Small cars may be all the rage these days, but despite being pretty huge and relatively inefficient, the 4-year-old Ford Explorer’s sales are on a tear right now, approaching levels last seen a decade ago. To help keep the 3-row crossover’s momentum going, Ford is introducing some minor updates to the Explorer for the 2015 model year.
Ford’s tweaks include slapping new 18-inch wheels on base models, making a Class III trailer tow package standard on Explorer Sports; and adding 3 new metallic colors: Bronze Fire, Caribou, and Magnetic.
Ford also has added a sport appearance package to the mid-level XLT trim level that transforms it into an Explorer Sport lookalike. The likeness is achieved using dark Magnetic paint on the grille and mirror caps, 20-inch machined-face wheels with black painted pockets, body-color door handles, black roof rails, and “EXPLORER” lettering splashed across the front of the hood, Land Rover–style. Alas, the package does not include the Sport’s 365-hp twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6.
Ford describes the new XLT appearance package as being “a surprising value,” and for image-conscious folks, that seems about right. It costs $ 1195—and requires the $ 2500 202A package, which adds heated front seats trimmed in leather with suede inserts, contrast stitching, floor mats with special badging, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and the MyFord Touch infotainment system. That puts a front-drive XLT so equipped at $ 37,490, far more below the $ 43,565, all-wheel-drive-only Explorer Sport.
In terms of pricing, only the base and Sport models see an increase. The base Explorer’s price jumps $ 585 to $ 31,495, while the Sport’s inflates by $ 995. The XLT and Limited trim levels remain $ 33,795 and $ 38,995, and all-wheel-drive requires an additional $ 2K on every Explorer save for the Sport. Intrigued? The 2015 Explorer goes on sale later this month.
Ford Adds Appearance Package to 2015 Explorer XLT, Other Explorers Get Minor Updates
