Ford Explorer (2002 - 2005) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Its a very comfortable ride, And was very practical for what i needed. I had just purchased a home and did some small remodels here and there. Having a spacious suv made transporting materials and tools easy as could be! Ive had 0 mechanical issues with it. Unfortunately, Last years winter brought on some rust. So ideally its the first thing that should be fixed with this vehicle. If you knock that out, I believe this car will run and look great for many years to come!Sep 08, 2014

I like the power and leather seating. as well as the 3rd row seating which can be turned into extra cargo room. sunroof is great automatic lights and security system with security light on the side view mirrors is nice touch. like the style. great for the winter snow and icy roads. nice handling and command of the road headlights and fog lights are great a lot of coverage. Just have money for gas cost.Mar 26, 2014

Great ride, tight steering, independent suspension w/little body roll, hauls good, great in snow & mud, comfortable, V-8 good power, great high & low 4x4 system, shift 4x4 on the fly, brakes are great even with a load behind you, solid feel on the road, smooth shifting even under load, good sight from drivers seat, seat adjust great with memory, seats fold up for hauling bigger items, in and out of it is nice better than my car. "Great Vehicle".Dec 24, 2012

Performance- This SUV handles like most. its big, pretty top heavy, but its got a 4.0 liter engine and can reall ypick up speed if necesary. its handles quite nicely, and braking is even better. half way down on the brake should easily stop the car in about 1.5 seconds while doin 60-70 Build quality- since this is a used car that i have there are a couple of things that i would like to get fixed, mainly in the sterio, but for a used car with around 120k miles on it there aren't alot of glaring problems with it. alittle bit of squeaking here and there but for a used car this thing is still running strong. Appearance- I love the look of this car. interior was designed quite nicely, leather interior on the seats, alot of trunk space and fold away seats. can comfortably seat 7, but this car is quite expensive. the exterior of the car is quite modest. its a dark blue with gold skirts near the middle of the car. grill has the standard explorer grill, rims are just stock as well. the whole car looks awesome and im proud to show it off in the high school parking lot. haha cost of ownership- this thing drinks gas like grad student drinks booze. it is not good at all for gas mileage. if i had to guess id say it gets around 15 to 16 MPG and gas money is always taking out huge chunks of my paychecks. so far maintenance has been good. no major problems with it. this car is great but the gas mileage will come back to kill you in the end. Fun Factor- I think this car is fun to drive. its great to just cruise around town, just having a good time with your buddies in the back. i also like how the explorer is higher off the ground than most of the other cars. i love this car, but i could see how for other people not in my situation how it could be my of a burden than a blessing. Jun 07, 2010

Goes through the snow like hot knife through butter even without the 4-wheel drive!! This is my second Explorer, and I bought it on the reputation of the first one, which, with 210,000 miles, is still going strong! (I still own the first one, a '92, and will keep it until it begs for mercy.) A few cons - the soft plug is very expensive to replace on the 4.0 liter engine. It looks like an 89-cent part, but due to its location, cost $270 in labor charges to get to it. I'm not happy with the cloth interior as everything sticks to it like velcro. And the posts between the rear side windows and back window are getting dull, a problem that has been happening since 1992 apparently. I will most likely always drive an Explorer. They're roomy, comfortable, dependable and easy for everyone to get in and out of.Feb 18, 2010

This is my dad's vehicle. When I've driven it I have been more than satisfied with performance and comfort. Although without an 8 cylinder it does not have the giddy up that my Expedition has. It has one of the worst rollover ratings of any model, but it has never felt unstable on turns or ramps even when when going above the recommended speed for an off-ramp. Overall a great vehicle.Oct 05, 2009

I love almost everything about my car. I live in Michigan and the winters are harsh, but that is no challenge for my Explorer. I have not had to replace anything other than brakes in the time i have had it, it get an oil change every 3K miles and not an issue. Now with the gas prices having dropped I put $25.00 in it a week and am good to go. I love to drive my car, it is comfortable, and cute! I have the side bars on it which I think enhance the functionality of it. I would definitely recommend Explorers to my friends and I have. Thanks to me my boyfriend is also looking for one. Jan 16, 2009

It's been a great family ride. It has very easily accessible "LATCH" system for child restraints. I really enjoy the rear-air feature, Towing capacity, storage abilities, 3rd row seat, child-safety features (ie. window locks, rear door child locks), and overall look of the truck. I would prefer a larger windshield. Sometimes I have to bend my head down a little to see the stop light at an intersection. It has great 4x4 handling, as well. I was recently left stranded on the side of I-95 in Florida when my Harmonic Balancer and Ignition Sensor went out. The FORD repair manual calls for the incorrect sized belt. It's very confusing for car-repair shops to repair your vehicle if the manufacturer's book is incorrect. I went thru 4 belts before we figured out the problem was Ford's recommendation of belt size... Jul 08, 2008