Motorweek 2002 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer Road Test
Motorweek 2002 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer Road Test. I don’t own this video.
Diversity surrounding it last year the ford explorer remains america’s most popular sport utility vehicle but to keep that edge and quiet buyer concerns ford is introducing an all-new 2002 explorer along with a very different looking luxury cousin the 2002 mercury mountaineer ford says the new explorer and mountaineer are better more versatile in every way but are
They good enough to restore buyer confidence and remain suv leaders ford certainly hope so because after four years of development they’ve delivered a pair of all new mid-size suvs that share little with the 10 year old design that they replace and also less with each other both the 2002 ford explorer and 2002 mercury mountaineer share a new heavy duty box perimeter
Frame that is amazingly 350 percent stiffer torsionally than its predecessor but it’s what’s attached to that frame that’s even bigger news for explore and mountaineer that would be their first independent rear suspension this short and long arm coilover shock design replaces the rigid axle that has been used since the first 1990 explorer and by running the half
Shafts through portholes in the frame the new design allows the floor and center of gravity to be lowered by almost seven inches that means more utility and stability it also allows for a first time third row bench seat optional on explorer and standard on mountaineer it’s best for children and teens but it is easy to climb into just flip and fold either outboard
Section of the 40 20 40 second row seat the three section design allows great cargo and people flexibility the new chassis and suspension also allow for a cockpit that’s almost two and a half inches wider it features a totally redesigned dash with a cleaner control layout advanced front airbags can be augmented with a first side impact curtain airbags in its price
Class seats are new too with more support and foreign aft travel ford’s optional power adjustable pedals allow just about everyone to get comfortable those pedals control a drivetrain that consists of either a 4-liter single overhead cam v6 with 210 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque or a first time 4.6 liter single overhead cam v8 with 240 horsepower and 280
Pound-feet of torque both deliver power through a very smooth 5-speed automatic transmission and to either the rear or all four wheels four-wheel drive explorers will use a refined now push button control track system it offers drivers in automatic mode for everyday driving 4×4 high for severe weather or 4×4 low for off-road use the more pavement-oriented mercury
Mountaineer on the other hand is available with either two wheel drive or mercury’s exclusive fully automatic all-wheel drive system both on-road and off the new explorer feels much more solid and sophisticated new independent rear suspension dramatically reduces wheel hop on rough surfaces and improves the rod especially for rear seat passengers the more luxury
And now very differently styled mountaineer offers an even smoother ride though with its softer springs and has more of a tendency to bob and weave over bumps both the redesigned 2002 ford explorer and 2002 mercury mountaineer are clearly impressive so much so that our friends at ami auto world weekly said that there is no question that these improvements and a
Bunch more make for a far better explorer both of these vehicles will be a dealer soon with ford pricing starting at 24 620 for the base xls great explorer the xlt is a base price of 28 380 while the eddie bauer and limited model start at 32 690 prices for the mercury mountaineer start at twenty nine thousand two hundred thirty dollars for a two wheel drive model
The all-wheel drive version carries a base price of thirty one thousand two hundred ten dollars that’s no more expensive and in some cases even less expensive than the 2001 models so formidable new competitors notwithstanding explore and mountaineer should retain their sales leading status as the new benchmarks of affordable mid-size suvs i hope you’ll join us
Next week for more motorweek when we’ll test jaguars nostalgic xkr silverstone and the all-new buick rendezvous crossover wagon i’m john davis we’ll see you then to learn more about motorweek television’s original automotive magazine visit us online at pbs.org or america online
Transcribed from video
Motorweek 2002 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer Road Test By Hondata97
