2012 Ford Explorer Test Drive Review

Ford has launched the new model of Explorer and recently I got a chance to test drive it.

It was just great. The feature I liked the most is called Active Park Assist, through which the vehicle can automatically park itself. Yes, the new explorer can parallel park itself. With the help of cameras and sensors the vehicle can detect when there is sufficient space for parallel parking and then automates the steering to park with perfection. You just have to control the transmission and the brake, and that also the car will tell you when to switch gear and apply brake. I think it’s a great feature because even though I believe I have mastered the art of parallel parking, doing it in a big vehicle such as Ford explorer can be a daunting task. So whatever assistance you get from the car is always welcomed, which in this case the car just takes over and does it for you.

Below is a video demonstrating this feature.

And that’s not all. The new exterior of Ford Explorer is stunning and is like a fresh breeze of air as the old look was kinda outdated.

The new Ford Explorer also features terrain management system which adjusts the torque and stability control according to the terrain you are driving on. This takes the pressure away from the driver to manage the vehicle in rough terrains and allows the car to handle it.

Curve Control keeps you from losing control of the vehicle when driving through the curve. So now you can be rest assured that your car will not slip off the curve during high speed maneuvers (not recommended to do that though).

Experienced drivers know how stressful it is to control the vehicle in a hilly terrain, specially when going downhill. The new Ford Explorer offers Hill Descent Control which makes it easy to tackle downhill movement, adding to the peace of mind of the driver.

Add this to other smart features such as Lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, Inflatable rear safety belts, BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert, Adaptive Cruise Control with collision warning and auto-braking, and you a vehicle which is safe, smart, and fun to drive.

I was totally impressed with the new Ford Explorer when I test drove it. This is now on top of my list as I am planning to upgrade my current car.