Used 2017 Ford Explorer Consumer Reviews
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Great value
Dan, 10/13/2017
updated 10/20/2023
2017 Ford Explorer XLT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
108 of 110 people found this review helpful
Costs thousands less than comparable cars from other companies. Roomy, comfortable, drives nice. Great for hauling kids, pets, and stuff around. Super in the winter snow. The XLT version with a few options get's you 99% of the higher priced versions at far less cost. The standard engine power is excellent - no reason to "upgrade". My only minor concerns are the drivers left foot room is limited by the wheel well, and access to the third row seat is clumsy but workable. Update 4/18: I have had the car for 18 months and 29,000 miles now. Nothing but oil changes! Great car, much better than the 2 Mercedes I owned previously. Update 10/18: 37,000 miles and zero repairs needed. Quiet, great power, good utility for kids and stuff. The modern day family station wagon, with all wheel drive for snow. Update 4/20 Over 50,000 miles now. Replaced the battery and cleaned up corroded battery cables, oil and filter changes, no problems. I don’t need a family sized car any longer, but keeping this one because it has been so good. Still looks new inside and out. Update 10/20: No problems, car works perfectly. Still like-new inside and out. I saw reports in the internet about power transfer unit (transfer case) fluid overheating and turning into sludge. I replaced my fluid DIY, which was easy. Owners should do this to prevent a problem. Update 10/23: Ex-wife got the car 🙁.
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Slick, quick, and legit
mminitti, 01/10/2017
2017 Ford Explorer Platinum 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl Turbo 6A)
51 of 52 people found this review helpful
This SUV has it all. A punchy V6 that acts quickly and behaves as billed. It is fast and responsive! The torque is great. It's MPG is a bit underwhelming, but what it lacks in efficiency, it makes up in performance and agility. I've never been disappointed in the engine's performance when I have needed it. The ride is amazing as well. There is virtually no cabin noise, even at speed in excess of 70 mph on the highway. Parking this beast is a bit tedious. It does feel larger than it actually is, but the external sensors and radar gadgets make parking and maneuvering easy over time. The comfort and luxury of the cabin rivals that of much higher end SUVs. This cabin has it all; heating, cooling, massage, dual zone, memory seating, etc... The ride and driving experience is great. One big downer.. SYNC 3. It still misses on seamless integration and reliable operation. It seems clunky and at times, unresponsive. It also seems to affect the quick response of the vehicle's radar sensors. It's not horrible, but it is an annoyance. All in all, this SUV is insane! Our family cannot be more happy with it.
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Traded my Escalade ESV Premium and MUCH HAPPIER
Jim Keys, 02/06/2017
2017 Ford Explorer Platinum 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl Turbo 6A)
45 of 47 people found this review helpful
After frustration in owning 3 successive Escalades that had the ride of a broken tractor and the ergonomics of a cracked brick, I'm much happier with my Explorer Platinum. The ride is a world better, the human factors engineering is far better and the controls fit me naturally. At 6'6" I was concerned about headroom and shoulder room, but the Explorer comes through in spades. The ride is almost as good as my Lexus LS460 which was my favorite car ever. Despite the Cadillac dealer trying to always convince me that the Escalades shortcomings didn't matter, they mattered to me. After blowing out all 4 shocks of my 18-month old Escalade without hitting anything major. Dealer agreed they've had a lot of suspension problems. Sorry Cadillac, 3rd strike, you're out. Explorer is off to a great start.
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Still loving my Explorer after 2yrs
greatwhiteowl, 10/13/2018
updated 10/18/2021
2017 Ford Explorer Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl Turbo 6A)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
It's my cross country car. Fuel economy was not a priority; I get low 20's mpg. I chose the Explorer because I wanted an AWD car with a big windshield high off the ground. Something with enough space to let me stretch out flat if I want to skip the motel that night. Something fun to drive. My other car is a Porsche and while I didn't expect this to be Porsche-like, I didn't want to drive a boring slug either. The Eco-boost V6 has amazing power with minimal turbo lag and will launch this puppy quite nicely, although if you floor it, you wanna be on top of the torque steer. Steering is unexpectedly quick for a big SUV, and the handling and brakes are surprisingly good. It's very comfortable! Extremely quiet; even the glass has its own sound insulation! It's a nice cockpit with nice materials. I have no issues with the Sync3 head unit, unlike the MyFordTouch offering that people hated in previous models. The sound system is amazing. What I don't like: sometimes Ford thinks it knows what you want better than you do. You can't escape the lights on entry/exit.. guess the designers never went car camping. Sometimes you get a double honk if you did something the sensors didn't expect. Sometimes the sensors do things you don't want, such as opening the rear hatch when you're trying to put on a car cover, or activating the panic button which is way too sensitive. So you're that jerk who is always flashing his lights or honking his horn for no reason. Overall, I love this car and am happy I bought it. UPDATE: Have now owned my Explorer for five years. Still love it. Here are a few criticisms I can offer: 1) The battery was seriously underprovisioned for this car. If you don't drive it all the time, it runs down. If the battery is not fully charged and you use the electronic actuators (move your seats, cycle your moonroof, etc) you may be out of luck when you try to start it again. I now carry a Jump'n'Carry in the car at all times. 2) Ford is a nagging nanny. Listen to the radio for more than 10 minutes with the power off, and the radio shuts off. This is infuriating. They have the battery % charge information; they could use this to leave the radio on longer if there's plenty of charge left, but they don't. If you are sitting in your car watching the sunset, you have to repeatedly turn the radio back on. Also, Ford turns on the cabin light whenever you open the door, whether you want it to or not. Usually I don't. At least give me the option. 3) I wish I could disable the double honk. Even after having owned the car for years, I find it still goes off in unexpected circumstances.. sometimes the doors lock themselves and when you try to open a back door, the alarm goes off. Sometimes you have the key in your pocket and unintentionally trigger the panic button. It's kind of a mess. 4) Make sure after you get an oil change that the mechanic has replaced the shield he removed from under the car in order to access the drain plug and filter. It would be fabulous if Ford had designed the car to allow easy owner oil changes, but no such luck. It is easy for the mechanic to forget to reinstall the shield, and it discourages owner oil changes. 5) I've never had to use the spare tire. But looking at the layout and checking out the directions for doing so, I hope I never do. 6) Don't go on a trip with only one key. If you lose it, you're looking at a tow to the nearest Ford dealer to reprogram you a new key. $$$ Keep an extra key in the car, but wrap it in foil so the car doesn't sense it, and hide it well because whoever finds it can take your car. Overall, the electronic interfaces are in their infancy. Clumsy and far from perfect. Ford (and probably every other car mfr) really needs to put a lot of thought and effort into improving these. Other than that, have to say I still really enjoy driving this beast!
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Is this a Ford or a European SUV.............
Tim, 10/31/2016
2017 Ford Explorer Platinum 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl Turbo 6A)
52 of 56 people found this review helpful
Unbelievable Value. Leased for same price as middle Acura MDX but have Sooooooooo much more! 35-50% cheaper than more expensive brands like Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 and other higher end SUV's but have cheaper insurance, and cheaper property tax (yes we pay yearly property taxes here in Connecticut) Seats are not perfect, could be longer, however the Seat Massage makes you forget about the seat size, AWESOME feature, esp for someone with a bad back. Interior is gorgeous. The radio is outstanding. The engine is powerful, fun, and sporty. In 'D' drives relatively normal, with def spunk. Put it in 'S' and you have yourself a rocket, with some exhaust growl to boot. Very Fun to drive. 450 mile trip yday, avg 21.4 mph. Just an outstanding value if you are looking at Higher End brands, want value, understand more horsepower equals lower mph, and want it all, Platinum is the WAY TO GO. The adaptive cruise control is OUTSTANDING. I thought, gimmick. Awesome feature. Land departure is ok. Blind spot is excellent. Absolutely must test drive the 17 Platinum Explorer!
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