Well I should start this off by saying i'm a huge Explorer fan, or at least I was util the redesign in 2011. I love a good body on frame 4x4 SUV so I was not excited when the Explorer went to unibody and FWD based drivetrain. Because of this I never took a close look at the new Explorer, yeah I looked at them in the dealer but never drove one.

Well fast forward about 2 weeks ago, I landed in Chicago at 4:30AM local time for a 14 day vacation. I had reserved a full size sedan for a great price. Walk in the guy pulls up the reservation and says he's out of cars but has a few SUV's. I asked any fords? Sure enough he had a 2016 Explorer Sport black on black. I took the keys and ran!!

First impressions, nice seating position, everything was within reach and easy to find. I've put over 2100 miles on it now and will be turning it back in tomorrow. I have to say I'm very surprised and happy with this new Explorer. It's not something i'd buy these days but it's damn nice!

I've spent a lot of seat time in it driving all over Michigan and Illinois. This little thing just soaks up the miles and asks for more! Very comfy and has not left me with any back pain like other rentals have in the past.

I'm not a huge fan of the 3.5 EcoBoost engine in the F-150 as all the trucks i've driven left me unimpressed. But the 3.5 Eco in this explorer has made me very happy. Very little turbo lag, plenty of power and good MPG for my driving style...I'm very impressed! Worst tank was 15 MPG best tank was 22.6 MPG traveling from Grand Rapids, MI to Detroit, MI and back.

Here's some photos and MPG info off my fuelly

 

My 3.5 NA XLT Explorer has a long term MPG of 23 with about a 60% hwy. It's just me but I would never pay lots more money for essentially the same vehicle and have to pay more to drive it. Ford must be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

I guess I forgot to mention how fast it is, that part is what really made me happy. The Sport will blow the doors off any other Explorer and keep up with a majority of what's on the road. I'm the type that could care less about MPG so long as it puts a smile on my face, hence why I have a V10 Excursion, 6.2 V8 F150 and 5.7 Hemi Chrysler 300C.

 

I find this thread very interesting.

My partner has only very recently began driving, and working in the automotive profession namely as a service advisor in a Mitsubishi dealership at present, all within the span of the last two years that have passed. After being with me for twelve years, and failing to pursue what she originally intended as a paralegal, she took a "if you can't beat them, join them" attitude and decided upon this after I enrolled her in a driving school to get her her driver's license, and bought her her first car, a 2010 Focus SE with a 5 speed manual.

In her short time as a licensed driver, she has had the opportunity to try out her driving skills behind the wheel of numerous different vehicles, including but not limited to, 2007 Cadillac CTS V six speed manual, 2011 Jeep Wrangler manual, 2013 Focus ST, 2015 Mustang GT manual, Ford Fusion 2.5L manual, Ford Fusion 3.0L V6 auto, Lincoln MKZ 3.5L V6, Ford F-150 both 3.5L Ecoboost and 5.0L V8.... but most important of all, a 2016 Explorer Sport as well.

As you imagine, having been behind the wheel of all those different vehicles, she has developed an opinion of them too. She LOVES her manual transmission so far, and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world... except that Explorer Sport. She LOVES the power and the looks of it. She also loves how that 3.5L GTDI feels in the numerous F-150s I've bought home to let her try out.