ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Ford Explorer isn’t probably the most thrilling product in Ford’s lineup — a road-going, three-row SUV with styling that tastefully straddles the road between sporty and rugged. There’s an Explorer ST that helps join the drive expertise to the sporty a part of that look, however till now, the Explorer’s off-road functionality has been middling at finest, particularly straight from the manufacturing facility. Maybe that should not be shocking contemplating Ford now gives the Bronco to fulfill adventurous prospects, but it surely does so on the sacrifice of on-road refinement and general consolation. A niche in Ford’s SUV portfolio nonetheless exists then. Enter the 2022 Ford Explorer Timberline variant.
On paper, the Timberline’s distinctive options, included in our 2021 tester’s $47,260 base MSRP with vacation spot (although that value will increase to $47,540 for the 2022 mannequin yr), are sufficient to encourage extra confidence. This is not simply an look bundle. It rolls on massive Bridgestone Dueler P265/65R-18 all-terrain tires. Its rides 0.8 inches increased, with a sufficiently lofty 8.7 inches of floor clearance, a 23.5-degree method angle (a 2.5-degree enchancment) and 23.7-degree departure angle (up by 1.7 levels). The Timberline will get an off-road suspension that makes use of a retuned model of the Ford Police Interceptor’s dampers, plus revised springs — together with a entrance rebound spring — stabilizer bars and steering rack. A Torsen limited-slip rear differential helps enhance traction in free or slippery surfaces. Mechanicals are protected by metal skid plates spanning the underbody from entrance to rear.
Below the hood is Ford’s hardworking 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost inline-four sending 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque to the usual all-wheel drive . Some could lament the dearth of a V6 possibility within the Timberline, craving the 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque out there from the Explorer ST’s 3.0-liter EcoBoost. Routed by means of the 10-speed transmission, although, the two.3-liter is ready to make do with its 300 ponies simply wonderful, with the gearbox selecting the best gear to by no means go away it feeling at a loss for driving force. In actual fact, we fairly loved placing the Timberline into Sport mode and having fun with the surprisingly stirring track of the engine because it climbed the rev ladder. It’s not sufficient to tug your glasses off your head, but it surely’s loads of punch to make a transfer into heavy site visitors or merge at a comfortably fast velocity from even a shortish freeway onramp.
Beware, although: the Timberline’s gas financial system suffers in comparison with different Explorers outfitted with the two.3. The Timberline is rated at 19 mpg metropolis, 22 mpg freeway and 21 mpg mixed, versus 20/27/23 for the Explorer XLT AWD. We weren’t precisely being miserly with the accelerator, and we hovered proper round a 17-mpg common over the course of our week within the Timberline.
The Terrain Administration System gives seven drive modes, together with Path and Deep Snow/Sand modes for once you do end up off the overwhelmed path. Hill descent management is commonplace, and a 360-degree digicam suite features a entrance digicam that may give you a glimpse of the path forward when your windshield is pointed on the sky. You’ll be able to haul toys alongside in your journey, because the Timberline is able to towing as much as 5,300 kilos (greater than the everyday three-row SUV, however in need of a Grand Cherokee L), and comes with a Class III towing bundle as commonplace tools.
The Timberline appears to be like the enterprise, too. Along with its elevated trip top and high-sidewall all-terrains wrapped round darkish, high-gloss 18-inch wheels, it will get conspicuous Ember Pink tow hooks (a shade that’s repeated on the entrance bumper encompass), LED fog lights, black roof rack facet rails and a singular darkish grey grille. There are cool Timberline badges on the C-pillars and liftgate, plus the same emblem on the wheels and entrance bumper. Our tester additionally got here with the theme-appropriate Cast Inexperienced Metallic exterior paint, which brings to thoughts the looming feeling of a pine forest at twilight. In such a forest, the non-compulsory, dealer-installed Ford Efficiency auxiliary off-road lights within the grille — for which the Timberline comes pre-wired — might make a distinction. In addition they give the entrance finish a whiff of unmarked-police-vehicle, so if you happen to’re questioning why the man in entrance of you goes so gradual …
Inside, the Timberline will get an unique Deep Cypress hue that enhances that moody inexperienced exterior paint properly. The ActiveX fake leather-based seats function enticing heathered fabric inserts, and people up entrance get the Timberline emblem embossed on their seatbacks. Heated entrance and second-row seats come commonplace, as does a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel — all welcome additions for our wintry week within the Timberline. Seats, door panels and armrests have good, not-too-bright Deep Tangerine stitching that provides to the sense of favor and inside high quality. The Stone Mesh plastic trim on the sprint is a little bit questionable, but it surely’s used sparingly and squares with the look of material on the seats. Rubber ground mats come commonplace, to make for simple cleanup once you inevitably monitor filth and snow into the car. One factor we’d prefer to see in a woodsy ute like this could be 120-volt retailers (along with the usual 12-volt and USB retailers) to raised energy instruments, devices and home equipment throughout out of doors adventures or soccer tailgate.
Taking a look at this Explorer, one may be involved that its ruggedness would imply a sacrifice in consolation, however we have been pleasantly stunned that this isn’t the case. The Timberline, with its massive tires and off-road suspension, was completely agreeable driving round city and on undulating freeway surfaces. It was free from squat and dive, with managed physique roll however nonetheless sufficient forgiveness by means of the suspension that our ski tools didn’t clatter round behind the car and our groceries weren’t tossed across the cargo maintain. We anticipated a whole lot of noise contemplating the tread on the all-terrain tires, however these sounds and vibrations have been largely absent from the cabin, permitting us to benefit from the music, some dialog between rows of seating, and infrequently simply the tuneful sound of the motor.
Venturing off the pavement and onto the snow-covered, potholed filth and gravel roads that encompass the fringes of Ann Arbor, the Timberline felt proper at residence. The suspension remained well-sorted as we high-tailed it over hill and dale flanked by empty farm fields and icy woods. Moreover, the steering was a lot lower-effort and extra exact than you’d get within the admittedly extra off-road-capable Bronco. Principally, mission achieved: the Timberline balances its elevated functionality with its comfy on-road demeanor.
All of the whereas, the Timberline supplied what felt like a somewhat regular and trendy driving expertise, free from the analog efforts of extra devoted off-roaders. As commonplace, it comes with Ford Co-Pilot360 Help+, a driver help suite together with stop-and-go adaptive cruise management, efficient lane centering steering help, and computerized emergency braking with evasive steering help. Voice activated touchscreen navigation and FordPass Join with 4G Wi-Fi hotspot are included, as is proximity, distant begin and Ford’s SecuriCode exterior keypad. Our tester additionally featured the non-compulsory twin-panel sunroof ($1,695) to let extra gentle in whereas maintaining the weather out.
After every week of driving, the Timberline had us feeling a little bit extra fondness for the Explorer, discovering this model to raised encapsulate our imaginative and prescient for what this nameplate must be (and initially was within the good ol’ Eddie Bauer days). It helps spherical out a nameplate that was in want of some rounding, and we recognize when one thing like this may extra capably haul three rows of passengers and their cargo to a distant cabin or campsite. It’s nonetheless a snug and handy every day driver and household hauler, and whereas it might’t enterprise as far into the wilderness because the Bronco, it might get you many of the manner there comfortably and in type.
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