2011 Ford Explorer
2011 Ford Explorer
The 2011 Ford Explorer got a completely new design. It now has a unibody construction that is similiar to the Ford Flex. It has less of a SUV style of driving but there was a loss in towing capability with this change. It’s also about four inches longer and five inches wider than the 2010 model.
The standard Explorer now comes with a 3.5 liter V6 that puts out 290 horsepower thats not only faster in acceleration but gets better gas mileage as well. Impressive.
inside there’s more room, better quality of layout, and more perks including the Sync, MyKey, and MyFord Touch. The second row seatbelts has airbags and that’s something that nobody else offers. We’ll go into more about all of these below.
The 2011 model comes in base, XLT, and Limited trim and the Eddie Bauer is no longer an option. What comes standard are 17 inch steel wheels, integrated blind spot mirrors, privacy glass, cruise control, roof rails, driver seat with six way power, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, six speaker sound system with CD player and an auxiliary audio input jack, and the MyFord advanced trip computer.
With the XLT model you get the 18 inch allow wheels, automatic headlights, foglights, parking sensors for the rear, the cloth upholstery is upgraded, steering wheel is wrapped with leather including the shift knob, keyless entry and a satellite radio.
The 2011 Ford Explorer Limited gets you all of the XLT’s options plus 20 inch wheels, remote start, a 110 volt power outlet and a 12 speaker Sony stereo system. Some other options include the navigation system, luxury seating, front seats that are ventilated, and a power folding third row seat. There is a Rapid Spec 302A that includes the parallel parking system, collision warning, brake support, adaptive cruise control, and a blind spot warning system.
Engine and Performance
The standard V6 is a 3.5 liter that puts out 290 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque. The standard transmission is a six speed automatic with front wheel drive. You can get the optional four wheel drive and it includes Ford’s Terrain Management System. This lets you select four different modes in order to optimize traction for different conditions. This also includes hill descent control and hill start assist.
Safety
Standard in the 2011 Ford Explorer is the stability and traction control system, trailer sway control, side curtain airbags, front side airbags, and MyKey. The MyKey will let parents put limits on vehicle speed and the volume of the radio. If you’re a parent, you’ll like this but then you’ll wonder who you’ve become! There’s also Ford’s Curve Control that will reduce the SUV’s speed if it senses that you’re going to fast for that particular curve. This is all part of the stability control system.
A blind spot warning system is also optional on the XLT and Limited versions as well as inflatable seatbelts for your second row passengers. The Limited can also come with brake support and collision warning.
Base
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XLT
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Limited
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There were a lot of changes and they were for the better! You won’t miss not having the V8 with the new power of the V6 with even better gas mileage in the new 2011 Ford Explorer.
