tone or the elderly will have a easy time maneuvering the Explorer. The ride is quiet, and there are no shakes and buckles to be concerned with.
Although I consider it to be a very good vehicle, here are my complaints. The power mirror adjuster is a pain. You have to slide a circle around to adjust the power mirrors, and its hard to get a grip. Its also easy to accidentally change the position of the opposite mirror-this needs to be changed immediately. People with arthritic fingers or even just a little coordination problem will hate this feature. The remote control trunk release button is easy to accidentally hit, as its right next to the door lock button. (They are very little and not spaced far enough.)The acceleration is not as strong as it should be. The Explorer does not move fast from the line, although it does decently past 30 and up. The engine is rather quiet, which is nice for a SUV. However, it is enough in highway passing conditions, so its not a major flaw. Here is the major flaw: the transmission scares me. We have a fleet of 15 2005 Ford Explorers, and most of them have under 30,000 miles. Most of them have transmissions that are "hard shifting" in reverse and 2/3rd gears. Sometimes you'll be driving around and it will "not know what it wants to do." In reverse, you will be accelerating lightly and going nowhere. All of a sudden it slams into position, and you are thrown back. This is a potential hazard, in addition to being disconcerting to the overall driving experience. Now, there is a factor to all of this. Since I work in the public safety field, there are times our vehicles are driven harshly and at all speeds. (Also, sometimes 24/7) That is why I cannot totally badmouth the vehicle's transmission, but its a definite cause for concern.
With the transmission and other little items aside, I like this vehicle a lot. It is good for families as there is plenty of room for the kids, dog, and suitcases. Its a competent people mover that has been around for a long time, and probably will be around for many more years. The vehicle comes with a standard 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, and Ford is offering many rebates on it at this time. If you want a smaller Ford SUV there is the Escape, and the biggest Ford SUV is the Expedition. The Explorers reliability record is average over the years, according to the major consumer's guides.
The Explorer XLT has a lot of good options. It comes with air conditioning, power steering, dual front airbags, power windows, rear defroster, alloy wheels, power locks, power mirrors, running boards, AM/FM CD single disc stereo, ABS brakes, cruise control, rear wiper, roof rack, fog lights, cloth seats, full sized spare tire(235/70/16), and 4WD. The engine is a 4.0 liter single overhead camshaft V6, which produces 210 horsepower. Fuel efficiency is listed at 15mpg in the city, and 20 mpg on the highway.(In reality its 13 and 18 mpg)The fuel capacity is 22.5 gallons.
I like the Explorer a lot. It is a practical vehicle that does drive well in all weather/road conditions, and can do fine in urban or rural areas. It is very user friendly, and has great visibility out of all windows. There is a slight blind spot in the far rear back windows, but its not that bad.With mirrors it is easy to change lanes, parallel park, etc. The seating position is excellent-you are upright and have good visibility over the tops of most cars. The front and rear seats are comfortable, and firm while providing decent cushioning. There is plenty of room for the driver and front passenger, for heights under 6"5.(One of our guys is 6"5 and he is still comfortable, after that you are on your own!) The rear seats have great legroom, and the bench will hold 3 average sized adults without any problems. The rear storage area has plenty of room to put backpacks, tools, and other equipment in it. The dash gauges are easy to read, and at night it illuminates into a pleasant green color. The gauges are: oil pressure, temperature, miles per hour, RPMS, gas tank, and battery meter. On the right side is a trip odometer, which works with a push of a button. The 4X4 buttons are to the right of the steering wheel, and it is easy to go into that mode. All you do is press 4x4 high or low, and it engages while driving! It works very well, and this vehicle is a joy to drive in snow. The radio is in the center, and there is a single disc player. It is a good system, and can really push out the bass. Its also very user friendly, and you can preprogram stations by holding in the button for 3 seconds. The A/C and heating controls are under the radio, and the A/C is freezing cold.(That is on the maximum A/C setting, otherwise its quite good but not as strong.) On the max setting, the wind from the vent can blow stuff around! The heat works well, and can defrost ice off the window in about 4 minutes. Braking is excellent, as the antilock braking system really does the job. There is no mushy feeling, as braking is steady and competent. In high speed conditions the vehicle is outstanding, and there is not a lot of sway in wind conditions that other SUV's have. Steering is very easy, and even people with low muscle tone or the elderly will have a easy time maneuvering the Explorer. The ride is quiet, and there are no shakes and buckles to be concerned with.
Although I consider it to be a very good vehicle, here are my complaints. The power mirror adjuster is a pain. You have to slide a circle around to adjust the power mirrors, and its hard to get a grip. Its also easy to accidentally change the position of the opposite mirror-this needs to be changed immediately. People with arthritic fingers or even just a little coordination problem will hate this feature. The remote control trunk release button is easy to accidentally hit, as its right next to the door lock button. (They are very little and not spaced far enough.)The acceleration is not as strong as it should be. The Explorer does not move fast from the line, although it does decently past 30 and up. The engine is rather quiet, which is nice for a SUV. However, it is enough in highway passing conditions, so its not a major flaw. Here is the major flaw: the transmission scares me. We have a fleet of 15 2005 Ford Explorers, and most of them have under 30,000 miles. Most of them have transmissions that are "hard shifting" in reverse and 2/3rd gears. Sometimes you'll be driving around and it will "not know what it wants to do." In reverse, you will be accelerating lightly and going nowhere. All of a sudden it slams into position, and you are thrown back. This is a potential hazard, in addition to being disconcerting to the overall driving experience. Now, there is a factor to all of this. Since I work in the public safety field, there are times our vehicles are driven harshly and at all speeds. (Also, sometimes 24/7) That is why I cannot totally badmouth the vehicle's transmission, but its a definite cause for concern.
With the transmission and other little items aside, I like this vehicle a lot. It is good for families as there is plenty of room for the kids, dog, and suitcases. Its a competent people mover that has been around for a long time, and probably will be around for many more years. The vehicle comes with a standard 3 year/36,000 mile warranty, and Ford is offering many rebates on it at this time. If you want a smaller Ford SUV there is the Escape, and the biggest Ford SUV is the Expedition. The Explorers reliability record is average over the years, according to the major consumer's guides.
