The Ford Explorer is a range of SUVs manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since the 1991 model year. The first five-door SUV produced by Ford, the Explorer was introduced as a replacement for the three-door Bronco II. As with the Ford Ranger, the model line derives its name from a trim package previously offered on Ford F-Series pickup trucks. In 2020, the Explorer became the best-selling SUV in the American market.
Currently in its sixth generation, the Explorer has featured a five-door wagon body style since its 1991 introduction. During the first two generations, the model line included a three-door wagon (directly replacing the Bronco II). The Ford Explorer Sport Trac is a crew-cab mid-size pickup truck derived from the second-generation Explorer. The fifth and sixth generations of the Explorer have been produced as the Ford Police Interceptor Utility (replacing both the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor and the Ford Police Interceptor Sedan).
The Explorer is slotted between the Ford Edge and Ford Expedition within North America's current Ford SUV range. The model line has undergone rebadging several times, with Mazda, Mercury, and Lincoln each selling derivative variants. Currently, Lincoln markets a luxury version of the Explorer as the Lincoln Aviator.
For the North American market, the first four generations of the Explorer were produced by Ford at its Louisville Assembly Plant (Louisville, Kentucky) and its now-closed St. Louis Assembly Plant (Hazelwood, Missouri). Ford currently assembles the Explorer alongside the Lincoln Aviator and the Police Interceptor Utility at its Chicago Assembly Plant (Chicago, Illinois).
First generation (UN46; 1991)
The Ford Explorer was introduced in March 1990 as an early 1991 model to replace the Bronco II. As Ford sought to balance off-road capability with family use of the vehicle, the Explorer underwent design changes from its predecessor while still retaining mechanical commonality with the Ranger pickup truck.
Growing in size from the compact Bronco II (similar to its 1960s namesake), the Explorer was a mid-size SUV, competing directly against the Jeep Cherokee (XJ) and Chevrolet S-10 Blazer. To compete against both model lines, three-door and five-door body styles were launched (introduced in the same month as the five-door S-10 Blazer and seven years after the Jeep Cherokee XJ started the five-door SUV trend). The Explorer's wider body allowed for three-across rear passenger seating in the five-door version built on an extended wheelbase. The traditional exterior-mounted swing-away spare tire carrier was deleted in favor of an underfloor location. Like the Ford Taurus station wagon, the rear liftgate had a flip-up rear window.
Chassis As with the Bronco II, the first-generation Explorer (design code UN46) shares its chassis underpinnings with the 1983–1992 Ford Ranger. The three-door version uses a wheelbase ( longer than the Bronco II) while the new five-door features a wheelbase.
As with the Ranger, the UN46 Explorer has a Twin I-Beam (4×2) or Twin-Traction Beam (4×4) coil-sprung front independent suspension and a leaf-sprung solid rear axle. Brakes are discs in the front with drums in the rear. Anti-lock (ABS) was only on the rear axle during early years, with four-wheel ABS available by 1994.
Powertrain The first-generation Explorer was equipped with a 4.0 L Cologne V6, an optional engine for the Ranger and the Ford Aerostar. Initially producing , the engine output was raised to for 1993. A Mazda M5OD 5-speed manual was the standard transmission offering, with the option of the Ford 4-speed A4LD overdrive automatic transmission.
Along with the standard rear-wheel drive, the Explorer was offered two configurations of part-time four-wheel drive at its launch using a Borg Warner 13–54 transfer case. The "Touch Drive" electric-shift transfer case was standard (shared with the Ranger and the previous Bronco II); it allowed the vehicle to be shifted from two-wheel drive into high-range 4x4 drive (at any speed) and into low-range 4×4 (when stopped). As an option, the Explorer was also offered with a manual-shift transfer case (the option was paired with manual-locking hubs).
All Explorers were equipped with the Ford 8.8 axle in either a limited-slip differential or an open version; multiple rear-axle ratios could be specified. Four-wheel-drive front axles were the TTB ("Twin Traction Beam") Dana 35 with some Dana 44-spec components; 4×2 models shared Twin I-Beam components with the Ranger. EngineProductionConfigurationPowerTorqueTransmissionTransfer CaseFord Cologne V61991–1994 OHV 12-valve V6 (1991–1992) (1993–1994)5-speed manual (Mazda M5OD-R1) 4-speed automatic (Ford A4LD)Borg Warner 13-54 Electric Shift Touch Drive Optional: 2-speed manual transfer case
Body
Shifting into the midsize SUV size class, the first-generation Explorer is far larger than the Bronco II. The three-door Explorer grew 12.6 inches in length, with the five-door Explorer 22.4 inches longer and 730 pounds heavier than the 1990 Bronco II.
As with the outgoing Bronco II, the Explorer shared many design elements with the 1989-1992 Ranger, adopting its front bumper, headlamps, and wheels; the grille was sourced from the off-road oriented Ranger STX (moving the Blue Oval to the top of the grille). Alongside the introduction of the five-door body style, the body was styled with multiple aerodynamic upgrades over its predecessor, including its own door stampings to eliminate exterior drip rails and bracket-mount sideview mirrors (replaced by ones integrated into the doors). In what would become a design feature of the model line, the B-pillar and D-pillars were blacked out. The three-door body shared a similar roofline as its five-door counterpart, fitted with pop-out rear quarter windows (instead of roll-down windows) and a forward-sloping C-pillar.
The interior of the Explorer was fitted largely with all-new trim (though carrying over the dashboard in its entirety from the Ranger/Bronco II), with model-specific door panels and seats. On three-door Explorers, four-passenger seating was carried over (though with a body increased over two inches in width), with front bucket seats and a split-folding rear bench. Five-door Explorers were fitted with standard front bucket seats and a three-passenger split-folding rear bench seat. A front split-bench seat was offered as an option (dependent on trim), expanding seating to six passengers.
Trim
The first-generation Explorer followed the rest of the Ford light truck line in trim nomenclature, marketing a base-level XL trim and higher-range XLT trim. Sharing the features of the XLT, the outdoors-themed Eddie Bauer was the highest-range trim. The XL was distinguished by a black grille (chrome optional) with steel wheels, while the XLT offered a chrome grille and alloy wheels; the Eddie Bauer offered alloy wheels and two-tone paintwork.
The three-door Explorer differed slightly, sharing the XL and Eddie Bauer trims with the five-door. In place of the XLT trim, the Explorer Sport was offered, distinguished by its black lower bodywork, grille, and standard alloy wheels. From 1991 through 1994, the Explorer Sport was marketed by Mazda as the Mazda Navajo (see below); the 1991 Mazda Navajo became the first SUV to win the Motor Trend Truck of the Year award.
For 1993, Ford introduced the Explorer Limited as a luxury-trim version of the model line, offered only as a five-door. Slotted above the Eddie Bauer, the Limited was largely introduced as a direct competitor for the Oldsmobile Bravada and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Distinguished by its monochromatic exterior (including a color-matched grille, headlamp trim, and bumpers), the Limited was also fitted with model-specific alloy wheels and lower bodywork. The trim was fitted with nearly every feature available to the model line (the only options offered for the Explorer Limited were a sunroof, compact disc player, and the towing package), also serving as the introduction of several features offered as options on other trims for 1994, including an anti-theft system, keyless entry, and automatic headlights.
Mazda Navajo
The Mazda Navajo is a rebadged version of the first generation Ford Explorer. It was Mazda's first SUV, and was offered with a choice of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The Navajo won the 1991 Motor Trend Truck of the Year award, but because of its Explorer origins, its reputation deteriorated amid the Firestone and Ford tire controversy.
The Navajo featured a few minor changes from the Explorer it was based on. It was given a revised front fascia, new taillamps and wheels, and the bumpers were painted dark gray (resulting in the deletion of all chrome trim). The interior was largely shared between the two model lines, with the Navajo receiving its own lettering for the instrument panel (in line with other Mazda vehicles), and Mazda lettering was added to the Ford steering wheel hub. In place of the three trims offered on the three-door Ford Explorer, Mazda offered the Navajo in base DX and top-tier LX trim (roughly the equivalent of the Explorer Sport and three-door Explorer XLT). Offered only with four-wheel drive at its launch, a rear-wheel drive version of the Navajo was introduced for 1992. As with the first-generation Explorer, all Navajos were fitted with a 4.0 L V6 producing ; a five-speed manual was standard, with a four-speed automatic offered as an option (on both the DX and LX).
Some criticized Mazda's use of the Navajo name without compensating the Navajo people, considering it exploitative. During a 1990 unveiling ceremony, Mazda spokesperson Duane Bowen responded to the criticism by saying that the name was chosen as "uniquely American," and a symbol of strength and integrity. To address the criticism, Mazda donated a 1991 model Navajo to the tribe, which was officially accepted by the Government Services Committee of Torreon, New Mexico.
Production of the Mazda Navajo came to an end after three years. The Navajo was replaced by the Ford Escape-based Mazda Tribute.
Second generation (UN105/150; 1995)
For the 1995 model year, Ford released a second generation of the Explorer. Following the success of the first generation, the redesign of the exterior was largely evolutionary, with the model line receiving front bodywork distinct from the Ranger. Rear-wheel drive remained standard, with part-time four-wheel drive offered as an option, and all-wheel drive was introduced as an option.
To better compete against the Jeep Grand Cherokee, a V8 was introduced as an optional engine. The Explorer went from lacking airbags to having dual airbags (a first for an American-brand SUV).
The Lincoln-Mercury division introduced its first SUV for the 1997 model year, the Mercury Mountaineer. In contrast to the Mazda Navajo, the Mountaineer was sold only as a five-door. For 2001, Ford introduced the Ford Explorer Sport Trac mid-size crew-cab pickup truck based on the five-door Explorer. Following the introduction of the third-generation Explorer for 2002, the three-door used the second-generation body style through the 2003 model year.
Chassis The second-generation Ford Explorer is based upon the Ford U1 platform shared with its predecessor, adopting the UN105/UN150 model codes. Introducing key chassis upgrades that were also shared with the 1998 Ford Ranger, the long-running Twin I-Beam/Twin Traction Beam front suspension was retired in favor of a short/long-arm (SLA) wishbone front suspension configuration in order to accommodate larger engines. Along with more compact packaging of front suspension components (allowing for a lower hoodline), the design allowed for improved on-road handling/feel. In line with the Ranger and F-Series trucks, the rear suspension remained a leaf-sprung live rear axle.