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CNET 2020 Ford Explorer ST review

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The 2020 Ford Explorer might not look all that different to the casual observer, but underneath that familiar skin, it's a whole new ballgame. Ford's midsize SUV rides on a brand-new platform and gets new powertrain options, including a hybrid model.

For folks who favor fast, there's even a high-performance version, too. It's called the Explorer ST, and it's got a 400-horsepower V6 under the hood.

New bones
The sixth-gen Explorer takes an evolutionary step forward in terms of design, with a sloped roofline, some more pronounced body sculpting and a six-inch longer wheelbase. For the ST, the Explorer gets black body cladding, special badging and optional, black-finish, 21-inch wheels. Combined with the 2020 Explorer's sleeker headlights, the result is one sharp CUV.

Underneath, the Explorer now rides on rear-wheel-drive architecture, which allows for the aforementioned longer wheelbase. The Explorer ST comes standard with all-wheel drive, but it uses a rearward bias, with power only sent to the front wheels under hard throttle or when needed for traction.

The longer wheelbase means the Explorer is slightly more capable off-road, too, though that's obviously not the point of this sportiest ST trim. Still, this fast Explorer offers more than eight inches of ground clearance, and a relatively decent approach angle of 21 degrees. You can even get the ST with hill-descent control.

Powering up
The ST is powered by a boosted version of the 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 you can get in the Explorer Platinum, making 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Power runs through a new, 10-speed automatic transmission, which offers smooth, snappy shifts and will even skip a couple of gears if necessary, both while upshifting and downshifting.

Ford fits the ST with the same drive modes as other Explorer models, including Eco, Normal, Sport, Slippery, Trail, Deep Snow/Sand and Tow/Haul. Sport mode is where I spend most of my time while driving the ST, which speeds up the transmission's already quick gear changes, and improves throttle tip-in. Sport mode adds a bit of weight to the steering's action, too, and it amplifies the engine noise being pumped into the cabin.

The ST has a tendency to push its way through corners, and you can feel every one of its 4,700 pounds while turning. Slow your roll a bit and you'll realize the ST is best driven at a moderate hustle, with lots of power for speeding down straight roads and passing slower-moving cars. It's entertaining, but not a sports car. The different drive modes don't change the suspension tuning at all, so the car handles the same no matter what you do. Likewise, the standard brakes don't quite have enough oomph, and while larger stoppers are available as an option, they're hard to modulate at slower speeds.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2020-ford-explorer-st-4wd-review/






























 



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