After renting a new 2002 Ford Explorer XLT 4 door four wheel drive for a long weekend road trip to detroit, all I can say is "wow!". This vehicle is very different from the models before it.

I owned a 1991 Ford Explorer XLT 4 door four wheel drive for 5 years, it was even the same color as the rental! So I often made comparisons from the new 2002 to my old 1991. You can't even really compare the 2.

Sure, they accomplish the same basic mission, and appeal to the same group of buyers as the explorer did back in 1991 (that same group of buyers have made it the best selling SUV since it first came out), but the new 2002 is a much better vehicle.

It is much roomier inside, so much room infact, that they added a small third row of seats for when you need to carry up to 7. My son and I were just as comofrtable at the end of the tiring 6 hour turnpike journey as we were when we started out, so the cloth seats are very comfy.

The newer SOHC V6 has 215 horsepower and is powerful enough to move the heavy explorer at a resonable pace, and it is more fuel efficent than the optional 4.6 litre V8. My old explorer's 150 horsepower OHV V6 was a dog, however it was reliable (unlike the transmission). The V6 was also quiet and ran smoothly the whole trip.

The handling is incredible for an explorer. It felt very much like a taurus, but with a higher seating position. This is one slight complaint I had. While it was enjoyable for a road trip, I only use my SUV (1998 Licoln navigator)once in a while, mainly when I have to carry some people comfortably, when the snow falls, or when I want to offroad a bit. I would not like the explorer much as my main SUV becasue it felt too wussy and car-like, bu the masses will LOVE that! My old explorer was a truck thru-and-thru.

While the comparison may have not been that fair, i like the new explorer. It is a great car/truck hybrid.



Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 28,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: silver XLT 4 door 4WD