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2009 Ford Explorer Review

February 21, 2009

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

the vehicular equivalent of a pair of khaki Dockers
Car and Driver

user friendly layout …make this workaday SUV feel a little more upscale
Edmunds.com

Interior sports more angular styling along with several new features
Kelley Blue Book

The 2009 Ford Explorer’s five-door SUV styling is clean and uncluttered, while the interior is among the best Ford has ever produced.

Noting that over 5.5 million Explorers have been sold, Car and Driver reports that Ford Explorers "are so ubiquitous—and so conservatively styled—that few of us even see them anymore" and likens the Ford Explorer 2009 to "the vehicular equivalent of a pair of khaki Dockers." All of the 2009 Ford Explorer's three trims, which Edmunds lists as "XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited trim levels," feature largely similar external styling, with the only real variations being different-size wheels and "a chrome four-bar grille" on the XLT versus the "chrome three-bar grille" on the Eddie Bauer and Limited models, according to Cars.com. Kelley Blue Book says both grilles are "inspired by Ford's F-150 pickup," but overall "the 2009 Ford Explorer remains a very obvious descendant of the first Explorer that materialized some 17 years ago."

The interiors of recent Ford Trucks have been the best the company has produced. Details like the trim rings around the gauges and the surprisingly well-designed interior door handle releases show that somebody at Ford is paying attention. Inside the Ford Explorer, 2009 brings an interior that scores well overall with reviewers. Kelley Blue Book notes that the all-around styling of the interior is "more angular" on this Ford Explorer 2009 than on previous models, which most reviewers appreciate. Other than those few gripes, the 2009 Ford Explorer wins praise from Edmunds for its "user-friendly layout" and "sharp two-tone color schemes" that "make this workaday SUV feel a little more upscale."

Conclusion

The 2009 Ford Explorer’s styling is friendly and inoffensive.

STYLING | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:the vehicular equivalent of a pair of khaki DockersCar and Driveruser friendly layout …make this workaday SUV feel a little more upscaleEdmunds.comInterior sports more angular styling along with several new featuresKelley Blue Book The 2009 Ford Explorer’s five-door SUV styling is clean and uncluttered, while the interior is among the best Ford has ever produced. Noting that over 5.5 million Explorers have been sold, Car and Driver reports that Ford Explorers "are so ubiquitous—and so conservatively styled—that few of us even see them anymore" and likens the Ford Explorer 2009 to "the vehicular equivalent of a pair of khaki Dockers." All of the 2009 Ford Explorer's three trims, which Edmunds lists as "XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited trim levels," feature largely similar external styling, with the only real variations being different-size wheels and "a chrome four-bar grille" on the XLT versus the "chrome three-bar grille" on the Eddie Bauer and Limited models, according to Cars.com. Kelley Blue Book says both grilles are "inspired by Ford's F-150 pickup," but overall "the 2009 Ford Explorer remains a very obvious descendant of the first Explorer that materialized some 17 years ago." The interiors of recent Ford Trucks have been the best the company has produced. Details like the trim rings around the gauges and the surprisingly well-designed interior door handle releases show that somebody at Ford is paying attention. Inside the Ford Explorer, 2009 brings an interior that scores well overall with reviewers. Kelley Blue Book notes that the all-around styling of the interior is "more angular" on this Ford Explorer 2009 than on previous models, which most reviewers appreciate. Other than those few gripes, the 2009 Ford Explorer wins praise from Edmunds for its "user-friendly layout" and "sharp two-tone color schemes" that "make this workaday SUV feel a little more upscale." ConclusionThe 2009 Ford Explorer’s styling is friendly and inoffensive.  2009 FORD EXPLORER STYLING | [8 out of 10] Car and Driver: "the vehicular equivalent of a pair of khaki Dockers" Edmunds.com: "user friendly layout …make this workaday SUV feel a little more upscale" Kelley Blue Book: "Interior sports more angular styling along with several new ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

If you need a rugged and incredibly capable SUV, the 2009 Ford Explorer is a good choice. The editors of TheCarConnection.com think it's a much better choice than its traditional competitors from General Motors, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. These models haven't changed significantly in many years, and the Explorer’s interior is leagues ahead. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a worthy competitor to the 2009 Explorer if you don't need the extra room the Ford provides. The Jeep only seats five, but it is far better than the Explorer off road. The Kia Borrego is an all-new truck-based offering.

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See the Ford Explorer in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (1 total)

  1. By devin duda #1, Posted: 7/7/2009

    the eddie bauer ford explorer is just simply the best suv on the road today. we drive a 2000 ford explorer xlt and it runs like new and still looks great. Besides just think about it the ford explorer was the first ever suv in america!! rock on ford!!!!

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