As last year, as part of a major update of the Ford Explorer top-of-the-line, $54,180 Platinum trim is a push-button gear selector and a couple of parts of the body is far from passing for a Lincoln.

Although the external differences between the platinum and the small explorers caps are a pair, consisting of details such as an egg-crate grille, chrome mirrors, 15-spoke wheels—the flagship Explorer passenger cell, which separates itself from the herd with high end fittings such as a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, quilted leather seats, a leather-wrapped dashboard, real wood and aluminum accents on the dashboard, doors and steering wheel.
Hustle Hard

A linebacker with the speed of a running back, 4980 pounds of platinum, both the heftiest, and quickest Explorer, you can go through our testing Regime, since the model adopted unibody construction, which debuted in the current generation for the year 2011. Credit Platinum twin-Turbo 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine, which, together with the aggressively-styled Explorer Sport.

Packing 365 HP and 350 lb-ft of torque, the engine delivers smooth and linear build muscle through a six-speed automatic transmission, which comprises a pair of steering wheel-mounted paddles. All-wheel-drive is standard. In contrast to the Sport, optioned with a set of 20-inch Continental summer tires for $995, the luxury-themed Platinum-20-inch wheels are wrapped tires in all-season Hankook.

Despite a 41-pound weight disadvantage, though, our Platinum test car managed to better or equal to the acceleration times we recorded in a 2016 Sport equipped with summer rubber. The zero-to-60-mph run takes a brisk 5.8 seconds, the century mark is reached in 15.2 seconds and the quarter-mile in the Sport of 0.2 sec, 0.6 sec and 0.2 second and 2 miles per hour struck is crossed by 14.4 seconds at 98 miles per hour.

The only acceleration test in which the platinum was not faster from 50 to 70 mph: both twin-turbo-researchers did it in 4.4 seconds. Similar to the Platinum can be matched to the Sport, clawed its way into our 300-foot skidpad at a respectable 0.83 g. of The Sport summer tires that proved to be beneficial, not only in our brake test stopping this Platinum of 70 km / h 174 meters, 8 meters longer than the Sport on its stickier Continentals.

Cabin Fever

While the Platinum is filled in the interior with premium materials, quality of workmanship is less than stellar. Our test car, the door panels were aligned on the dashboard, the leather showed signs of wear and tear at the seams before the odometer reached 2500 miles. On the plus side, the addition of Sync 3 on 2017 Explorer will be a blessing for the ergonomics.

Menus in the Central touchscreen are logically arranged, and the touch input never needed a second or third tap on the screen to confirm a request. The platinum also comes standard with features like a dual-panel sunroof, adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning system), lane-keeping assist, front-camera is mounted, and an automatic Parking control system-Explorer in an open position.

In spite of providing more legroom in all three rows, as the 2.9-inch-longer Dodge Durango, as well as an additional four cubic feet of cargo space behind the rearmost row, the Explorer’s interior feel crowded. Exceptionally wide side skirts make entering the cabin a little awkward. Once inside, the Explorer is wider dashboard and a Seating position which is slightly offset in the direction of the center make this mid-size crossover feeling particularly large, and to navigate awkward.

The addition of salt to the Explorer packing the wound is a front-wheel-well that penetrates into the space for the driver’s left foot is stronger than in most modern vehicles, the dead pedal is all but useless for those with large feet or even the average size of feet, dressed in boots. While our test car’s optional ($695), the second-row bucket seats were comfortable, they lacked built-in armrests, allowing arms to hang listless, if the ($150), second-row-center-to open the console and use it.

Select the bucket deletes a sitting position, the reduction of our test-car capacity from seven to six passengers. Meanwhile, the Explorer’s cushy, power-folding third-row seats offer a meager 40.7 cm hiproom, 3.9 inch less than the Honda Pilot is wide, despite the vehicles virtually identical.

Anyone-Brand

With a base price North of $ 50,000, the Explorer Platinum blurs the line between premium mid-size crossover SUV, and mainstream models. In comparison with an Acura MDX or an Infiniti QX60 with equipment levels similar to that of the $55,025 Blue Jeans Metallic test vehicle, the Platinum costs $2315 less than the MDX and $2870 less than the QX60. Both the Acura and Infiniti offer something more renowned name; however, neither vehicle-V-6 engine produces anywhere near the power of the Ford s-twin-Turbo-beast.

Those with the power to look at the Dodge Durango equipped with the 360-horsepower 5.7-liter V-8 engine. Even heavier than the Explorer Platinum (2016 Durango R/T 5369 Kilo registered on our scale), the eight-cylinder Durango is lens values less capable than the platinum, with lazy acceleration, longer braking distance and less lateral support. Nevertheless, the eight-pot Dodge is more fun for a pilot and a tow rating up to 7400 pounds when properly equipped, 2400 more than the Explorer Platinum.

The Dodge fuel-economy rating of 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway falls behind the platinum – 16/22 rating; we recorded an average of 17 mpg during our time with the Ford and 20 mpg on our 200-mile, 75-mph highway fuel-economy test. Based on the 20-mpg figure, which can travel the Explorer, about 370 km on a tank of fuel, which is far less than many of his colleagues.

Regardless of which vehicles you consider most of the competition, which will allow the 2017 Ford Explorer Platinum-high-end materials, a variety of features and the powerful engine it is, stack up pretty well. Even so, the consumer is better off, for the $7880 less expensive, but equally powerful, Explorer Sport. Based on our testing data, but we cannot recommend the optional summer tires, that Explorer.