2022 Ford Explorer Timberline | How to Burn $50,000

[@bendriscoll302]

The more Ford reviews I see, the more I believe that there's an "A" team and a "B" team. Ford is absolutely capable of knocking it out if the park when they want to (Bronco, Maverick, V8 Mustangs, F-150, etc.). On the flip side, when it's a segment where they feel they can just phone it in and release *something* and not have to worry about ROI (Explorer, Escape, Ranger, Transit Connect, etc.), then they just give it a once-over, cross their arms, and say "good enough" and release it.

[@diekatzefliegt]

Yep, they know these things will sell off the lots even if they spent 10$ on R&D.

[@Blue_Flame_Raptor]

I have thought this for years

[@pontiacGXPfan]

One of many things that Ford has in common with Chevrolet

[@huehuehue-x3c]

@@pontiacGXPfan Yep, I was about to say this exact thing. The Corvette, Camaro and Silverado teams are leagues above the rest of their products.

[@Seriously140]

I think part of this problem is also that Ford does not want to make certain vehicles nice enough to compete with the comparable Lincoln product. The Explorer and Escape both have Lincoln equivalents. The A Team cars you mention don't have a Lincoln equivalent.

[@Sn0zzberr13s]

I genuinely laughed out loud when Mark was off camera answering Jack's question whispering "Uhh I think I'd take the Telluride over this any day but those recovery hooks are pretty good because you could pull me out of the front of a liquor store when I drive through it." The humor on this channel is gold, and this one comment might be my favorite to date.

[@ribbiel]

Mark hiding the background on the couch literally made me spit out some water! Love these guys.

[@cornholioyo725]

i guess you didn't just "LOL" , you laughed out loud eh

[@John-kx3ng]

Telluride is funny enough on its own.

[@theglowcloud2215]

@@John-kx3ng Found the butthurt Ford fanboy

[@heritagefamilydental]

Congrats on 600k subs. 3 years overdue.

[@omi8822]

Ikr, Good God what's wrong with you KZbin

[@directreply350]

When did everyone subscribe? Was 77 for me

[@rosgoncharuk2403]

Actually it's 601k being 2 years, 11 months, 28 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes overdue.

[@Silversmok3]

TikTok influencers bank more money than John Business posting garbage while SG busts their humps in obscurity. Don’t let the algorithm get you down guys, keep up the in depth videos with the engineers and cars. Social media Algorithms aside, it’s definitely appreciated!

[@swgdsm]

I subscribed before they were born. I knew the foretold prophecy of car reviews that don’t suck and eagerly awaited the dawn of a newer, better era.

[@adamlamberti1805]

The main reason I love this channel is that there's no B.S. Just pure honesty and real reviews from regular guys.

[@Kollege_Turnschuh]

Maybe consider checking out Regular Car Reviews, if you like regular guys and regular cars.

[@2004cyrus]

Can you think of a channel that doesn’t use regular guys?? I’m struggling to criticize Raiti, or Bey, or Dykes or Muzio.

[@Justin_GFM]

@@2004cyrus Throttle House is cool but they seem to be on the edge between being regular guys and being Top Gear 1.5. Straight Pipes is more regular than them but they don’t go as in depth as Savagegeese do, but do provide better driving segments IMO

[@2004cyrus]

@@Justin_GFM hmmmm driving segments? Are you comparing techniques? I’m just trying to understand what the guy means when he says regular guys. I’m wondering which reviewers don’t act like regular guys. That’s all seem pretty ordinary and down to earth to me.

[@dawnpoint]

My friends bought an Explorer to "support the American economy." Two years and endless shop bills later they sold it and got a 4Runner.

[@Kyriaeus]

Sounds like the repairs are supporting the economy

[@Lazirus951]

@@Kyriaeus 🤣

[@andretsang7337]

Most Toyotas are made either in the USA or Mexico regardless, just like ferd

[@ritchierichh]

@@andretsang7337 yet they still outlast any domestic automaker lol. Comes to show how little Ford, GM, or Chrysler/Fiat care for quality control.

[@madmikeblvd]

so they bought a used car?

[@TheDagraner4576]

How would I have ever known it was the timberline edition without the extremely limited orange styling lines that they definitely didn't copy from the Subaru Wilderness edition line. At 50,000 dollars this has real, "fuck you, pay me" energy.

[@jeffone2nv]

Exactly 😂

[@mtnman1984]

Time to burn down my restaurant.

[@KG-rk7qu]

If you covered the badges and showed this to the average consumer they’d probably guess 8 out of 10 times that it was a new big Subaru SUV

[@savagegeese]

To be fair the mountain badge is cute.

[@44actual]

@@savagegeese 😂

[@fookie-fone]

You know it’s a great channel when you watch the entire review of a vehicle you’re not even remotely interested in. Mark and Jack, thanks for all you do: honesty, humor, technical know-how, and well researched information. Also thanks for not reminding us to like and subscribe every 3 minutes. That is the true hallmark of a quality channel.

[@cpg8000]

Jack: “alright Mark, let’s get out of this thing”. Amazing it’s 50k. If it were 35k I could understand buying this and using it as a work SUV that you beat the ever loving crap out of. Otherwise, it looks like Alcatraz on wheels

[@aprtur]

I think that's when you (to Mark's clear point) just buy an old Interceptor from auction and beat the hell out of it, sort of like an old Crown Vic. However, you could at least get the Interceptor with a drivetrain that's not complete garbage.

[@jacobs1047]

@@aprtur except you look like a tool narc and get eggs thrown at you in traffic

[@jsfbay1]

To be fair, once the car market gets back to normal (and before the pandemic hit), there will be way more cash on the hood than the Telluride or Palisade (neither of which can be had without 10k of ADM.) So think lower 40's for this and see how that shifts the equation. Still not sure I'd want one, but just saying...

[@aprtur]

@@jsfbay1 I highly doubt you'll ever be seeing rebates from the Big 3 like we saw them before. Even now, supply chain is still a major issue (I'm not talking about chips, I'm talking about everything else) and dealers have realized that they'll continue to sell at MSRP because people will need cars. I would project, at most with this gen Explorer, to get some blowout rebates toward the end of it's life cycle ...maybe $3-5k below MSRP if you're lucky. At $45k, I'd still call this a major loss compared to competitors like the Tellu/sade, Highlander, CX-9, and the soon to be revamped Pilot. While they may not be RWD, you're getting a product that has considerably nicer build quality and reliability (to be proven yet on the Kia/Hyundai, anyway)...that leaves you with this thing for pretty much one reason only - towing.

[@Tool0GT92]

$35k is the price of an escape

[@davidchernack4145]

"The gearbox responds via calendar year" I have not laughed that hard at a line in a car review in years 😂

[@sydecarnutz972]

Thats a shame to hear. I have the 8 speed in my Ford and it does a great job. My son's F350 has a ten speed and they nailed it. Great functionality.

[@Highnooner]

@@sydecarnutz972 the explorer has the 10 speed too they are just biased and feel cool by saying its bad.

[@michaelbacon9831]

It was clicking through the gear super quick as he talks about how “slow” it shifts lol

[@k-peezy2723]

"I can tell you're bringing sexy back in this Timberlake edition." "No, it's the Timberland edition!" - Gold Jerry! Gold!

[@alexnutcasio936]

Justin who?

[@NorCalTRACON]

At GM there’s Trax team, at ford there’s explorer team. The list goes on and on. It really shows when a company put limited resources and energy into a product. The “meh that’s good enough” feel is strong.

[@Yukikazehalo]

It's strange because you can tell they put alot of effort into the Lincoln Aviator which is the same platform as the Explorer.

[@jamesmedina2062]

The common American person has no common sense today. Why would you sell a wilderness edition 4X4 and put a Cadillac Escalade interior in it? Yes the Bronco looks more rugged and probably got more resources funneled into it, but seriously what is so wrong about selling a truck as a rugged truck? Why does every truck have to be a living room on wheels?

[@jameslee5237]

@@jamesmedina2062 nothing wrong at all, except the price they’re charging

[@jamesmedina2062]

@@jameslee5237 Well I used to sell Ford trucks and this vehicle has more than your F-150 or F-250 by a fair margin. For me if it is reliable that warrants the price. But prices on lots of things are not what I would like especially vehicle related. (inflation)

[@firefly9838]

The explorer is way better than the trac lmao

[@big1cam]

You know what I love the most about this channel….. the fact that they rack the cars filthy. I want to know what cars look like once I drive them. Not how the manufacturers want me to see them. Thank you so very much for this!!!!!

[@thomasmcginnis7526]

I liked the exterior design of the vehicle so I went to the dealer and sat in one. I realized how shitty and cheap it was. Like he mentioned, attention to detail where plastic pieces don't match up, all the buttons felt like it was made with the card board. I couldn't justify paying 50k. So in the end, I traded for usability of space and got cx-9 signature. Sure it's lacking in space but attention to detail and quality of material felt like I was getting what I paid for.

[@lukeheffernan]

Mazda has great attention to detail for the price! I just bought a 3 and am so happy with it.

[@ABeans07]

That's ford for ya

[@TheGreektrojan]

Honestly the attention to detail, aesthetics/design and material quality in most Mazdas feel better than most cars at the 50k mark, luxury included. They are the runaway winners in that category sub 50k.

[@cccvick]

Not only did you get more quality materials in the mazda....you also got better reliability.

[@leesonneville1817]

The last couple generations were the same. Atrocious fit and finish.

[@grnlion521]

Some fair points, most notably on the interior materials which are lacking from ford. I actually crossed shopped the Telluride, 4 Runner and Exporer Timberline and think the Ford comes out on top in a few different areas. Horsepower is better, torque significantly better, 0-60 acceleration significantly better(car and driver had the timberline at 6.0s), handling better, towing better and is the largest of the group. Performance at elevation was most notable with the Telluride and 4 Runner being significantly worse(test drove in Colorado) due to the naturally aspirated v6 vs the turbo in the explorer. 4 Runner is most off road capable by a lot, timberline comes in second and telluride a distant 3rd. Telluride has the best interior and most comfortable features and amenities. Exterior looks are subjective but I think all 3 look good for different reasons - all better than a majority of competing 3 row suvs. Explorer is sporty and sleek, telluride has a nice shape and unique lighting, 4 Runner looks like an off road adventure vehicle. Hating on other brands gives this youtuber more views, likes, etc, but I feel like all offer something different for different people.

[@Birdrunner54]

Literally sprayed my scotch at Jack's response to Mark when asked how it's not just a rebadged police package. 🤣

[@sarrum7696]

So my wife and I had to rent a Ford Explorer recently. It was an experience that sparked a lot of discussion. Many of the criticisms you mentioned, mirrored the things my wife and I were saying. Our takeaway was, the Explorer is going to excel in a commercial, but let you down if you take the time to cross shop it. The vehicle feels like it was built during a budget meeting by the most dispassionate people ever. Technically, it checks many boxes. But it still somehow fails across the board. Both of us commented on the transmission. It’s very difficult to drive smoothly. We also recently test drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I can’t imagine anyone picking the Explorer, the Grand Cherokee is so much nicer.

[@d_Brian67]

I've honestly felt this way about certain Ford models for quite some time now. Other manufacturers seem to be able to deliver much more quality for the price point and this feels like Ford is taking it's consumer base for granted. It's why my last car purchase was a Mazda instead of a Ford. What a shame.

[@rosgoncharuk2403]

That must be the worst center stack for 50k I've ever seen...

[@grahamstefaan]

Agree. Cheap plastic.

[@rosgoncharuk2403]

@@grahamstefaan not just that, even a layout in general...

[@grahamstefaan]

@@rosgoncharuk2403 agree again. It's a disaster just as is the 2024 mustang.

[@jamesmedina2062]

@@grahamstefaan the 2024 is a disaster cuz of the interior? All of the R&D money and investment went into the dash and interior dude. Did you not notice the changes from previous Mustangs?

[@grahamstefaan]

@@jamesmedina2062 yea, it's hideous in design. I don't need an unintegrated square display sticking out. Only cadillac does the slab display right.

[@mike36dc]

I have a Timberline. I love it. Great combination of off road ability (no, not like a Jeep) mixed with nice, very nice, on road manners (also not like a Jeep), plenty of room, fast for an SUV, towing at 5,300 lbs, and creature comforts better than all that can go off road. And it looks great. I drove a recent Pilot and used to have one, and I looked at the Telluride. This vehicle can really go off road and the others can't, and, in my opinion, looks way better.

[@madmikeblvd]

yeah I agree, this review is all cap lol. It's like if two fat GM employee's gave a review on a ford.

[@m1abrams1776]

Cope about wasting 50k

[@l.j.r.8448]

I’m seriously considering getting one.

[@mpfield4495]

The best explorer yet. We are on our second timberline. A 21 and now a 23. Unfortunately had rear-end collision that pushed my wife into two other cars. She is ok. The explorer held up very well for the severity of the accident. We have loved both of them. We have owned and driven many different vehicles. It's not perfect that's true. But it's an explorer. It has much more driving character than most of any thing in the segment. It's just fun to drive, which is something that the front wheel drive base suvs lack. It feels sporty while driving in traffic even when your not driving hard. I wouldn't call it fast but above average acceleration even with the 2.3 ecoboost. Also if your willing to run premium fuel the power and fuel economy are better. Both of ours getting 22-22.6 mpg mixed driving 24 -25 highway. We have used ours offroad in ways that most will never attempt. And it has impressed us. We can also load up 6 people and tow our boat to the lake. We can take it on road trips. Use it as a daily driver. Anything and everything we need it to do. When i here the name explorer.. I dont thinking luxury, best fuel economy, sports car, rock crawler, full size truck. It has always been a name plate that has always had to be everything and do everything for everyone. A suv that offers families the most of everything but may not always be the best at somethings. Don't make the explorer into something it's not. It's an explorer! If you need something to do it all, it still does. And does it better than the ones that came before. The best explorer yet.

[@Cinemagrins]

This is only good for one thing, being the best SUV in the world to #vanlife in. The space is insane, you can live in a RAV4 with your wife and dog imagine what you can do with this. I got a fridge/freezer/battery pack king size bed, toilet, storage for all my stuff, more storage on roof. I could go on. You can go 4 people in this if you use roof tents and keep the middle captains chairs. The only thing that comes close is a Chrysler Pacifica but this kicks its ass in off roading which you will do if you want #vanlife

[@richardmahoney9415]

I knew you’d have fun with this one as soon as this truck was announced I instantly went back in my mind to your first explorer reviews

[@HALWG51]

I have driven Explorers since 1994 And I have always said that their base models, with a few options, are pretty good vehicles.The 2018 I am driving now is a base model and cost $32,000. The problem with the Explorer is when you get the higher trim models, and you are in some cases pushing $60,000, the Explorer is definitely outclassed by so many vehicles. I use these vehicles to haul equipment and the size and utility is what I buy them for.

[@Alwaysbeclosing1774]

After you drive a Explorer ST or even better a Tuned Explorer ST,, You'll never go back to anything else. Those things GOOOOOOOOOOO and are fun to drive.

[@shaneis84]

I had one for two weeks as a rental. What troubled me was the electronics. Android auto would just randomly crash, usually in the middle of a trip in google maps. The keyless entry would work and then not work. The rear tailgate would refuse to open and then sometimes would. I loved the rest of the truck , especially the room. I could never own it because of the reliability issues.

[@arie_lovexi]

yea them ecoboost engines are just made to fail seriously, i had a friend who bought a ST of the explorer, literally the engine started misfiring, transmission was overheating, cylinders cracking. It was terrible, all under 70k miles. I felt terrible as she told me it was her dream car honestly having an Explorer ST version

[@MrVnick1]

Steered my dad away from the Timberlane-line because the color scheme was too cheesy. He still wanted an exploder and not a pick up truck so he got an XLT Explorer, we tow a pretty heavy boat on the weekends over an hour each way and it actually kicks ass compared to our our 2014 V6 tow rig. Very impressive powertrain.

[@MrVnick1]

Ours is a 2022 and was tow ready from stealership

[@igeekone]

I'm shocked nothing has changed in the two years since your first 2020 model review. This is an embarrassment. No other reviewer is this honest, so hats off to you for telling it like it is. Hoping the upcoming refresh in 2024 will be a fixed 2020 model Explorer.

[@edf10000]

Best KZbin channel, nothing else even close.

[@RobVarley]

We love our timberline. My wife just got one. Watched a bunch of reviews, this included. After driving it and taking it home for a day before we signed papers we decided it was perfect for us. 360 camera, lane keep assist, easy and functional control knobs, heated steering wheel and seats.. there’s no gimmicks. It’s just a great overall vehicle functional vehicle. Not to mention on the 18s it rides vastly better than the other ones. It’s a great bang for your buck vehicle especially if you’re in a mountainous area like we are and have to travel 5hrs to the big city. In Canada an XLT awd will be about 50k and the timberline about 58. For the extra 8k you get a lot of extras as mentioned. It’s well worth it. This is my least favourite review from savagegeese. I understand where they were going but the explorer is a proven reliable vehicle that women particularly tend to love when they have kids.

[@alancampos4304]

Does yours jerk every once in a while when shifting gears? Does it jerk when you put it in reverse?

[@RobVarley]

@@alancampos4304 no, ours has been great for shifting. I’ve read about this on f150s as well. I’ve owned both a 2017 and now a 21 with the 10spd and the only issue I ever encountered was on my 2017. in -20 or colder shifting 1st to 2nd would be jerky but after the first shift it would be fine. Eventually that was fixed with an update. Has yours been giving you issues?

[@alancampos4304]

@@RobVarley at first when we broke it in it would jerk once in a blue moon when slowing down to 20mph. Took it to the dealership to get it fixed and they had to overhaul the valve body. It stopped doing it but now when you put it in reverse it will jerk too.

[@RobVarley]

@@alancampos4304 oh weird. I wonder why? Is auto hold feature on or off?

[@vr4787]

If it was around $35k the cheapness could be justified, but $50k you expect better.

[@Heffelz8]

Think about that statement. $35 grand is STILL a lot of money for a piece of crap. Never mind $50.

[@vr4787]

$36k is the starting msrp for it and it’s not like dealers are giving a lot of discounts these days either. You’ll be lucky to get it for $35k

[@C6v1999]

While I have no interest in this Ford, I applaud that you brought up the fire risk on that other brand. So many fire risks and recalls on a number of vehicles from the korean brands over the last 10+ years.

[@timhassett7302]

I love how at around 2:04 when you see the drive selector wheel being turned - you can literally see the selector wobbling and looking like it's either not put together properly, or the wheel itself is not perfectly round.

[@nathanminer6890]

I own a 2022 XLT and can confirm; the 10 speed transmission is the worst part of the experience. My wife thinks I’m trying to mess up her neck with all the jerkiness while driving. Great road trip/family hauler but cheap-o interior bits. Wouldn’t take much to make this “great”. Impressive 4 banger motor.

[@omaralkayal7598]

I think you guys would have been way better off with a 2013 Lexus RX

[@nathanminer6890]

@@omaralkayal7598 - lol. Hard pass. However the Explorer is a “work” vehicle, so I can’t complain too much. :)

[@jasonselinger7232]

This is one review I have to disagree on. I own a Telluride and a Timberline, and recently sold my Santa Fe and cx-5. The build quality on the Explorer is garbage, I’ll give you that. But the Timberline accelerates and stops very well and it is a much more fun vehicle to drive and own than the others I mentioned. I’ve forgiven the outdated sync 3 since I enjoy driving it so much.

[@coolaa7]

It's hard to understand why Ford does not improve their interiors when almost every car reviewer dings it for cheap plastics that are not well put together. I guess their marketing intelligence is telling them people don't buy their cars for the interiors.

[@allenhooper8532]

I worked with GMC/Buick for a few years. Parts of their product-lines felt similar. Best way I can think about it is. They build cars to sell. Not necessarily to live with. 🤷‍♀

[@TheGreektrojan]

Most casual buyers run a simple equation of (badge+vehicle type)/price = car. Aka I'm a Ford(or Toyota or whatever) guy and need a (truck/SUV) and am spending x (Or more accurately x/month) = car. Barely look at the interior, how it drives, features, other options etc... Its why the American companies and Toyota (particularly interior quality for them) have coasted for so long.

[@vstan9023]

Just because the law enforcement use the same vehicle across the entire US, makes it undesirable, regardless the package or options. Although the king ranch interior it’s quite impressive. Congratulations on the 600K subscribers 🥂

[@dougrobinson8602]

Every time an Explorer pulls up on me driving on the highway, I slow down and move over because I'm afraid it's ole' Smokey. It gets pretty annoying, but I'd image you can make good time in one of these for that reason. The left lane is ALL yours, Karen!

[@nlpnt]

@@dougrobinson8602 Conversely, on two-lanes it's the slowest thing on the road. That car ahead of you is going EXACTLY the speed limit, not one mile over, until they're damsure you're not a cop.

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

@@dougrobinson8602 It generally is a cop, or a rental. No retail buyers go anywhere near this hooptie. Ford saved their R&D budget for the Bronco.

[@DriverDude100]

Hopefully Ford can get their act together for this market segment. $50g is a lot of money, even accounting for crappy inflation rates.

[@madmikeblvd]

50k is cheap.

[@peetfj]

I have a 22 Timberline in this same Green. This was not my first choice for a vehicle but I purchased it since it was available and I waited for over two months for a 4 Runner that I was never able to get. It was also 13k less expensive than the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk. I do like the styling and color. It is very practical for my needs including some off-roading (though fairly mild so far).There is plenty of room and very comfortable for the family. I will say it is lacking in power, especially loaded and at high altitudes. I think the 2.7l V6 would have been a better engine. It also gets worse gas mileage than my F 150 4x4 which is pretty ridiculous!

[@jamesmedina2062]

You seem like a nice fella. I would dump this fast! Or load it with the right motor for it. This Ecoboost 4 is simply not the right motor. Think of the gross weight. Its probably over 6000 lbs and their using a Ford Focus 2.0 is silly. I saw this in some Ford trucks as well that they want you to rev the nuts off of the thing in the mountains instead of supplying you with ample torque. I would go Honda Pilot or Passport or maybe Acura MDX? Nice V6's in those. Even Nissan Pathfinder? Lots of choices mate!!

[@stepside2839]

@@jamesmedina2062 curb weight is 4345 lbs Surprisingly, it moves out better than expected for a 2.3L turbocharged vehicle. But yeah, more power would be nice.

[@jamesmedina2062]

@@stepside2839 2.3 turbo gives pretty good power, but will be around 20 mpg at best. You probably right that V6 twin turbo as in the Raptor would be overkill. Obviously there are different ways to skin the cat!

[@mattstone8111]

Same here. Was waiting for a Trailhawk but couldn't get it, so came down to 4Runner vs. Timberline. Timberline won because it drives great on the highway at high speed (I get 24mpg btw), and it's bigger and more comfy on the inside. Trailhawk was $20k more.

[@peetfj]

@@mattstone8111 2 years now. I have never had better than 20.4 MPG. I usually sit around 19 MPG but on long road trips usually around 17 MPG.

[@Davidk460]

I'm averaging 24.7 mpg city/highway and 28 mpg highway in my 2022 Explorer Timberline.

[@bRiAn55549]

Was curious if you were going to do an explorer again to see if things improved after the last video, looks like they didn’t

[@ToneNYC718]

This is the only channel where the shitty car reviews are as good as the great car reviews. Love you guys

[@paulfazi]

My sister just got a timberline recently and I used it for a day when I visited her. This review was spot on. Pretty disappointing interior for that money, however the seats were extremely comfortable. Her average MPG was worse then my Yukon.

[@zacharychavez3482]

To that point, to me when a early 2000's larger, heavier, v8 suv/pickup has equal or higher fuel economy, more capability, more utility/practicality for WAY less money I don't see how anyone would buy something like this or something similar. Other than the novelty of that having a "new car" feeling.

[@plmn93]

@@zacharychavez3482 A lot of people complain about EcoBoost economy, but I've done well with them. It's a matter of understanding that you can have Eco, and you can have Boost, but you can't have both at the same time. I enjoy having that kind of flexibility. Oh, and I've had those larger, heavier 2000's pickups too. they weren't more economical, not even close.

[@Feintgames]

I have a Bronco Sport and recently rented a new Explorer for my vacation in Tahoe with my gf. I was amazed that the interior features, the screen, the controls, the dash, the shifter, everything was basically exactly the same. The shifter was about 5% nicer because of the material and because it locks when you go to P or D unlike the infinity spin of the Bronco Sport. Obviously the back is larger but when we sat in the trunk after a hike, I realized I have more headroom on the Bronco Sport. Overall it's not bad as a rental. It gets the job done and has some nice features. I didn't have the Timberline edition so I didn't experience the shifter issues. Either way, modern cars suck. I still miss my 2011 WRX which had better ergonomics, seats, steering, etc. But what can you do. There's nothing good to choose from nowadays. The gas tank on it explorer is huge. We got 20mpg going up and down a lot of hills with very little highway travel and lots of twists and turns at 6k-9k feet. AT tires.

[@slipknotron1626]

Looks tough but for 50k this should have came with the twin turbo v6 EcoBoost

[@jsfbay1]

Well I agree, but if the 4-pot can't get 20 mpg, what will the mileage with the TT V6 be (if you're not driving it "like a dick" as they like to say)?

[@slipknotron1626]

@@jsfbay1 My sister had an St we drove from Ohio to Florida and we got way better mpgs then 20. If your loaded up your SUV with people and gear its nice to have that extra power on the highway, mountains, hills etc.

[@jsfbay1]

@@slipknotron1626 - That's great to hear since I'd *only* own one with the V6. I have to wonder if there's a point where putting too small an engine in a big heavy SUV doesn't actually save fuel. Maybe on the EPA circuit, but in real life? I'm not sure.

[@slipknotron1626]

@@jsfbay1 probably, I also dont like the idea of a small engine slap a turbo on a heavy vehicle and call it a day. I test drove a lifted bigger tire bronco with the 2.3 and accelerating and slowing down felt horrible.

[@jsfbay1]

@@slipknotron1626 - I owned a 1984 (?) Ford Thunderbird with a turbo 2.5L 4 cylinder. I swore I'd *NEVER* buy another heavy vehicle with a turbo'd 4 cyclinder ever again in my life (the T-bird was a money pit). And today we have turbo 4's powering even bigger and heavier vehicles! (I'm thinking the new Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX, both which lost their buttery smooth V6 engines :-( It's all about EPA numbers in search of reducing carbon dioxide output. Which I'm okay with but crap I think a 4 cylinder in a 4,500 lb car is a step too far, and I'd like to see a study comparing CO2 output from the V6 vs turbo I4. How much is being saved at the expense of *longevity*! Lexus GX 460 here I come 🙂

[@thegenius46m]

LOVE how direct and honest you guys are. Don't change a thing!

[@top4runner99]

Can’t say I’m surprised with the interior quality, my 93 Explorer’s interior has held up relatively well for being almost 30 years old, but even I’ll admit it feels like shit, but unlike this 2022, my 1993 only cost me $100. Seems like the more things change, the more things stay the same.

[@dannysmith8666]

We love our Timberline. Yes bit overpriced but we like it. Fords driving aids allows the thing to almost drive itself.

[@turbogriz357]

Great review. I drive a 2021 Interceptor Utility (Explorer) for work and while it is large in terms of interior space, it's probably one of the poorest quality vehicles I've ever seen. The plastic housing behind my steering wheel is falling off, the interior is made of the cheapest plastics on the planet.. I drive the non turbo V6 which doesn't have enough power to pass cars in the upper gears and its fuel economy with normal not police driving struggles to get 14.5 mpg. The V6 is an absolute dog in terms of power and the transmission regularly gets stuck hunting for gears. The only reason the police use this vehicle is because there are no better options, somehow GM has managed to make the Tahoe PPV even more unreliable than the Explorer. For anyone looking at one just know, even if you buy the top of the line trim, this is still a fleet vehicle with different dressing. There are far better options out there other than the Explorer.

[@biscotti9652]

What was wrong with the Charger?

[@Highnooner]

I can tell yall are so biased against ford. People if you go drive one for yourself you will realize that these guys are just trying to bash ford so hard. They feel so cool trying to say ehh its not impressive it doesnt wipe my ass and I can feel the vehicle shifting. I promise if you drive one the shifting will not be on your mind. I have been able to drive one and the interior is super soft and everything feels sturdy not cheap like they mentioned. One of the nicest things is the super soft sporty steering wheel they added. It feels great and has plenty of power. Most guys feel cool bashing 4cylinders because they are used to old school v8s and these new 4cylinders have more power than their pappys v8. Just because an engine is naturally loud doesnt mean it is better. I came to see how they would review the timberline and they literally just bashed it the whole time and bashed ford. Why don't they go build something since they know whats best?

[@aaronbryan5095]

Why people even still buy Fords will always be a mystery to me.

[@greencomputerfan]

I like how the drive shaft and CV axles are already rusted more than the titanic

[@JJVernig]

Yeah, is that really rust!??! I flipped out when a bolt had some brown colour, and it was the wax used...

[@aprtur]

Ford doesn't care...look up the same issue with rust on F150s fresh off the dealer lot, and you'll see there was never really a resolution to it

[@matthewbowen5841]

You see this alot on brand new budget carmaker vehicles. Nissan is similar. 1 month old, 3000 mile rental cars with surface rust on everything. Doesn't necessarily mean everything will rust through quickly and fail, but definitely a telltail sign that they pinched every penny they could everywhere in the design. My bigger worry is the hilarious exhaust. I have seen better AP and Bosal parts store replacement systems. Most factory exhausts are bent neatly and made from as few pieces a possible. This seems to be a patchwork of 50 generic parts mig welded together by Meineke's part time still-in-school junior employee.

[@aprtur]

@@matthewbowen5841 you made me go back and look at the exhaust setup again...ughh...metal mesh flexpipe....I hate those with a passion.

[@markmiller3279]

Surface rust doesn't necessarily mean anything. Some steel alloys develop it and it serves as a protective layer.

[@lego4virgo]

What I don't understand is how the Asian-market Ford Explorer got a COMPLETE redesign in running gear and interior, but yet we are getting nothing. It's essentially the same truck on the outside.

[@drumgig]

You can tell what cars people are interested in by the views on SG videos. Not surprised to see the GRs, and all the (affordable) fun-to-drive at the top of the list. 👍

[@dennyj8650]

"Sweet digital engine noise" kind of tells it all, for me. For 50K, I could totally have my 98 Explorer, restored, built to the max, and have at least one spare to match it. Oh, and a great sound system. And bone stock, it's not bad off road.

[@rondail5675]

Thanks Mark and Jack for being honest! I too like it from 5 feet away.

[@stingley77]

We have a ‘21 Explorer ST and absolutely love it. Interior has some cheaper bits here and there, but overall the functionality plus the performance of ST make for an awesome package we think!! I would never get the 4 banger Explorer though.

[@mbyte84]

I’d love to see a Corsair ST version.

[@ufirearmst]

Careful my transmission took a sh*t at 2k miles I really hate this car. Happy you found a good one it’s a hit or miss

[@stingley77]

@@ufirearmst 21k miles on ours. No issues yet.

[@rjfiestast2627]

I bet that things a rocket ship. I work at a transmission shop part time and we had a newer one with the 2.0T come in with a bad trans at 32k on it. For a 4 banger that thing definitely moved, I was pretty impressed.

[@DalHarpJr]

@stingley77.. Doesn't it amaze you how the people that don't own these newer Explorers have to most negative things to say about them?! I've owned every generation of the Explorer, except for the first gen., but loved those when they first came out. If the Explorers were crap, I wouldn't keep investing in the model or the company. Like you, I have a 2020 Explorer ST with 18,000 miles on it, and its tuned and modded. I drive it like I stole it, every single time! ZERO issues. People in the comment section are always comparing non comparable vehicles.. Like the Rav-4's to the Explorer.. How?!

[@normcheers1726]

I can't believe you think the Honda transmission is one you can drive and not think about. I have a Ridgeline with the 9 speed and it is unbelievably slow to respond. It is smooth shifting but it takes forever from the time you hit the accelerator while moving to the time it actually starts to downshift and go. I have no doubt the explorer is bad, but as someone that has owned a ford maverick with 8 speed, an f150 with 10 and a toyota 4runner with 5 speed, my honda is the slowest to respond of all of them.

[@TheNotimprezed]

One of the big problems here is they went typical Ford bargin basement and launched at a time when Kia, Hyundai, and Jeep moved up market. Why would anyone buy this over those, other than maybe for an ST. GM is the same way, why are the trucks and truck based SUVs so good, Corvette so good, yet the entire rest of their car/SUV lineup is total garbage?

[@pontiacGXPfan]

corvette gets a pass because of the market it's expected to impress, the ones who don't know anything except how fast it goes

[@tommitchell2055]

The people who buy this don't cross shop those other cars. They either always had a Ford in their family and don't think to consider anything else, or they live in a rural area where the local Ford dealer is the only dealer for 30 miles around.

[@jacobrael9872]

@@tommitchell2055 pretty much sums it up. It surprising but it seems alot of people don't put more thought than "my daddy drove a ford/chevy so thats what im gonna drive" when they buy a car

[@l0ve131]

What a good car review channel. We want to hear the good but we need to hear the bad also. Thanks guys for being honest.

[@smokeu600]

We had a 2021 Ford explorer timberline, we traded in that piece of shit after we got a replacement engine at 4200 miles. Cylinder 1 cracked it was loosing coolant. We also had interior pieces squeaking and the driver seat stopped working. We traded it with around 5800 miles. Edit: we also had a few recalls that they never fixed because parts weren’t available.

[@crxtodd16]

"...but those recovery hooks are pretty good 'cause you can pull me out of the front of a liquor store when I drive through it." Facts.

[@eddstarr2185]

It's not just this channel, a lot of reviewers have been asking some tough questions about Ford build quality and production missteps. Customer complaints are on the rise again and Ford's profit margin is troubling after coming off of a five year sales growth. Something's not adding up at the Blue Oval and automotive industry insiders are starting to sound worried. For me, I'll just watch videos, thank you.

[@johnbinder6988]

Jim Hackett's legacy

[@swc2011movie]

6:50 - sums it all up; thanks for candid review and comments - very enjoyable to watch, learn and laugh.

[@dack981]

Hilariously this thing has 0.8" LESS ground clearance than an Outback Wilderness

[@ZACH_95_]

so funny, i'm crying...

[@calbob750]

I enjoyed your comment on “low bid” in the auto parts world. I worked with a guy who was a retired global salesman for a major parts supplier. Buyers will overlook quality to get the right price. Wonder why so much stuff is made in China….it’s all about the money. Let’s keep shareholders happy.

[@mobster2]

I drove a 2013 Ford Explorer, it had this weird tire hopping motion when making a tight turn. I know 4wd's do this but it felt like crap. I feel like a Ford SUV will leave you broken down on the side of the road.

[@googleaccount6931]

When that water pump fails and leaks coolant into your engine it will leave you on the side of the road!!

[@mikewright2858]

OK, the comment about using the recovery hooks to pull you out of the liquor store after you drive into it - priceless.

[@yanal0611]

The center stack (minus the screen) looks like something out of a 2013 Ford Escape. Not a 50 thousand dollar 2022 SUV.

[@Wimbell93]

When Mark brings out the cheeky video-title you just know it's gonna be good.

[@chriscrawford3809]

This has Lease written all over it! IMO The 10 speed gear hunts all over the place!

[@Seriously140]

Why would you want to lease a crap vehicle? Actually good, desirable cars have cheaper leases than crap cars. The reason is the good cars have higher resale value at the end of the lease. The dealer can sell them as relatively expensive used cars. Crap cars are expensive to lease because they have low resale value. This makes the lease more expensive because the dealer can't sell the used (off-lease) vehicle for a good price. The lease costs more to make up for the huge depreciation. So why would you want to pay an expensive lease for a crap vehicle?

[@JP4drumsFarrell]

A car for people who don't care about cars. Perfect

[@jongib6096]

The irony is, $47k for a proven, fairly loaded suv ain’t that much anymore tbh.. 😭

[@omaralkayal7598]

I know it’s inflation and stuff but dude, why are they so expensive ?

[@kristians2704]

yeah a fully loaded Highlander is 53k

[@gs98999]

It’s basically average new vehicle price today

[@alexnutcasio936]

$50k is the new $35k. Thank you Joe, thank you Covid.

[@BillLaBrie]

@@omaralkayal7598 to keep people from buying them.

[@Robert8455]

Glad you were able to keep this one under 10 mins. Too bad Ford felt this was okay.

[@lego4virgo]

The interior of the Explorer has to meet/beat what is in the Telluride/Palisade. It beats both in safety crashes, but it has to really improve in that area! Otherwise, I really like the exterior and usability of the Explorer.

[@markmiller3279]

The IIHS has both rated as top picks, with the Explorer just a few spots above the Telluride. The chances of a particular crash being more serious in one than the other is very small.

[@thor294]

I had a 16 2.3 explorer. Tune and a k&n intake made it a blast to drive. Idk why they'd add digital engine noise lol

[@RahulShah87]

Based on the looks - Ford Explorer Forester wilderness edition?

[@binostunts]

Best car reviews on KZbin

[@mattspeer01]

The Explorer is one of the most laughable vehicles currently on the road. The price is insane for how godawul that interior is, especially on the Platinum and ST. Test drove a $62K ST back when they first came out a couple years ago and literally laughed out loud when I got inside and saw how cheap and plasticky the entire interior looks and feels. Pathetic effort, if you can even call it that, on Ford's part.

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

lot of them are sitting on the dealers lots it has that 'is that a cop car look" it is rear wheel drive

[@pontiacGXPfan]

All the money Ford makes off the F-150 gets spent on the Mustang and everybody else gets just barely enough to get by, which is why Ford doesn't have any cars in their lineup now

[@jsfbay1]

This came out in 2019, right? I took a look at that piece of plastic where the start/stop button is and how it (doesn't) blend into the piece to it's right. I figured, "launch year" it will be fixed in a couple years. Still no change? Can't they reduce the gigantic gap a little bit in three years? Sigh...

[@Seriously140]

I had the exact same experience. Test drove a blue ST Explorer. It handled great and felt like a larger GTI. That interior though. Blah!

[@pkdude5334]

it has decals on the wheels. What more could you possibly ask for?

[@Drivethisnotthat]

Nothing tops that last Explorer review, mark. We call this "good for afar but far from good." At 3:05 is the hood fit jacked up?

[@jeffr6280]

Mark, you hit the nail no the head with the police package comment. Having driven one for a couple years I can attest to the crap fit, finish and performance of things like the infotainment etc...Oh yeah, and the paper thin metal on the hood dents if an acorn hits it. But it holds allot of stuff and doesn't break down much(save the garbage dump of a transmission). If they didn't have a corner on the po-po market, they wouldn't sell more than 10 or 15k of these a year.

[@rushmatic]

This color makes me wish they would bring back the Eddie Bauer Edition 😅

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

loved the color s on the 1995

[@irfanhusein1445]

I own a 2018 Explorer sport 3.5 turbo and it’s been an excellent vehicle. Easily tows my 5000 pound boat and trailer. So if this is as good as the 2018 model I’ll be satisfied. The Telluride looks really nice and I am going to cross shop it.

[@jamesmedina2062]

Why would this be "as good" as your 2018? It has a smallish 4-banger in it.

[@irfanhusein1445]

@@jamesmedina2062 The reviewer was talking about the quality of the interior. My comment was just about the interior.

[@maestroadam]

Those lights on the grill must be there to attract the "I want to look like a cop but I really am a civilian" look.

[@upshifter5316]

I think this must be an owner car, and perhaps those lights are aftermarket add-ins? Look at the orange $0.75 switch button on the lower left dash at 1:18. Then again this is Ford so that button may well be factory. A $495 option even…

[@pacadet]

It’s a dealer installed option, but that’s literally how Ford makes it. Ford Performance part number M-15200K-EGL. Look up the installation guide. $5 AutoZone lighted toggle switch. Oh, and the kit is $550.

[@aprtur]

@@pacadet thanks for posting that, YT kept deleting my comment with the same info, for some reason 😑

[@upshifter5316]

@@pacadet holy crap I was joking about the price…. But I guess I wasn’t! Unbelievable!

[@annenominous7220]

best performance in rear end collisions of any vehicle on earth, no idea how they do it, but 100 percent survival if rearended.

[@paulira7407]

I bought a 2021 Rav4 Prime SE last year at MSRP for 43K (sonic red color option upgrade, weather package, roof rails, and sunroof package included) and seeing something like this monstrosity at 50K makes me fortunate that I did my research on the Prime before I purchased it. 😅

[@ericsade5961]

How did you manage a prime at MSRP?

[@paulira7407]

@@ericsade5961 I was calling all my local Toyota dealerships within 50 miles for most of the first half of 2021 and put my name on the so called “waiting list” that many Toyota dealerships employ, which I found out later on varies on how they contact you if a Prime is coming in to the dealership for any upcoming inventory. Long story short, I had two dealerships that were receiving a Prime at around the same time with almost the same MSRP towards the end of the month and I used both against each other for negotiations because I was willing to purchase the vehicle ASAP. Both eventually were willing to sell at MSRP but I went with the dealership that had the color I was looking for.

[@paulira7407]

@@ericsade5961 to clarify what I meant by the Toyota “waiting list” for the Prime, the dealership had a “waiting list” for the Prime but I never got on it because they kept saying they didn’t know how long it will be when they would receive another Prime and that “several” people were ahead of me on the list. I decided to call one morning in August of last year to the same dealership and the salesman I spoke to said they would check with their manager for incoming inventory and they told me they had a Prime coming in within the week. The other dealership that I used as part of my negotiations also had a Prime coming in at the same time. They also had a “waiting list” but were willing to sell me the vehicle despite not being on that list as well. That’s why I mentioned that those “waiting lists” that Toyota dealerships employ, at least when it came to the Prime last year, can vary on how and if they do contact you about any incoming Prime vehicles to their dealerships.

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

There is absolutely no comparison between a Ford and a Toyota. The Explorer is basically a throw away. All the cabbies and ride shares use Toyotas because they hold up. The police buy Fords because they are required to. The only good Ford vehicles ever made were the Crown Vic, Grand Marquis, and Town Car.

[@patsemchism]

@@user-tb7rn1il3q those “good Fords” were all built in Canada 🇨🇦

[@TheMELTDOWN911]

Man! YOU ARE 100% CORRECT 1:53 I worked for a Ford supplier for dash components for this POS, and that's the way it is, as simple as that! cheap cheap sh*t..I would never buy any Ford at all

[@MM-gg3rg]

Quick and to the point! Unfortunately, Ford has a habit of skimping on the interior materials. The Maverick is the same way, even if you get the Lariat version, it still has cheap hard plastic everywhere! I test drove a Mach E at the price fit and finish, I would choose a BMW I4 over it all day!

[@jasonmcconnell5412]

“The Gearbox responds via calendar year!” 😂😂😂

[@BeanieNinjay0]

As long as you can finally tow a u-haul trailer with the new explorer, that’s a win in my book. I would gladly spend a 10k markup on the new Ford Explorer Timberwolf.

[@twelbo6047]

I remember when Ford essentially owned this segment of the market. The Eddie Bauer Explorer was the go to car in suburbs. Now the Koreans run circles around this thing with their offerings. Another example of squandered good will is the Taurus. Once a top seller only to end its run as a reluctant rental car offering.

[@MTNorville]

Ford should take a step back, and remind themselves they sell a lifestyle vehicle in Australia called the Everest. Which is actually capable and accessible.

[@aprtur]

Ford is great at this - they'll develop a superior yet similar vehicle for overseas, and leave the US out of it.

[@moloono1]

Just here to leave a comment in support of my favorite car-review channel 🎉

[@Iang343]

If this had the 400hp eco boost I would be all over it

[@sokthearrith]

I drive one of these newer model explorers for work everyday…the fit and finish down to the sound system is a tragedy 😂…don’t get me started on the transmission that doesn’t know what it wants to do 90% of the time

[@richardmahoney9415]

Had one for a rental truck when my raptor was in the shop I actually loved the truck lol I didn’t even notice the plastic panel gaps truck was great to drive

[@mofayer]

Will you didn't pay 50k for it, kind of changes things

[@ZACH_95_]

@@mofayer not really.

[@mofayer]

@@ZACH_95_ if 30 vs 50k is no difference to you then why are you even looking at Ford?

[@CSLFiero]

Is the Expedition better in any way other than size

[@AirBudProMax]

Nissan Sentra build quality for more than double the price. Nice.

[@davidballantyne762]

Thanks again for the honest review guys - it's why I keep coming back to your channel. To lift a very average vehicle and put all-terrain tires on it, to totally ruin the ride and fuel economy screams "cashing in" on the whole off-road craze. Who is ever going to take this thing beyond a gravel road? And who's ever going to use those tow hooks!

[@FishFind3000]

If they need it they need it.

[@brianb7844]

I work right by the plant that makes these things. The stories I have heard, The way they drive these things out of the plant to the lots is enough for me never to buy one.

[@jacobrael9872]

Care to share any stories?

[@mcd5082]

Great video! Keeping it 100 as always

[@lehbeltman]

My guess is that the guy at Ford that is responsible for the interiors is in his 50's. Every interior now would have been considered nice in the 1980's. I really liked the Maverick until I sat in one. Looks like a interior in a Eastern European econobox.

[@danielleasamuels]

That green is beautiful ❤

[@danielleasamuels]

There’s green on the inside tooooo 😳🥰🤎