Family Vehicle Review: Ford Explorer

Fun fact about me, I LOVE to drive. Once I drove from Edmonton to Vancouver with little to no rest stops (to make the last ferry in time, of course) and refused to switch with my friend because I love driving that much. When my baby was little and car naps were a thing, one of my favourite things was to get a coffee and drive aimlessly around while he slept soundly in the back. Driving is therapeutic for me. So, when I was given the opportunity to try out the 2016 Explorer Limited, which is absolutely loaded with safety and comfort features, I jumped at the chance!

Ford Explorer

Here are the things that really wowed me about this vehicle:

  • The seats are heated, have air conditioning and MASSAGE! I have never been so comfy driving around town. The seat is plush as it is, but add the massage option and it’s like heaven. I think it even has an entire program that it runs through, because it seemed to increase with intensity and switch from my hips to lower and then upper back. I just turned it on full tilt every time I got in!

Ford Explorer

  • There is a huge display touch screen with both rear and front cameras. It’s so easy to see your surroundings and makes parking a breeze. Overall, I really like the SYNC technology in Fords and the Sony stereo system. I find them easy to use and I love that you can listen to your phone’s music without connecting cords using the Bluetooth wireless.

Ford Explorer Front Camera

  • Automatic stow for the third row. If you don’t need the extra seating on a given day, or you need to stash something larger in the back you can literally push a button and the entire third row disappears! This makes it a snap to use the vehicle in a variety of different ways with minimal effort, which I think is a momwin.
Ford Explorer

Option 1 for stowing the 3rd row

Ford Explorer

Option 2 for stowing the third row

  • The seatbelts are inflatable. When triggered in an accident the seatbelt actually has a small airbag in it that deploys to protect you. Please note that if you are using a car seat, they are not all compatible with inflatable belts. Always check with the manufacturer of your car seat.
Ford Explorer

Double moon roof on a sunny Alberta day!

  • Double moon roof. My son was pleased as punch to have his own ‘ceiling window’ to gaze at the sky on sunny days and search for the moon at night. I enjoyed the overall brightness it added to the interior, especially with black leather.

Ford Explorer

  • Smooth ride. We didn’t have the opportunity to drive on overly rugged terrain, but even on gravel roads I found the ride smooth and quiet. The Ford Explorer also didn’t feel big. Despite it’s size it handles well and is a sleek looking city ride that also looks tough enough to get muddy.

Ford Explorer

  • One afternoon we were driving down the Henday and the steering wheel gave a little shake or vibration, I was worried at first until I learned that this is a feature to alert you when you are drifting out of your lane. Nice peace of mind to have built in safety options like this as well as the blind spot monitoring.

Ford6

  • Space. At one point I had 8 chairs stowed in the back on my way to an event plus groceries and we didn’t even come close to running out of space. I could easily see a family using this vehicle for road trips and being very comfortable.

 

Ford Explorer

All in all, the 2016 Ford Explorer is a luxurious and delightful vehicle to drive. The only complaint that I have is that it is too big for my family of 3! I feel like we would be better suited for a smaller Edge or Escape, especially because we have a truck for when we really need the space. If you like the sounds of the Ford Explorer, pop into a local dealership and give it a test drive. I guarantee you’ll have fun!

XO,

kimberlysig

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