Ford Explore XLT Does It All!
Written: Jan 03 '00 (Updated Jan 14 '00)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Reliability: |
 |
|
| Seat Comfort: |
 |
|
| Build Quality |
|
|
| Handling And Control: |
|
|
|
Pros: gas mileage for a SUV, traction/handling
Cons: not as quiet as a sedan, bumpier ride
|
|
|
| swb's Full Review: 1999 Ford Explorer 4WD |
We are the proud owners of a 1999 Ford Explorer XLT. We purchased it because we wanted a vehilcle that can handle western New York winters, carry two adults and two older teenage sons, and pull a large "pop up" camper trailer. At the same time, I didn't want to sacrifice gas mileage as you do with larger suvs. So far, we have been quite pleased with the Explorer. It pulls our trailer (about 2000 lbs.) without a problem, with only some loss of gas mileage. When not towing, gas mileage averages around fifteen miles per gallon, or slightly better. Although it doesn't have the soft comfortable ride of our old '89 Crown Victoria, the ride quality is pretty good. With the SOHC V6 engine, there is some noticeable engine and road surface noise - nothing more than you would expect with a truck.
The vehicle handles very well and is easy to park and maneuver in parking lots. After driving an extended '94 Aerostar mini-van, the Explorer seems much smaller and easier to navigate. However, we do miss the third passenger seat and the additional cargo space of the larger Aerostar. But, we have taken several longer trips (300 or more miles) with the Explorer and have managed to have enough room for luggage, cooler chest, Christmas packages, etc. When my wife are using the vehicle around town, we love it for size and convenience!
There has been one recall so far - replacement of the secondary hood latch which was handled promptly by the dealer. Just last week, we noticed that cold air seems to be coming in through the left rear door speaker. The dealer corrected this by adding insulation to the door (no charge). Overall, the quality/craftsmanship of the vehicle is quite good.
Overall, if you want a SUV that has decent gas mileage and is smaller than the Expedition, Excursion, or Suburban, the Ford Explorer is a good choice. If you need larger towing capacity, or want more cargo capacity, then you will have to sacrifice gas mileage and go with one of the larger vehicles.
1/14/2000 Update
Well, winter driving has arrived in western NY, and today I found out how well the Explorer handles on slippery, snow-packed roads, and I am very pleased with the results. On roads that were somewhat slippery for my Aerostar, the Explorer felt very stable and would not skid or fishtail when I pushed it a bit. So, I'll update this review again when I get a chance to play in some deep snow!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 28,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 1999
Model and Options: XLT, towing package
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
swb
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
Member: Steve
Location: Wilson, New York
Reviews written: 114
Trusted by: 15 members
About Me:
Retired music teacher. Flautist, guitarist, photographer and rver.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.