The V8 was Ford's long-serving 5.0-liter/302 cubic-inch overhead-valve engine, tuned here for 210 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Responding to competitive pressures - and, doubtless, buyer requests - the Ford Explorer added V8 power and all-wheel drive as exclusive options for 1996 four-door models. Ford has plenty of competition.but the improvements to Explorer keep it at the front of the herd among sport-utility vehicles." doesn't deliver good economy seems loud and coarse when cold. The publication went on to say: "Though Explorer's V6 doesn't have as much horsepower as the rivals at Jeep and General Motors, it produces lots of low-end torque and brisk acceleration. The Explorer is more impressive than the because its long wheelbase gives it a roomier interior and a more comfortable ride." The new automatic four-wheel-drive system is a nice feature, though Jeep has offered full-time four-wheel drive for years. The addition of dual airbags moves it ahead of the rival Chevrolet Blazer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which have a driver-side airbag. As the magazine noted: "Explorer earned its way to the top of the sport-utility field with its ability to double as roomy four-wheel-drive vehicle and upscale family wagon. The 1995 models took home another ribbon - with a few provisos. The Ford Explorer had been a perennial Consumer Guide Best Buy pick. Last but not least, the dashboard was redesigned to incorporate standard dual front airbags, a boon for "passive" safety that belatedly answered some rivals. Standard four-wheel antilock brakes returned with rear discs replacing drum brakes. A dashboard switch allowed locking in a four-wheel Low range for severe off-road situations. Unlike the two previous setups it replaced, Ford's Control Trac allowed four-wheeling on dry pavement, not just slippery surfaces, and normally drove the rear wheels until they started to slip, in which case power would be redirected to the front wheels. Also new was the available four-wheel-drive system. In addition, the available four-speed automatic had electronic shift controls that allegedly improved its smoothness and efficiency. And horsepower was now 160 regardless of transmission. Others returned with a 4.0-liter V6 claiming an extra five pound-feet of torque, 225 in all. The two-door Eddie Bauer models were dropped. A more telling sign that something new lurked within was that wheelbases were slightly altered to 101.7 inches for the two-door, 111.5 for the four-door. Both the two-door and volume-leading four-door (about 90 percent of Explorer sales) gained smoother styling that added about four inches to the overall length. But Ford knew competitors were gunning for the nation's top-selling SUV, so an updating was needed to keep Explorer No. Some observers were surprised that this came just four years after the model's introduction, rather early by truck design standards. The Ford Explorer greeted model-year 1995 with its first redesign.
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