Car review: Ford Explorer Sport is big on features

The new Ford Explorer Sport is huge. Or, at least, it felt like it when I slid behind the wheel. I’m a pretty average, five-foot-seven, 145-pound guy, but I couldn’t stop picturing myself as a dwarf, people staring as I drove the huge SUV down the crowded streets of Manila.

People were staring all right, but I figured probably not at me. It’s hard not to notice the latest version of the well-known Explorer; the stark white unit features an aggressive, chiseled exterior and 20-inch aluminum wheels that demanded attention. It was a bit like straddling a horse, hearing it whinny impatiently, and enjoying that familiar feeling of anticipation at the adventures waiting ahead.

What was surprising was it didn’t take long for that initial sensation of "bigness" to go away. After pushing Start, (Remote Keyless Entry does away with plugging the key into the ignition), releasing the brake and sliding the selector to Drive, the horse was tamed and it felt as though I had been riding her for years.

What became immediately evident was how quiet the interior was. The Explorer Sport is equipped with a new 3.5L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 engine, delivering 365 PS of power at 5,500 rpm and 475Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm. Engineers no doubt worked overtime to provide the vehicle with all that power but not have the occupants be constantly reminded of it with loud, disruptive noise. There was even a time I felt like I was sneaking up behind a pedestrian who couldn’t hear that there was a big SUV directly behind him, waiting for him to pass. (No, I didn’t blow the horn).

The drive to my parents’ house in Cavite was smooth and carefree, especially since the songs on my Spotify playlist was blaring over the speakers. It was easy to connect my iPhone to the Sport’s Sony entertainment system via Bluetooth. The next time I jumped into the car and pressed Start, the system automatically searched for paired devices. I didn’t even have to turn the app on my phone: it immediately played the last song on the playlist.

Those who want more control over their drive can make use of the vehicle’s steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and power adjustable pedals, but, if you’re the type who just wants the no-frills, just-drive experience, the Explorer more than delivers. A nifty feature that comes standard on all models is Hill Start Assist. If you’ve ever found yourself on an incline and worried about loss of control, HSA holds the brake for a moment to prevent the vehicle from rolling forward or back.

After picking up my family we went on a leisurely drive to Tagaytay. My dad, who fancies himself a car expert, couldn’t help but remark, “It feels like we’re in a plane taxiing on the runway, about to take-off,” while we were on the expressway. A nephew and niece, meanwhile, enjoyed a quick snooze in the third row, where two seats retract when not in use to allow for more storage space in the back. However, the headrests of these two third row seats slightly obscure the driver’s vision from the rearview mirror outside the vehicle, which I think designers should address in the next iteration of the Explorer.