The Ford Explorer is the most-sold SUV in American history with over 8.4 million units sold since its debut in 1991. It was one of the first vehicles of its class to be called an SUV alongside the Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Suburban, and a few others. It was also the first four-door SUV built by Ford and needed to succeed to prove Ford had made the right decision. The Explorer did not only succeed but was a smash hit and was the SUV to own and helped kick-start the SUV revolution.

It has been around three decades and six generations, but all haven’t been rosy with the Explorer. From rollovers to lawsuits the Ford Explorer has been a marketing success and an engineering nightmare for the brand. But continuous improvements have gotten it to where it is today. It may be a lot different from when it first started, but the Explorer has served American families for years. We are looking back at the History of the Explorer to see how it started and where it’s headed.

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1991-1994 The Ford Explorer Is Born

3/4 shot of a 1993 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer edition

The first generation Ford Explorer hit the streets in 1991 and was a replacement for the Bronco II. It was a different offering since it was a four-door SUV whereas the outgoing Bronco was a two-door. When it went on sale it was a success as many families wanted to buy one because of its blend of utility and practicality. It was offered as a two-door sport and four-door SUV with the four-door being the preferred choice. It had a 160-horsepower V-6 paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

You could also have it as rear-wheel drive or an optional four-wheel drive which meant a vehicle for your daily commute with off-road capabilities. Its off-road prowess was aided by the fact that it was based on the Ranger pickup. The Explorer was so popular that it was rebranded by Mazda as a Navajo but only as a two-door. It even featured as the tour vehicle in the Jurassic Park movie with that livery still being replicated today. Over a million first-gen Explorers were sold in the four years of production which gave Ford a reason to build another one.

1995-2001 Does Your Explorer Rollover?

3/4 of a 1996 Ford Explorer parked in front of a house

The Second generation Explorer still used the Ranger platform but had been redesigned to be more useful than the previous model. A host of mechanical changes had been made to make the car ride better on-road and still be capable off-road. It was also the first SUV to have dual airbags for added safety. The added height and width also gave it more usable space for people and luggage. A V-8 engine was now introduced as an option alongside the V-6 mill.

The five-liter V-8 made 210 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It carried over the V-6 from the previous generation with the same horsepower but later models from ’97 got an updated V-6. The new V-6 had overhead cams which bumped power to 205 horsepower and 250-pound feet of torque which were similar numbers to the V-8. Rear-wheel drive was standard with optional four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options available.

V-8 versions were automatic only but the V-6 version had the option of a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. Sales were high with over 400,000 units sold each year and other variants like the Eddie Bauer edition and Mercury Mountaineer were also available. Saleen also made go-fast editions known as the Ford Saleen XP8 supercharged. This was a supercharged version of the V-8 Explorer which now made 286 horsepower and 333 pound feet of torque. It received some aero body parts, Recaro seats, better brakes, and carbon fiber hood options.

Only 300 examples of the XP8s were made which was the agreement but Saleen also made lesser-known versions of the V-6 known as XP6. Ford later made a pickup version of the Explorer which ran from 2001-2005 only offered with the V-6 engine. But this generation also had a major flaw that threatened to end the Explorer.

They were more prone to rollovers than any other SUV, this problem was present in the first gen but got worse with the second gen and its bigger dimensions. The probable cause was linked to the Firestone tires fitted from the factory. This led to lawsuits from owners and a legal battle between Ford and Firestone with Ford winning the case. With this, the nearly 100-year relationship came to an end.

2002-2005 The Explorer Evolution

3/4 shot of a 2003 Ford Explorer in front of a golf pond

The Third generation Explorer was all new with its platform which was developed specifically for this vehicle. It had also undergone a major redesign from the previous two generations. A decline in sales of two-door SUVs also meant this Explorer was four-door only. Better safety features and improvements were also made to combat the rollover hazards from previous generations.

The front and rear axles were widened for better stability with independent rear suspension for better road compliance. ABS, traction control, stability control, and YAW control to reduce rollover risk were all standard.

In addition, the Explorer had dual front and side curtain airbags and seatbelt tensioners for protection in the event of an accident. For the first time, the Explorer had third-row seats which meant sitting for seven people. Two engine choices were available, there was the updated four-liter V-6 from the previous generation and a new 4.6-liter modular V-8 used in the Crown Victoria and various Ford trucks.

The V-6 made 210 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque while the V-8 made 239 horsepower and 282 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic was the transmission of choice for this Explorer. A five-speed manual was available but only for the 2002 model year which was the last manual Explorer. The Explorer was also available in another variant the Lincoln Aviator.

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2006-2010 Is The Explorer Going Extinct?

Slow moving shot of a 2006 Ford Explorer on a dirt road

The fourth-gen Explorer seemed more like an updated vehicle than a new one. It had the same platform as before but with a beefed-up frame and revised suspension. Other updates were made to update the vehicle but it shared a lot of similarities with the previous. The Explorer sport trac pickup also came back for a second generation.

The four-liter V-6 from the previous generation was also carried over but there was a new optional 4.6-liter V-8 with 292 horsepower and 356 pound-feet of torque. The changes made were not enough to help the Explorer and that showed with sales dwindling to as low as 53,000 units in 2009. Sales were also affected greatly due to the downturn in the U.S. economy which led to less demand for SUVs. This was a sign that Ford needed to act fast or the Explorer would go extinct.

2011-2019 The Explorer Is Reborn

3/4 shot a blue 2012 Ford Explorer parked under a tree

In comes the fifth generation Explorer, and it had the most radical change ever seen since the first generation. Its design was similar to the Explorer America concept shown in 2008 at the North American International Auto Show. The Explorer moved from a full-size SUV to a family crossover that was based on the unibody of the Ford Taurus. This move was in response to the growing crossover trend and it paid off. Over 135,000 explorers were sold in its first year with sales climbing each year.

There was also a host of new tech added to the Explorer which included a push button and remote start, power tailgate, adaptive cruise control, active park assist, rain-sensing wipers, High-intensity discharge headlamps (HID) and LED tail lamps, and many more. It was an Explorer-like no other coming to reclaim its throne. This generation also saw the most engine choices (five) available from a 2.0-liter inline-four front-wheel drive to a 3.5-liter twin-turbo Ecoboost.

The four-cylinder made 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque while the 3.5 V-6 made 290 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque with all-wheel drive. All versions came with a six-speed automatic transmission. Everyone preferred the more powerful V-6 since it offered more power and not much sacrifice to fuel economy. This was a big benefit for the new Explorer since the previous versions weren’t so economical.

It managed 17/23 MPG for city/highway driving versus the inline four’s 18/25 MPG figures, the previous gen could only do 13/19 MPH city/highway. Also, there were now selectable drive modes which were: Normal, Mud and Ruts, Sand, and, Grass/Gravel/Snow mode all through a mode selector. Safety ratings for this model were also very high with the NHTSA giving it a five-star score and has maintained the standard to date.

An Explorer sport joined the lineup in 2013 with a more powerful 3.5 liter V6 from the Taurus SHO with 365 horsepower 350 pound-feet of torque and all-wheel drive. Ford even released a 60 MPH time below six seconds to show they were proud of this unit. A facelift version came in 2016 and updated the looks of the already good-looking and a new base 2.3 inline-four with 280 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. This model also saw a new police interceptor which replaced the Crown Victoria which had been in service since 1992.

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2020: The Best Explorer Yet

3/4 shot of a red a Ford Explorer ST

The latest generation Explorer is built on the already brilliant fifth-gen model with better tech and safety features. Towing capacity was also greatly increased with the ability to tow up to 5,300 pounds. A host of new engines were also made available with the option of a hybrid powertrain with rear or all-wheel drive all paired with a new 10-speed automatic. Engine choices are listed below:

The New hybrid and ST models are a great addition as Ford is looking towards the future with better emissions and sporty models with a bit more grunt. The Interceptor is also very impressive and is currently the fastest police car in America and can keep up with Mustangs and Chargers until triple digits. Although it has been dethroned by other SUVs like the Toyota RAV 4 which outsell it, the Explorer is still one of the best all-round SUVs in history.