Ford Explorer

Thanks to improved on-road dynamics and better fuel efficiency, the 2011 Ford Explorer near Buffalo, available at West Herr Ford, looks like it will have greater appeal to crossover SUV shoppers than before.

The all-new 2011 Ford Explorer shares little with last year’s model other than its name. The standard 2011 Ford Explorer engine is a new 3.5-liter V6 available in either front-wheel- or four-wheel drive. It’s good for 290 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque and is said to be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than the previous 292-hp V8. For even better mpg, front-drive Explorers can be optioned with a turbocharged four-cylinder (yes, really) rated at 237 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic is standard for all models, but four-wheel-drive models will no longer have low-range gearing.

2011 Ford Models in NY

2012 Ford Focus Price: $20,155	2012 Ford Edge Price: $35,800	2012 Ford Explorer Price: $29,675	2012 Ford F-150 Price: $38,400
2012 Ford Fusion Price: $29,150	2012 Ford Focus Price: $23,755	2012 Ford Edge Price: $34,625	2012 Ford Focus Price: $22,245
2012 Ford Focus Price: $20,980	2012 Ford Expedition Price: $47,235	2012 Ford F-150 Price: $44,555	2012 Ford Edge Price: $35,515

The new 2011 Ford Explorer available Ford dealer serving Buffalo will still have three rows of seating. The cabin is roomier now, with increased shoulder- and hiproom. The interior looks considerably more modern, and Ford has thrown in all its latest technological goodies, including Sync, MyTouch and MyKey. On the safety front, the Explorer gains inflatable second-row seatbelt airbags (a first for the automotive industry) which promise to improve safety for smaller occupants. Also new is Ford’s Curve Control, a system designed to enhance braking if the SUV exhibits signs of excessive speed while turning.

The new 2011 Ford Explorer, available at West Herr Ford, is much more in tune with what today’s crossover shoppers are looking for. It drives well, gets good fuel economy and still retains the versatility that made people like SUVs in the first place.

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