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2016 Ford Explorer Platinum First Drive and Review

Benjamin Hunting
by Benjamin Hunting
September 15, 2015
6 min. Reading Time
2016 Ford Explorer Platinum front 3/4 ・  Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2016 Ford Explorer Platinum front 3/4 ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

SUV shoppers have an almost unlimited thirst for luxury, especially if you look at the sales figures for the most popular models in the segment. The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum follows in the steps GMC's Denali brand in extending a full range of premium features past the pickup truck origins of the Platinum (originally an F-150 trim) in order to please families seeking the plushest people mover they can get outside of a Lincoln showroom. 

To show off the newest, most upscale member of the Explorer family, Ford has put together a tour of North America's most breath-taking natural wonders, starting in Vancouver, British Columbia, and ending down in Taos, New Mexico. I caught up with the caravan in Montana and had the chance to pilot the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum through West Yellowstone and the Grand Teton mountain range. When I wasn't being distracted by the seemingly unlimited natural beauty contained within the borders of these two natural parks, I was able to focus on the Explorer formula and get a feel what Ford is trying to accomplish with its Platinum strategy.

More, More, More - How Do You Like It?

Top-shelf luxury is frequently a platform for excess, but the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum takes a more restrained path towards satisfying the desires of potential premium customers. From the outside, there's not much to identify the Platinum's special status in the Explorer line-up aside from unique 20-inch wheels and LED running lights, with sharper eyes also picking out a pair of silver-hued skid plates from and rear.

Once inside the cabin, however, things start to come to the fore: Ford has wrapped the dash and door sills in genuine leather trim, matched with wood and aluminum highlights (with the latter continuing in the form of a brushed Blue Oval - or is that Silver Oval - on the steering wheel). That wheel also gets the wood-and-leather treatment, and the hides wrapped around the seats feel like a fair upgrade over those found in the next-in-line Explorer Limited. The Platinum model also builds on the already impressive feature list of the Limited (front and rear cameras, hands-free liftgate, heated and ventilated seats, navigation system) with items such as adaptive cruise control, automated parking, a massage function for the two front thrones, a dual-pane sunroof, and a 500-watt Sony surround sound audio system.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Quieter, Too

The calm is often just as important as the (performance) storm in a luxury vehicle, and Ford was chuffed to explain to me just how much quieter the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum was compared to its lesser lineup-mates. This is because the Platinum model has been hit with a whole whack of sound-proofing processes, including the decision to locate and seal as many air gaps in the cabin as possible. If a breeze flows through it, so can sound, and the additional insulation injected into the SUV gave it a composed character even at highway speeds. I even had to roll down the window to hear the hooves of the bison clomping on the asphalt beside me during one of many encounters with Yellowstone's most massive citizens.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Still Enormous Inside

The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum is not the largest three-row SUV you can find, measured in terms of either cargo space or passenger room. That honor goes to luminaries like the previously-mentioned Acadia Denali (and its Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse twins). Still, the Explorer Platinum is a formidable weapon for meeting life's various errands and activities head-on.

Second-row accommodations are good inside the vehicle, but the third row of seating in the Ford is child-oriented, especially with the heated second-row bench that comes standard with the Platinum. You can deal with this in two ways: opt for second-row captain's chairs that increase the rearmost area's legroom (and reduce total seating capacity from seven to six), or do what I did and simply fold down the third row using the button at the back to enjoy a completely flat load floor. There's just under 82 cubic feet of total cargo space available inside the Explorer - respectable but not class-leading - although when the vehicle is fully occupied the amount of room found between the liftgate and the third-row seatback jumps surpasses almost all of its sport-utility rivals.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Still Waiting For SYNC 3

The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum comes standard with the MyFord Touch infotainment system, which is linked with the SYNC voice command interface for mobile devices and assorted vehicle functions. It's a handsome design, but it's one that has drawn the ire of existing Ford customers frustrated with slow response times to touchscreen button pushes, as well as a few perceived ergonomic missteps.

Personally, I don't have a problem with MyFord Touch, but I can understand the irritation of having to tap a radio preset or navigation command once, twice, thrice before the vehicle acknowledges you. That being said, SYNC 3 - an all-new infotainment system designed outside the Microsoft infrastructure underpinning the current iteration - is on its way for the Explorer's 2017 model year. SYNC 3 is already available in both the Ford Edge and the Ford Fiesta, so my advice is to head down to a dealership and try it out on one of those vehicles before deciding whether you're willing to wait nearly a year to experience it in the larger SUV.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Standard EcoBoost Power

The 2016 Ford Explorer is available with three powertrains, but the Platinum trim level is exclusively offered with the top-dog EcoBoost V-6. Eschewing the naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter six-cylinder unit (290 horsepower) and the mid-range 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder (270 horses, 300 lb-ft of torque), the Explorer Platinum snags the same 365 horsepower, 3.5-liter twin-turbo monster motor found in the Sport trim. Also capable of generating 350 lb-ft of torque, as in every Explorer it comes yoked to a six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive - featuring Ford's 'Terrain Management System' is also standard with the EcoBoost V-6.

The twin-turbo Explorer Platinum is beefy, to be sure, but it's also lugging around 4,500 lbs - not as tubby as a few other full-size SUVs I could name, but still enough to sap some of the EcoBoost muscle lurking under its hood. Acceleration is good, just not rocket-like, which will be more than satisfying to 99 percent of Platinum drivers. Fuel economy throughout my day in the park was also decent, with the 22-mpg performance matching the turbocharged V-6's combined EPA rating.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Heavy, But A Decent Handler

The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum's curb weight doesn’t just inform its off-the-line sprint but of course also plays a role in shaping its handling out on the road. For the most part, it's a non-issue: the Explorer Platinum remains stable and calm as long as you obey posted speed limits, especially on twisty roads. Push the SUV like you would a sport sedan on curvier stretches of pavement, and you'll encounter body roll and the protestation of the front tires as they fight understeer. In summary: a perfectly acceptable, and natural state of affairs from any big sport-utility vehicle.

I didn’t have the chance to sample the Explorer Platinum's Terrain Management System, as the rangers who run Yellowstone take a dim view of anyone who dares disturb the pristine land protected by the park. Rather than risk handcuffs, I chose instead to draw on my experience with the same system on older Explorer models in inclement weather. The system offers excellent stability at speed and good grip from a stop when road conditions turn slippery. True all-terrain fiends will most likely want to limit the truck's exposure to rocks and ruts, as the Ford's overhangs and lack low-range gearing make it more suited to gravel, grass, and decently-packed sand.

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Safer Than Ever Thanks To High Tech Suite Of Features

Ford has an excellent track record when it comes to introducing high-tech safety gear in as many models as it can, regardless of price point. It's only natural then that the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum show off the entire panoply of advanced driver's aides and protective equipment available from the brand.

The Platinum benefits from forward collision warning system, a lane departure warning system, and a lane-keeping assist feature that was actually quite good at keeping the SUV within the occasionally narrow lines on more rugged sections of Grand Teton's esplanade. There is also a blind spot monitoring system as well as a full complement of airbags (including a knee airbag for the front passenger) and the previously-mentioned front and rear cameras that offer a wide-angle look at the areas immediately surrounding the vehicle. Unique in its segment are a set of inflatable seatbelts for those riding in the second row, an airbag feature that has yet to be duplicated by any other automaker.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Why Platinum? Because They'll Sell Every Single One That Gets Built

In the rush to the top, one has to wonder just how much cash is left out there to be sopped up by progressively shinier SUVs. According to Ford, it's actually a case of demand outstripping supply: close to half of its existing Explorer orders tend toward the Limited or Sport end of the spectrum, each of which boasts an MRSP above the $40k mark. This number can climb even higher once the vehicle's numerous options packages are taken into account.

The Explorer Platinum retails for $52,970, a near-$10k stretch compared to the Limited, but when contrasted against the similar prices paid for its GM and Chrysler equivalents, it's a reasonable ask. Given the phenomenal success of luxury pickup trucks almost across the board - with some brands offering multiple flavors of premium, in some cases tailored to specific regions of the country - it doesn't seem like Ford's taking much of a risk by offering an all-the-marbles edition of the Explorer.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2016 Ford Explorer Platinum Pros / Cons

Pros:

  • All the luxury gear you can handle
  • Advanced safety is prioritized
  • Quiet, comfortable ride
  • Powerful EcoBoost V-6 without much of an efficiency penalty
  • Standard all-wheel drive
  • Roomy interior

Cons:

  • No name-recognition amongst luxury brands
  • The most expensive Explorer to date
  • Not as nimble as some of its rivals
  • Third row can be cramped in some configurations
  • Outdone in terms of total cargo space by GM options
 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting


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