Cars & Autos | Thursday 7 April, 2016 5:34 am |

The new 2016 Ford Explorer has been named “Best Midsize SUV” in the prestigious Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY) awards. Judged by a panel of 12 ‘motoring minds’ from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Levant countries, the Middle East Car of the Year is the biggest, most coveted award of the regional automotive industry. 

 

“We are pleased with this recognition for the 2016 Ford Explorer,” said Thierry Sabbagh, managing director of Ford Middle East. “Explorer set the standard for Sport Utility Vehicles when it was first introduced in the 90’s, and it continues to build on its heritage as the mid-size SUV leader with outstanding Built Ford Tough capability, technology, convenience and comfort.”

 

According to industry numbers, in 2015, Explorer led its segment in the GCC with a 40 percent share, and continues to top its category through Q1 of 2016.

 

Building on 25 years of innovation and sales leadership, the new 2016 Ford Explorer features a refreshed and sharp new design in addition to its generous interior space. It is engineered specifically for people seeking adventure time with their families and a way to express their individuality.

 

New look

Rugged – that’s the word that inspired the designers creating the look of the new Ford Explorer.

 

Exterior styling updates – such as positioning the grille and LED headlamps even higher, adding a new closed-off lower roof rack with channels that cascade rainwater off the vehicle and a new rear spoiler – also improve aerodynamics.

 

The 2016 Explorer features more robust headlamps, with available LED signature lighting, standard LED low-beams and available LED fog lamps.

 

Visible heat-sink structures for cooling the LED headlamps are a meaningful detail. These radiator-like grilles are typically hidden behind the light cluster, but on Explorer they are part of a complex headlamp design that puts innovation on display.

 

Interior design changes reflect desires customers expressed through Ford consumer research, which shows one in five Explorer Sport customers previously owned a luxury vehicle. Changes include a higher-mounted, wrapped and stitched door armrest, real buttons to replace touch-sense buttons on the infotainment system and more refined detailing throughout.

 

More innovation equals greater performance, more fun

Even more smart technology – that’s what customers will get with the new Ford Explorer. It offers more technologies than previous models, features that enhance the driving experience. New technologies available for 2016 include:

• Front and rear cameras with washers: Both have wide-angle lenses and come equipped with a washer – a class-exclusive, segment-first feature
• Enhanced active park assist with perpendicular park assist, park-out assist and semi-automatic parallel parking: The system uses ultrasonic sensors and electric power-assisted steering to help drivers with parallel parking and perpendicular parking maneuvers. Enhanced active park assist includes park-out assist to help a driver pull out of parallel parking spots. The system controls the steering wheel, while the driver operates the accelerator and brake pedals, and shifts the vehicle into gear
• Smart-charging USB ports: Located in the front and rear of the vehicle are USB ports able to charge smart devices up to two times faster than conventional ports
• Hands-free liftgate: A customer need only kick his or her leg below the center of the rear bumper to open or close the liftgate
• Air curtains: Standard air curtains create a high-pressure region of air that impacts the outer surface of the wheels and tires. The result is airflow held close to the vehicle body, minimizing drag

 

The Explorer is powered with a standard 3.5-liter V6 engine for base, XLT and Limited models – with 294 PS at 6,500 rpm and 346 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm – and paired with a six-speed SelectShift® Automatic transmission, while the Explorer Sport delivers outstanding power and fuel efficiency through its 3.5-liter EcoBoost® V6 engine – with 370PS at 6,500 rpm and 475 Nm of torque at 3,500 rpm – also with the six-speed SelectShift®.