I passed 2,000 miles on my Explorer last weekend, so I figured it was time to report on my experiences. (Edit: I have a 2013 model…not 2012. DOH!)
Mileage - So far I'm averaging 17.8mpg, over 12 fill-ups. I'm a bit surprised at the low mileage since I drive a lot of freeway. But the 20" rims don't help, and in Seattle everything is a hill. I also can't help but get into the throttle more often than I should. That engine just sounds great opening up. I changed the oil at 1,400 miles since I hate break-in oil. Interestingly enough, the oil meter was at 89% which means my oil change interval will be in the 14,000 mile range
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The Good:
- Overall, I love this car. I still smile when I see it in the parking lot. I've driven trucks for nearly 10 years and haven't missed them at all yet. Even seeing the F350 I traded in on the dealer lot didn't bring any regret.
- The interior fit and finish is very good and I'm happy with the XLT trim level. I do wish I could have found a base Limited with a few more toys, but I haven't needed anything yet that I didn't get. Attention Ford: you'd get more money out of me if I could add a few of the Limited features piece-meal to my XLT…hint, hint.
- I was a bit worried about leg room in the back for my two kids, but we haven't had a problem yet. The front seats are very comfortable.
- The car has great throttle response and isn't afraid to get up into the RPMs. While I'd change some of the shift logic, it is far better than any Ford I've driven for years.
Minor Gripes
- The luggage rack bars that cross the top of the roof are POS. With a 100lb rating, a fair amount (even more than half) of that capacity is taken up with a cargo box.
- The car needs more cargo cubbies and pockets, particularly in the back.
- Ford needs to work on their gaps and fit-n-finish a bit on the outside of the car. Now that I've had time to look at all the details, I can see how the left and right side doors have different size gaps. The rear hatch is particularly out of whack (when looked at with a close eye…everything opens and closes fine).
- The electrically assisted steering is numb. While it can be fun spinning the wheel with one finger, I find I miss the feedback I got from even my F350. I truly understand now why car magazines ding lack of steering feedback in their review.
Major Gripes
- Ford needs to fire everyone that had a hand in Sync. And I mean fire tomorrow…turn their badge off and pull their system access. VPs all the way down to the FNGs. I'd tell Microsoft to FO as well and start all over. That system is a horrible excuse for an integrated user interface. Don't blame Microsoft, they've produced software like this for decades. Ford needs to take ownership here. I've been around software development for over a dozen years now and work with teams that put software on airplanes. While I'll never claim to be an expert, I know when I see bad requirements, uncontrolled scope creep and lack of systems integration take over projects. I'll skip the details as the list of issues would be too long. Let's just say the Sync in my 2010 F350 worked great with my iPhone 4, maybe needing to be rebooted once every three or four months. With my Explorer's Sync, I can think of at least six ways my iPhone will connect to Sync, all of which provide varying levels of control. There is literally a one-in-six chance my phone will function properly every time I start the car.
- The cup holders in the center console need to be redesigned ASAP. The clown that engineered these didn't have a clue about physics. Fire him/her along with the Sync team. The whole point of cup holders is so the driver doesn't have to manager their beverage. Yet these two (of difference diameters no less) are wider than any cup I can find and yet very shallow. The fact that coffee mugs with handles won't fit in them at all is just the cherry on top. Soda cans, coffee mugs or anything else have to be held in place if the car is in motion. What's the point then?
That's it for now...