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Budd Stanley photos
Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
In Platinum trim, the Explorer spoils its passengers.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
Taking shots at the Biathlon range in Whistler.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
Finding the Explorers clearance limits up near Callaghan Lake.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
The front skirt held up to some decent abuse.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
Front cameras with washer nozzles are excellent features when off-road.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
On the road to Seton Portage.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
The Explorer is not a true off-roader, but it will take you on a proper overland adventure.
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Gone Exploring - 2016 Ford Explorer
Weather clearing at Carpenter Lake.
Story & photos by Budd Stanley
Guns, ghost towns and overland adventure in the 2016 Ford Explorer
The 2016 Ford Explorer has been on the market for a while now and I missed the original launch of the vehicle back in May (as I was on the other side of the planet). I’d just set foot in Canada and I got a call telling me I needed to be in Vancouver to partake in an epic cross-continent adventure with the new 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum. Adventure, I’m always up for an adventure.
Unfortunately, the epic route from Vancouver to Calgary, then down the continental divide to Albuquerque, New Mexico, had several legs dividing each wave of journalists. So, a quick one-day drive from Vancouver to Kamloops was what I had on the menu. It’s still an extraordinary route that takes travellers on epic mountain roads through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery.
Before I get to the drive, lets talk about the new Explorer. Redesigned for 2016, the new Explorer still exudes many of the characteristics from the massive revamping it went through in 2011. Major design changes have given the Explorer a bolder new face, but I must say, I like the old one better. A new luxury trim level has been added, seen here in the Platinum Edition I am driving, which tops the Base, XLT and Sport with a starting price of $58,599 plus a $1,690 destination and delivery charge. That rather hefty charge for a family based SUV gets you a Nirvana quilted leather interior, heated steering wheel, Sony’s new 500-watt premium stereo, a massive number of smart and usable driver assist technologies, 180-degree forward and rear camera views with washers, a dash brimming with high-resolution graphic readouts and technology and a 365 hp 3.5L V-6 EcoBoost standard.
For the rest of the Explorer lineup, other than some fancy new wheels and trim updates, the biggest change comes in the form of the new 2.3L 4-cylinder EcoBoost that has been lifted out of the new Mustang and drop kicks the old anemic 2.0L EcoBoost that had previously resided in the lower trim engine bays.
Well acquainted with my new chariot, Ford gave us the rundown for the days adventure, and it was just that, go have an adventure. Usually a media drive is tightly scheduled down to every minute with crews given route book to ensure they drive a certain route and arrive at predetermined locations at specific times. This was not the usual media launch. Ford simply gave us a Visa card with $150 for food, gas and entrance fees, and told us to be in Kamloops by 8:00 pm. We were pointed vaguely up the Sea to Sky highway and given a brochure that hinted at tourist locations along the way that may be of interest to the American lifestyle, tech and mommy bloggers that made up the vast majority of the media corp. It would be like a tourist scavenger hunt, what adventure could you find.
Luckily, I teamed up with a hunting journalist that wanted to see the “real” British Columbia, which was my plan all along. No first time visitor should bypass a trip to Whistler, however once beyond the lifestyles of the rich and famous, the plan was to head off the map. It was our goal to bring back the Explorer caked with as much dirt as humanly possible and with more kilometres than anyone else.
With a very low cloud ceiling and typically epic wet coast rainfall, we B-lined out of Vancouver, bypassing several hinted stops. I was able to open up the Explorer once we passed Horseshoe Bay, and the 3.5L EcoBoost was more than happy to spark to life. Turbos spool up almost instantaneously, but it is clear that the Explorer is a rather heavy lump to get moving. Three rows of seating matched with a ton of luxury appointments and tech makes the Explorer a plumpy 2,218 kg (4,890 lb).
The ride was sublime; the suspension soaked up any road imperfections and produced a bit of body roll in the corners to let you know how fast you were going. If you didn’t have your eyes glued to the speedo, you really couldn’t feel whether you were travelling at 50 kmh or 110. A bit dangerous with the local authorities, but a very good indicator of the level of refinement Ford have put into the Explorer. You also feel very connected to the vehicle while driving. The driving position is low inside the body giving the driver good communication to the chassis while not sacrificing the view of the road.
With epic rains, we decided to make a couple suggested stops at some iconic waterfalls on the Sea to Sky. The heavy runoff meant that Shannon and Brandywine falls would be flowing at maximum capacity, and the small hikes were well worth the stop. A trip up to the Olympic Park was also a pleasant surprise.
The national Biathlon team had been training that day on roller blades, and visitors can get in on the action as well. $10 gets you a 5-round magazine in a .22 calibre Olympic Biathlon competition rifle on the same range that the Olympians used back in 2010. I managed to hit all five targets (11.5cm (4.5in) in diameter) while lying prone on the ground 50 m down range. The athletes need to hit those targets standing after strenuous exercise, followed by 4.5 cm (1.77 in) diameter target lying prone. Needless to say, I have an all-new respect for the sport of Biathlon.
After introducing my new American hunting buddy to Canadian shooting, we jumped on the Callaghan Lake Road to finally give the Explorer a good coat of mud. Callaghan was an unmaintained, but good condition 4WD road that tested the Explorers suspension on the never ending potholes, and its clearances on some easy waterbars and washouts. The Explorer soaked up the potholed road beautifully, able to hold an impressive 40-50 kph speed. The ruts and waterbars were a little more of a challenge to the Explorers 2,866 mm (112.8-in) wheelbase and 191 mm (7.5 in) of ground clearance. Rather easy obstacles had to be tackled slowly and the Explorers overhangs chirped some complaints in entry and exit. However, the front skirt is one of the best in the business, taking a mouth full of BC road base and popping back into position with no effects or evidence. The clearances suck, but the skirt lets you get away with much more than you would think.
After a close bear encounter in the woods that got my hunting partner excited, we blew through Whistler and deviated from the map just after Pemberton. The Highline Route to Seton Portage was the plan, taking us high into the mountains above Anderson Lake. The rally stage for a road suited the Explorer just right. The 4WD system saw us climb the steep mountainside with no tire spin and some excursions up cut block and power line trails were handled with ease. The camera system was invaluable when making U-turns at the end of tight trails. The 9-point turnarounds became 5, and when the cameras were muddy, we simply sprayed them clean thanks to the available washers. These little details really make the difference when your out in the mud and pouring rain.
Unloading a couple wheels on some challenging slips, we flicked through the Explorers Terrain Management System. With modes for sand, mud and snow, the system works quite well in slippery conditions to gain traction. However, the Explorers limited ground clearance and street focused tires create a weakness that really makes the system redundant in any kind of “off-road” situation. For the roads we were driving – steep, loose, muddy and rutted service roads - the system and vehicle performed flawlessly and predictably.
Arriving in Seton Portage, we now had a proper layer of mud caking the entire vehicle. After passing through town and the massive water pipes that run down the mountain, we climbed up the seriously muddy Penstock Access Road over the mountain range to Carpenter Lake. Crossing over the dam, we took in some ghost towns on the west side of Carpenter (see 4WDrive volume 17, issue 6) before back tracking out through the sheer cliff canyons towards Lillooet.
Getting late in the day, we jumped back on the requested route, to Cashe Creek, before exploring some familiar rally stage roads on the final push into Kamloops.
It was truly a proper 14-hour driving adventure. No tourist shopping or attractions, just a good dose of overlanding the great outdoors. The Explorer handled itself quite respectably over the varied road and weather conditions. Unfortunately, its weight takes a rather high toll on its efficiency. On the highway, we were able to slightly better the advertised 10.7L/100km fuel efficiency rating. In the city, we averaged 16.1L/100km and around 14L/100km combined with a lot of highway, hills and FSR’s. Is the Explorer a rugged off-roader? No, but it is a very comfortable, very capable utility that can handle family friendly adventures into remote locations a car could never hope to survive.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- MSRP: $62,143
- Price as tested: $31,145
- Engine: 3.5L Turbo V-6
- Power: 365 hp, 350 lb-ft
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic
- Curb Weight: 2,015 kg (4,442 lb)
- Wheelbase: 2,866 mm (113 in)
- Ground Clearance: 191 mm (7.5 in)
- Approach Angle Deg: 20.3
- Departure Angle Deg: 21.3
- Ramp Breakover Angle: 16.5
- Wading Depth: 483 mm (19 in)
- Tow Capacity: 2,267 kg (2,000 lb)
- Fuel Efficiency (L/100km): 14.9 City, 10.7 Highway, 13.0 Combined