Used 2015 Ford Explorer Consumer Reviews
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Premium SUV without premium price
john adams, 02/23/2016
updated 03/10/2021
2015 Ford Explorer 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
49 of 51 people found this review helpful
Expert commentary on limited legroom is wrong. With almost 40 inches of legroom in second row and 33 inches in third row you have the upper end of leg room for this size vehicle. Additionally. second row is adjustable. Plenty of space for storage with 3rd seat down and useful space with it up. Bucket seats for second seat allows access to 3rd row without having to fold seats. Push button option for folding 2nd and 3rd row seats makes configuration simple. Ingress to and egress of vehicle is very easy. Limited model has practical options to include heated and cooled front seats and heated second row seats. Push button folding rear view mirrors helps in tight parking spaces. Back up camera great size. Ride is smooth, comfortable, and quiet. Gas mileage is low to mid-20's in combination of city and highway driving. Brakes are solid. Functionality of design, ease of driving, and excellent ride are hard combination to beat and continue to impress with age. While competitors may have one or two features that stand out more than the Explorer, few are able to optimize the real world usefulness that this car has. Routine maintenance and two recalls in 70,000 miles. Our concern in buying car was the technology of vehicle which some reviewers said was difficult to use, non-intuitive, etc. As two 70 plus year old non-techs, we have been pleased with the ease with which we have learned to use what we want and need. While we may not use all the tech features, the ones we use daily have been helpful in driving the vehicle and easy to use, particularly the large screen back up camera and phone connectivity.
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Awesome concept but I must have gotten a lemon
Eddie, 04/15/2016
updated 10/27/2016
2015 Ford Explorer Limited 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
48 of 51 people found this review helpful
I test drove a bunch of SUVs in this class during my search and I must say the overall design and appeal of Explorer captured my attention and made it stand out. I test drove a fully equipped sport edition first and while I absolutely loved the performance of EcoBoost, it lacked some safety features such as lane assist or blind spot monitoring and only came in AWD, which here in Phoenix area isn't needed much. So I opted for Limited Edition for its safety/equipment/price and settled for the somewhat mediocre performance of the regular 3.5L V6. Purchase process was smooth and I drove off the lot at Bell Ford in Phoenix same day. First few days were fine and I bragged to everyone I know how much I love the vehicle. Engine performance was nothing to write home about, but brakes were great, instrumentation and sound system were great, the vehicle was very roomy even with 7 in the car. 3rd row is one of the most spacious in the class for sure. Overall ride quality is very nice. Ride softness could be improved as during otherwise very quiet operation one could feel every crack in the pavement. But that stiffness gave it very stable ride, which is a great plus on highways and in tight turns. My whole family loved the car! Now the bad - At around 700 miles things went south and have been deteriorating since. I spent years working on cars when I was younger, and bought / sold many in the last 25 or so years of driving. So I may feel the car a bit more than an average driver but I don't consider myself picky when it comes to overall performance of any vehicle. I don't normally look for perfection but what I started experiencing is something completely off. The transmission began slipping from second to third gear, pretty badly at that too. It felt like the definition of slippage. Torque was almost completely lost while shifting from second to third gear, RPM would shoot up another 1000 or so, and then the gear would re-engage a second later. I'm not heavy footed either, by any stretch of imagination. And the tranny would do this at any level, higher or lower RPM, gunning or taking it easy. I brought the car to Bell Ford for inspection at 800 miles and after a day in the shop was told that no issues were found. I drove off and given that it's all under warranty continued driving as-is. Things, got worse with milage and soon more symptoms of trouble were apparent. Transmission would jolt and jerk shifting during very easy driving shifting from second to third, and even later in the stack from 4th to 5th. Slippage still occurs to this day although a lot more prominent while cold and less when hot. Jerking and kicking happens at any temperature. I took the car to another dealer at 10K - Peoria Ford, after leaving the car there for two days while paying for my own rental, I was told the specialist could not re-create any of the issues I mentioned :(. This was the last draw as even my 10 year old could sense the abnormal, unpredictable behavior with the tranny while riding around with me. My wife refuses to drive the car now altogether. I'm afraid to drive it long distances. I just drove to Denver and back and after couple of hours on the freeway if I got off to get food or gas, the transmission shifting issues were more pronounced than ever. The slipping, hesitation, jolting got worse. I'm not sure where to go from here but I would hesitate to ever buy another ford given the dealer support and expertise I received so far. This is actually my second run-in with Ford transmission issues as I had problems with a 2011 Taurus I owned before with very similar issues but at around 55K miles. But all that is for another review. Update 10/27/16 with 26K miles: Transmission issues persist but two different dealers could not identify it, so we're still driving it around until it completely dies, which seams to be the only way for Ford to "look into" it. I'm really starting to dislike the Sync system as it's getting slower and less responsive with age. Every touch takes one to few seconds to respond, and since 95% of all function manipulation is through Sync touch system, it really gets to you after a while. I know on 2016 models they improved instrumentation with more real buttons for stereo, climate, seats...etc, but the '11-15 gen is all touch. A very recent new development (haven't had a chance to have our dealer look into this) - every once in a while I'll start the car, and as soon as gear is shifted to R the moonroof opens, literrally slides back by itself with no input whatsoever. I just close it and move on with my life for now, but it's certainly one of the weirdest things I've experienced with this car. Now the good - milage per gallon is still great, around 21MPG mixed driving, which is awesome for this size vehicle. It is still very comfy for long drives. Mountain driving in steep hills is a bit challenging still due to engine performance, but overall our long drives to CA, northern AZ, CO, NV, NM were all fun.
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Surprisingly efficient and fun
edp5, 09/15/2014
2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
66 of 71 people found this review helpful
We just drove our 2015 Ford Explorer XLT on an 800 mile trip. The ride is very comfortable for a 6 foot tall 200 pound driver. Lots of room and support in the seat. The touch controls took a little getting used to the sensitivity but once that was accomplished they are intuitive and easy to operate. Without studying the owners manual in detail I was able to operate everything except the windshield washer button which I found after reading the manual. The car rides and handles very well at highway speeds and on twisting roads. The gas mileage averaged 23.4 mpg for the trip. The ride was quiet and conversations were easily conducted at all times.
Best Car for your money
aggiewife, 03/17/2015
2015 Ford Explorer Limited 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
39 of 43 people found this review helpful
I traded in my 2008 Honda Odyssey for the new 2015 Explorer Limited and boy do I love it! As much as I loved the function of the minivan, I was ready for something "cooler". It was really hard finding a midsize SUV that could compete with the space of the minivan and believe me I looked! I was just about sold on the Toyota Highlander, but then I decided to look at the Explorer. I'm so glad I did because there is a lot more room in the back and the seats are much more comfortable. With 3 children, I had to have something with 3 rows up all the time. It is extremely fun to drive and the boys on my son's baseball team fight over who gets to ride with us. I'm finally a "cool" mom! :)
ownership 2015 Ford Explorer
Vaughn Vitez, 09/24/2015
updated 09/26/2018
2015 Ford Explorer Limited 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
46 of 52 people found this review helpful
I purchased new, a 2015 Ford Explorer Limited. This is my 18th Ford Vehicle, my second Ford SUV. Ford's just keep getting better. I'm a 6'4 male driver, and have no complaints with this SUV. Entry and exit is roomy and once inside, seat belted in, I'm very comfortable in the leather, air and heated individual seats with great visibility in front, side, and rear windows. Driving position is comfortable and all the limited features are very nice. Climate control, adjustable seat, steering wheel, foot pedals, window controls and center console covered storage bin are well placed and well thought of. The driver position of all controls can be set to three other drivers without having to readjust driver positions from one person to another person. When the engine is shut-off, the drivers seat automatically retracts for easier exiting. The voice activated controls is well received for driver control. The radius monitoring keeps a watch full "eye" of objects surrounding the vehicle. The adaptive cruise control keeps Explorer at a safe set distance between the other vehicle in front. Also, the cross traffic collision avoidance system is a great aid. Entertainment system with either stereo or surround sound is so appreciative of those that enjoy listening to music as music was intended to be heard. Surround sound is the way to go using the benefits of the 12 speakers placed strategy through-out the vehicle. The driver alertness monitoring signal sets off a tone to advise the driver to pull off and take a break when it detects less driver alertness. The new 2015 Ford Explorer is a well defined vehicle for driver and passenger enjoyment. The engineers at Ford have put the driver and safety to the top of the "list" of ownership and drivability of the 2015 family member of Ford. I forgot to mention how quiet the interior is on all types of road pavements. And the automatic windshield wipers adjusting to the amount of wetness and vehicle speed is also a great plus along with the automatic headlight dimming from high beam to low, then back to high beam. Thank-you Ford!!
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Cosmetic issues they refuse to admit
Jonathan, 03/18/2019
2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Paint is bubbling off of the hood. Ford refuses to cover it stating the corrosion does not go all the way through. The upholstery on the passenger door has started to come off of the door.
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What a ride!
Chaz, 09/21/2015
updated 03/21/2017
2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
14 of 16 people found this review helpful
Bought this to replace 2012 Chrysler 300. Needed more room on road trips. The ride is excellent and as good as the Chrysler 300 which was great. Drove through driving rain on recent trip and this SUV was solid and no wind buffeting when you pass Tractor Trailers! For a mid size SUV, the ride and lack of wind noise is excellent. The Sync system works great and the Ac configuration is well thought out. The ac will freeze you out. I also own a 2002 Ford a Explorer which still runs great! The 2015 Explorer is a great SUV and will not disappoint you! With 10,000 miles on Explorer it still impresses me with its quiet and smooth ride. It is excellent on the highway!
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Drives Like A Sports Car
dngrwill, 08/18/2014
2015 Ford Explorer Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl Turbo 6A)
39 of 48 people found this review helpful
We just purchased a 2015 Explorer Sport. Surprised at the power and the launch speed. Even more surprised at the vehicles agility. The sport version drives like our Accord Coupe V6 but has a great amount of room. Ford has upgraded the leather they use (YEAH!) and the in-dash buttons look fantastic and are easy to use. My wife is thrilled with the purchase (her car) and keeps saying how nice it is to have an SUV again.
Fits family and budget
Dave fulkerson, 01/25/2016
updated 07/30/2018
2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
After 3 years of ownership there's nothing not to like about our Explorer. We haul kids, camping gear and sports gear long and short distances very comfortably. There is no reason to pay $50000 - $100000 for a quality family utility vehicle. The cost of ownership makes the Explorer a much better choice than the foreign snob-mobiles. We recently traveled 3500 miles round trip on vacation 70-75 mph highway travel. We go 25 mpg. Very good for a mid size SUV.
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I wish I Didn't
Sdeva, 03/30/2020
2015 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle at 99,000 when I stopped in a ford dealer to inquire about trading my 2008 Toyota, Highlander that had 250,000 miles. I am used to my Toyota cars getting well over the 200k mark so with the salesman telling me the Ford Explorers are the longest running SUVs I felt sure I could get a few years at least another 100k out of it. BIG mistake. When I bought it I noticed how when the car is running and I have a passenger get out of front passenger side what to me sounds like the engine revs. I toke it back a few weeks later to the Rtown Ford to have it checked along with brakes the created a massive amount if brake dust. I was under the initial dealer warranty and was told they didn't hear anything and the brakes where fine. Fast forward 8 months to my 1st oil change outside their complimentary so I went to another dealer and of course they recommend brakes and 3 weeks after that I can't go into reverse...the first time I tried and went forward again the car sounded like the whole bottom was going to fall out and when I call the dealer the Preston warranty that came with them certifying the car only covers engine. So I'm driving forward until I can't anymore. This will be my last Ford.
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