The Chevy Traverse is doing extremely well: sales of the large crossover have increased 20 percent in the first nine months of 2018 (see running Traverse sales). But the Bow Tie brand’s largest crossover will soon face a totally overhauled 2020 Ford Explorer – its primary rival in the full-size CUV segment.
Interestingly, the Explorer has been outselling the Traverse nearly two-fold (when factoring in sales of its police derivative – the Police Interceptor Utility). In the first nine months of 2018, combined sales of the Explorer and its police variant totaled 196,870, which is nearly twice as much as the Traverse’s 106,998 units (see running Ford Explorer sales).
Sales Numbers - Chevy Traverse vs. Ford Explorer - Jan-Sep 2018 - USA
| MODEL | SEP 18 / SEP 17 | SEPTEMBER 18 | SEPTEMBER 17 | YTD 18 / YTD 17 | YTD 18 | YTD 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRAVERSE | -8.15% | 10,969 | 11,943 | +20.41% | 106,998 | 88,864 |
| EXPLORER | -0.68% | 18,769 | 18,898 | -1.62% | 171,416 | 174,247 |
| POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY | +11.65% | 2,578 | 2,309 | +2.69% | 25,454 | 24,787 |
Now, our sister site – Ford Authority – just caught up to a prototype of the upcoming 2020 Ford Explorer as it was undergoing testing with minimal camouflage. The spy photos show that the design of the future Explorer will continue to be similar to that of the current model. The big news, however, is not the design. Instead, it’s the platform: the next iteration of Ford’s full-size CUV will be underpinned by a rear-drive platform – one that will also serve as the basis for the upcoming Lincoln Aviator and next-gen Ford Mustang.
That’s a notable differentiator when compared to the front-drive-based Chevrolet Traverse. In fact, every crossover from Chevrolet and GM currently on sale rides on front-drive architectures. Now, we’re not necessarily recommending that the platform, along with its drive wheels and engine orientation, will serve as major purchase considerations for crossover buyers.
http://fordauthority.com/2018/11/new-spy-shots-are-our-best-look-yet-at-2020-explorer/
However, a RWD-based platform typically translates to two characteristics that consumers will actually see and feel: superior driving dynamics (such as ride and handling attributes) as well as a higher towing capacity. Those two factors could be enough to sway consumers toward the 2020 Ford Explorer and away from the Traverse. In fact, those advantages are delivered by the Jeep Grand Cherokee – America’s best-selling crossover SUV.
Stay tuned to see whether Ford’s all-new 2020 Explorer will present a bigger threat to the Traverse than the current Explorer. In the meantime, head on over to Ford Authority for the latest Explorer spy shots.
Comments
I don’t see RWD as having the same benefit here as it will have for Ford’s premium brand. I think the new Lincoln Aviator is going to be a terrific vehicle that will simply be in another league from Cadillac’s Lamda-based XT6. Aviator will have the driving dynamics and style to put it in the same stratosphere as BMW, Mercedes, Land Rover while Cadillac will be trudging along with another chromed-out rebody of a mainstream FWD product. Whether Ford needs to go back to RWD for Explorer though is debatable. It seems that RWD has become the differentiator between mainstream and premium in many markets including SUVs. I guess it won’t hurt but while I see RWD as vital to Aviator, I see it as merely nice to have.
It’s also nice to see that the new Explorer and the Aviator seemingly will not share body panels.
Lambda is not a thing anymore. It’s called C1, or chi.
Cadillac will have its own rear drive crossover above XT6… something the Aviator won’t be able to touch. The segment that the XT6 and Aviator will compete in don’t place importance on drive wheels. The segment above does.
No matter what GM’s internal code is, it’s still another re-bodied Traverse built from the original Lamba FWD platform.
As far as Cadillac having a rear-drive crossover above the XT6, I wouldn’t count on it.
Wasn’t this the same type of negativity we saw/heard before the XT4 came out?
Don’t a judge a book by its cover, or for that matter; a FWD car that actually turned out with great driving dynamics.
Also, I think that with the next gen Escalade growing in size, and the the XT6 being quite a bit smaller then the current Traverse, I believe that there will be a RWD based Omega CUV between the two.
If you ask me, XT4 was and is a huge disappointment. It was supposed to herald the rebirth of Cadillac and be the first product built on Johan de Nysschen’s watch. We were lead to believe it would be a landmark product that would set new standards for the brand and influence all of the future Cadillacs which would quickly begin making appearances at six month intervals. In reality, XT4 was more of the same and broke no new ground design-wise, failed to raise the bar on interior quality and offers a sole, uninspiring engine choice. Times up too on the new Cadillac every six months promise.
XT4 is precisely why there is negativity. The negativity here ratcheted-up in April when Lincoln showed their Aviator and Cadillac unveiled the XT4. Both debuted at the New York auto show and the former was way more than anyone was expecting while the latter was another over-hyped disappointment from Cadillac.
I have heard that there are more RWD SUVs on the way from Ford (in addition to the Bronco) but this one still looks FWD to me…
I guess the A-post may be moved back, but it still looks FWD to me.
The 2020 Explorer will be rear drive. There is no question about that. The author even gave you a useful link
http://fordauthority.com/fmc/ford/ford-explorer/2020-ford-explorer/
How can you tell if its FWD by looking at the body? You must be a rocket scientist
Generally, FWD and AWD-front bias vehicles have their A-pillars closer to the drive wheels resulting from the position of their transverse engine placement.
RWD vehicles, because their engines are longitudinal, don’t need to have their front wheels so close to the A-pillar to meet engine packaging demands, thus the wheels are placed further ahead.
So, no, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to tell if a car is FWD or RWD. You just need to look carefully at the front wheels and extrapolate how the cars’ engine would likely be positioned under the hood.
There are few exceptions, like the Scion iQ where the engine placement is backwards for packaging reasons, and many rear-mid engine sports cars put the cabin as close to the front wheels as possible, but it’s a reliable rule of thumb that anyone can apply.
Totally true but some carmakers camouflage FWD better than others; Mazda is an example.
I forgot about Mazda, who seem to have perfected the ability give a FWD car near RWD proportions; the 3 and the 6 particularly.
The CX-3 and CX-6, not so much.
Yes, it’s the Mazda3 and Mazda6 specifically that I was thinking of. I don’t understand why if GM insists on using a FWD platform like Epsilon II for a Cadillac that they can’t at least try and hide the car’s origins better. The XTS has utterly horrible FWD proportions. They are the worst that I can recall. The wheelbase is too short, the rear overhang too long, the hood much too short with the A-Pillar essentially over the front wheels. If tiny Mazda can camouflage FWD then why cant mighty GM.
Cause longer wheelbases and wheels placed forward really cut into agility. You do want to parallel park this thing. Most smaller Cadillacs are purchased by city drivers who love a vehicle that’s easy to parallel park. It was a platform designed for parallel parking and that is it’s consequence
Will it be more affordable???? The current explorer is Gastly “Cher” when outfitted properly it makes sense to buy the more spacious and robust Tahoe than the low sitting oversized car explorer. Besides the premier and high country trims, the traverse is a great quality buy. My parents own one and have towed campers to Florida multiple time as well as navigated our farm roads. I can’t complain. I would always prefer rear wheel drive, but what will this explorer cost? If you want the best, lingenfelter can mod a Escalade, cheapest, a Suzuki jimmy. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
Thats supposed to be “new”?
If you told me it was a 2008, I’d believe you.
The current Explorer looks more modern than this 2020 mule. Everything looks dated – side profile, the vanilla headlights and boring, blocky tail lights
I have a 2011 Traverse and it is JUNK. I have never had so many problems with a newer vehicle as I have in these last several years. The headlights burn out every 8 months, there are constant chech engine / emissions problems. I would gladly buy a rear wheel drive Ford product. I was a big fan of the 1984 – 1989 Chevy Caprice but they were made out of such inferior steel that rusted to hell very quickily. Please… somebody bring back a full sized, rear wheel drive car with a nice roomy cloth bench seat !
You might as well throw all your cash into a pile and burn it. The 3.5 Ecoboost used in the Explorer is still as unreliable and awful as it was back when it landed in the Taurus SHO. Constant misfires, stalling, and timing chain/VVT issues. There are still a shocking number of reports of exhaust fumes in the cabin too. It also gets a lot of complaints for transmission issues too.
Ford;s biggest obstacle is to price their new Explorer to be competitive with the Chevrolet Traverse without going bankrupt because Ford’s Explorer is $3-4,000 more expensive than the Chevrolet Traverse and will need to drop their price to match the Traverse or possibly going lower without losing money which will be a big hurdle.
Rear wheel drive is more durable for police work. FWD explores require a lot of rebuilding front ends after things like running up on curbs. So it’s my guess, it was done to satisfy police departments.
Not much of a change.
RWD has aided FCA, will do the same for Ford. FoMoCo is aiming to be a Jeep rival; meanwhile, Chevy and GMC both chase Toyota, Honda.
Traverse is beautiful but needs to be RWD. There is no excuse for the poor Chevy sales. Meanwhile GMC should be presenting a Cowboy Cadillac and that something attacks Jeep while offering the style and character of Land Rover. GM still holding the Hummer and Humvee names could aid too.
I’d take this over the fwd Chevy anyday. RWD proportions alway look awesome. Fwd sucks in terms of proportions. Fwd cars must be banned because they look ugly as hell.
BTW, have u seen the new RR evoques interior? The pics are all over the Internet now. It’s the smallest and cheapest RR. Now compare it to the cheap and boring looking interior of the xt4. The sad thing is that the fwd xt6 interior will get the same bs. Xt6 will be outclassed by the RWD aviator. Because cadillac and gm are ruled by the idiots. Oh,ct5 has the xt4 interior too. Uckin stupid bean counters
Uh I’m not seeing anything new here. Instead it looks like something from about 10 years ago. Sorry Ford but you caused me to yawn yet again!
Ford has some of the most boring looking cars, trucks, and SUVs. I don’t understand how they can get the mustang and raptor right, but everything else they make is lame.