2020 Ford Explorer Goes RWD With Chevrolet Traverse In Its Sights
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Ford on Wednesday revealed the next-generation 2020 Ford Explorer, and despite a similar exterior design to the previous model, it’s come gunning for the SUV market and has the Chevrolet Traverse in its sights.
The 2020 Ford Explorer is brand-spanking-new from the ground up and rides on the automaker’s CD6 platform. The architecture moves the Explorer back to rear-wheel drive after years of sharing a platform with the Taurus sedan. It’s not a body-on-frame SUV, but the platform opens up the cabin for more interior space and helps improve towing.
How much greater towing figures? Ford said at its announcement the SUV will tow 5,300 pounds with a Class III Trailer Tow package compared to 3,000 pounds from the current model. The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse can tow up to 5,000 pounds with the 3.6-liter V6 engine.
Elsewhere, the 2020 Explorer brings over a dozen new standard features to the party, including a 2.3L EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission, an 8-inch digital touchscreen with Sync 3 infotainment, a FordPass Connect Wi-Fi service for up to 10 devices, a power liftgate, and a new digital instrument cluster.
The 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder will produce 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque and is standard on the base, XLT, and Limited models. That’s 10 ponies down from the Traverse’s V6 engine, but plenty more torque compared to 266 units of twist.
Inside the new Explorer, it arguably makes the Traverse look archaic. An iPad-like display sits in the center with a digital cockpit in front of the driver. Real buttons and knobs are scattered over the console with a dial to select a gear for the 10-speed automatic transmission. A Terrain Management System also includes numerous driver-selectable modes for both RWD and 4WD models.
And the 2020 Explorer dances around the Chevrolet Traverse in the active safety department. Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 standard suite of active-safety features is, well, standard. It includes pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rearview camera, and automatic headlights with auto high beams. Evasive steering assist, active park assist 2.0 and reverse brake assist are also optional technologies.
Traverse buyers will need to spend thousands more to unlock and standard active safety features. And all of the extra standard goodies come in at just $400 more than the previous starting price for a current-generation Explorer.
The first 2020 Ford Explorer models will roll off of the Chicago assembly plant’s line later this year before they reach dealers in summer 2019. The Chevrolet Traverse has just been placed on notice.
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An iPad and dial gear selector do not make the Traverese’s interior look archaic just the Explorers silly!
the side profile looks excellent. Too bad the front is so underwhelming. Excellent engine combinations though. And What the heck is up with the “you want a big screen, we’ll give you a big screen!” mentality of these new infotainment designs. They literally look like some guy just came in at the last minute and jerryrigged a 12″ tablet to the center of the dash.
The only thing keeping the new Explorer from being perfect is the exterior design. Especially the front end. That grille and headlights is the opposite of satisfying.
The current look was wasted on a front biased platform.
Out of the vehicle reveals I’ve seen thus far, the new Ford Explorer is arguably one of my most anticipated vehicles of this year mainly because of it returning to a rear wheel drive architecture. Very interested in checking out the new Explorer soon. But I’m still waiting for the next generation 2020 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe full-size BOF SUVs to debut, perhaps at the NAIAS later this January. Can’t wait for those too!
Nice RWD proportions. Good job.
Oh, don’t worry guys. There will be holidays on our street too.
Cadillac will show an ultra luxury FWD based XT6 with a huge front overhang and fugly fwd proportions. Yeees!
Yep, you go Cadillac. Blah FWD Chevrollac with the old XT5 Blah interior. That will win and boost the sales numbers. Well may be in China.
Is it me or does the rear 3/4 quarters looks like the last gen Equinox? besides that the interior looks good!
Yes!
Yes, that or a Subaru. I thought exactly the same thing.
I think this will be a home run, from the rwd driving dynamics this should countinue to be a segment leader as it already is I think.
But one thing I like that ford does with pretty much every model is give it powertrain options. With the ST being unveiled on Monday it should be pushing 400 hp and that’s great.
So the author is saying the current fwd Explorer is a failure with more powerful motors and a police model then the Traverse?.
I do like the return of rwd but you need turbos to haul 300lbs more then a Traverse and I doubt it will sell more then the current Explorer but if I want a domestic performance CUV Explorer ST is on the list.
Man i wish GM didn’t suck so bad right now. If they can’t get it right in an age of cheap financing and $1.99 gas they’ll never get it
Yes, because the GM big SUVs can’t compete or outsell Expedition/Navigatior. ?
Less than 10% of the population cares if this thing rear wheel drive. They actually may have alienated themselves from a lot of people. Towing with rear drive only is ok until you get on a slippery ramp and you can’t get out. Going to all wheel drive or 4 wheel drive is going to price this out of reach for many.
I understand may police will be happy with this but the buying public might be a little turned off because in bad weather most people can’t drive a rear wheel car very well. It will sell but I they make the New Escape a serious home run and from the looks its not or GM and others are going to benefit well from the.
Is that what it is 10%. For some reason it seems ALOT MORE than 10 % to me, lets see:
Ford F series
RAM
GM trucks, do you want me to list them all
FCA Durango
FCA Jeep
If you combine all of those, and I might have missed some to me it seems like more than 10%.
If I own a USA truck odds are I want ALL of my vehicles RWD or RWD/AWD.
Sure if you are in a situation where you own 1 vehicle FWD is probably your vehicle.
FCA is eating lunch on ALL the RWD or RWD/AWD.
I’m sure I’m wrong again, as I watch it happen in real time.
GM pay attention your CUSTOMER is calling !!
“O” don’t forget ALL the :
Suburban
Tahoe
And all of those. Still only 10 % ? It just seems like it would be a lot more.
I agree on 10%. Durango is the only one you listed that I think really competes with the Explorer, and I don’t have sales numbers in front of me but I don’t see many on the road. Doesn’t really matter what’s popular in other segments, those aren’t the target buyers.
For the buyer that wants to haul the boat/camper/etc, the rear drive layout will be attractive for the better towing. Beyond that, I don’t see many people really caring, or even preferring the front wheel drive instead. I know theoretically the rear drive will handle better than the front drive traverse but outside of a sports car I don’t think many will be able to notice. Also, I live in Minnesota, no one buys rear wheel only vehicles (except for mustangs, etc that will be summer only cars), so that jacks up the starting price a fair amount in the northern markets. Don’t get me wrong I really like this new Explorer, will be on the short list when we get a new SUV, but I don’t think that means GM is required to follow. Choices for consumers are great, and I think there’s demand for both. They each have their tradeoffs
In 2018, the Durango #s are 65,947, and the Grand Cherokee #s 224,908, so 290,855 and that’s only 2 vehicles look at all FCA. Even the Sedan is selling and it is RWD or RWD/AWD. Just look at all of Jeep, they cant make them fast enough.
Also I have a differing opinion on your what competes with what. We got rid of a Cadillac SRX RWD/AWD and got a Canyon for the mid sized GM 5 seater RWD with the auto AWD or 4X4. Ford will soon have the Ranger and the Bronco, both RWD/AWD. If you combine all the mid sized 5 seater RWD and RWD/AWD its a few, and people want them.
Just because you don’t make things people want doesn’t mean they don’t want them. If GM only makes mid sized FWD based vehicles that doesn’t mean the buyer doesn’t want RWD or RWD/AWD.
I live in South Dakota and we owned a 2004 Cadillac CTS. It is still to this day the BEST GM vehicle I have ever owned and at 140,000 miles zero troubles.( I think it needs a timing chain now) We don’t even drive it anymore I just cant get rid of it, it was such a good car. However in the winter it stayed in the garage because in the snow and ice it went nowhere. And our RWD/AWD Cadillac SRX with the NorthStar was unstoppable in the snow and ice. I preferred it over any vehicle I have ever owned on snow and ice. Just so you have a base of vehicles we now have a 2014 RWD/AWD Cadillac ATS, 2015 GMC Canyon, 2017 GMC HD Denali, and each one of them have had more troubles than both of the old ones.
Nice proportions, handsome design, not over styled, generous powertrains, clean and modern interior, 6” more interior legroom. This thing will be a huge hit!
The old RWD Explorers were always somewhat detached from the road and never what I would call a blast to sling around, and this is still looks like a bloated pig. Are people going to rush out to buy these now because it’s RWD and it’s got a slightly revised grille and tailights? Are soccer moms and Joe Office Man going to give a crap even if this handles like a Corvette? Doubt it. I don’t care for the fact that Lincoln has styled all their products to look identical either, even when they are RWD (which Cadillacs sure the hell ought to be).
As for the iPad sticking out of the dash craze, I think they look kind of cool. But they should retract into the dash, if not all of the way at least most of the way. In fact, you really want to impress me, just build them so you can attach your own iPad. I’m sure it would work out cheaper that way if and when you need to replace it.
I have been saying automakers should just open source the creature comforts for years now. Then the CUSTOMER can buy and replace or switch the pad from vehicle to vehicle. I’m setting at home in my office on my Whatever pad, I get up to drive to a customer , I grab my Whatever pad stick it in my vehicle. Now I control my own custom settings and away you go. If I want a new one every 2 years I get a new one.
Seems simple to me. Now if you have a 4 year old vehicle the pad screen whatever is OLD.
That would be nice. Take your preferences from car to car. Combine that with HUD and steering wheel controls and you’ve got a winner.
Someone tell Ford they accidentally used photos of the 2014 Explorer instead of the 2020…….
Oh, and someone left their iPad on top of the dash during the interior photo shoot……
Seriously, this makes the 2016 Camaro re-design look like a radical restyle, I can’t even tell this is a new car.
I’ll give Ford credit for going back to a body on frame mid full sized SUV. And it looks to work well with all of the new technology, making it a vehicle that only has RWD in common with the old Explorers.
RWD frame based is back, and I believe the fuel efficiency technologies, with Hybrid options have made all of this now possible. Give Ford credit for realizing this transformation can work well.
This new Explorer is a vehicle for those people who were previously in larger full sized SUVs but now want to downsize, since the kids are grown and have moved out.
GM does need a similar sized, frame based SUV, but in the meantime, GM has to add some serious performance options with suspension upgrades, as well as move quickly to improve interior content/features.
It will be interesting to see what GM does with the new XT6 due out next week. I hope the engine will be something more significant than the 3.6 V6 found in all other GM’s larger crossovers. The 3.6 is a very good motor, but this new Cadillac needs at least 350hp to be competitive.
I don’t think it is body on frame. I think it is like the Jeep, Durango. Back in the day it was called a unibody.
To add to that I think the Traverse need a 5.3 v8 sport option on the table also I’ll say if the XT6 isn’t available with the optional boosted 3.0 during launch year, it’s toast..
I did make a mistake about the Explorer being body on frame.
It is a unibody type, which is fine, and cuts some weight.
Looks like Ford has leap frogged GM with the move to the RWD architecture. The FWD overhangs just mess up the proportions. Sorry but the Tahoe/Yukon vehicles are just too big all too often. Know they are big profit drivers but do not fit my needs.
When I replace my current vehicle next year, the Explorer will get a long look and test drive when considering what I get next.
Have you seen the new Acura RDX? You would think it was RWD just looking at it. As others have pointed out here recently, Mazda and other automakers are making FWD cars with more traditional RWD proportions these days.
I’m still surprised they made these RWD after reading this architecture could go either way. It doesn’t seem like anyone was begging for it, but maybe Ford thinks this will make the Explorer relevant again.
This is the same size as a Tahoe in length by the way…….
Why does a dial gear selector make something more updated?
I hate all of the dial/button gear selectors. Why change something that works?
Jumped in my daughter’s new Terrain the other day. Push button start, button to select reverse and then drive, button to disengage the parking brake.
Forgot to see if radio volume was controlled via button or dial – lol.
I hate the vertical screen sticking out. What a terrible design choice.
Put a power rear glass on them like the 4Runner.
Ford is in an interesting spot with the explorer in the fact that it has very few competitors, the Durango gt, Durango Sxt and Durango v6 citadel are the explorer’s only actual competition. It competes with nothing gm has because gm only has fwd vehicles to compete with. It lacks the luxury of a grand Cherokee and it can’t compete with anything the durango rt or art has because the Explorer only comes in a v6 and a four cylinder. The explorer only has fuel efficiency on its side over the Durango but the Durango rt and srt are performance vehicles where the explorer does not have a real performance option. If ford were to put the 480hp “bullitt” 5.0l under the hood with the 10-speed auto, a performance awd system derrived from the focus rs, gt500 spec brembo brakes, 22×10” wheels magnetic ride, better aero, performance interior, etc and call it the explorer gt then yeah, ford could compete with the Durango. But until they do that then they don’t have a dog in the race. The cd6 explorer is off to a decent start, but it’s not there yet.