POP quiz.
Five years ago there was a Ford for everyone.
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Can you remember them all?
OK, I’ll tell you. There were 14… .
The, party, EcoSport, Focus, Focus estate, Black Death, B-MaxC-Max, S-Max, MondeoMondeo estate, Edge, Galaxy and Mustang.
In the not-too-distant future, Ford will only have FOUR cars – and it stands to reason that they will be purely electric.
Cougar, Explorer, Capri and Mustang. Yes, Capri returns as a sporty crossover.
We already have the Mustang Mach-E and this week came the covers of the next one. Explorer.
Or as I see it, the electric Focus.
Ford is being rebooted in Europe, I mean kind of off and on again, playing heavily on its American roots and using iconic names from the glory days.
It also means they will sell fewer cars – and we will pay more for them.
Ford marketing boss Peter Zillig said: “We’ve spent too long trying to be too many different things to many different customers.”
Here are ten things you need to know about the new electric Focus.
Sorry, I mean Explorer.
- It will start at (gulp) £40k. I know. fat. Capri costs a little more. Puma EV costs a little less. Explorer will hit the road early next year, with Capri and Puma EV following a few months later.
- As mentioned, Explorer looks very American. Ford calls it “adventure ready”. But without roof rails? It is being built in Cologne, Germany, where the future Fiesta will be made. See what other Sun readers think below.
- Ford used Volkswagens electrical systems to make two cars – Explorer and Capri. So peel off the shell and you have a Volkswagen ID3, ID4, Skoda Enyaq or Cupra born..
- That means range, performance and charging times are comparable. Expect the top-of-the-range version to be 300 horsepower, 4WD and capable of up to 310 miles. That’s fast Ford territory and probably £50,000. The base car will be rear-wheel drive.
- Ford promises Explorer will “drive like a Ford” with its own suspension and tire tuning.
- It’s not as big as it seems. It’s only slightly longer than the Focus, and the short overhangs should make it easy to drive around town and park.
- As for the cabin? That’s a home run. touchdown. Three-pointer. Nothing beats a Focus. More like one Volvo. The upholstery and finish is of high quality and leather-free. There’s a sound bar on top of the dash and colored ambient light strips give a cocktail bar vibe. . . where you are the DJ. The front seats heat up and rub your back.
- Technology. Everything you’d expect, crowned by that 15 inch inverted iPad. This next bit is clever. The touchscreen slides up and down to match your eye and hides a lockable safe behind it for wallets, keys or whatever.
- It’s airy inside. Bigger than one Black Death. Slim integrated headrests and a huge glass roof add to the sense of spaciousness in the rear. Decent boot space of 450 litres. The “Mega console” in the front swallows a handbag or three 1.5 liter bottles.
- The rear wiper blade is lifted off a Focus. To see. It really is the electric Focus.
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…NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK?
OK, this is a bit clunky. . . for Volkswagen.
Ford’s new all-electric Explorer is actually a better car than the VW it’s based on.
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I know this is the case because Sun reader Paul Bolton was floated to our exclusive Explorer preview in an ID4.
The retired driving instructor said, “I prefer this to the VW. Absolute. The interior is fantastic, feels more expensive.
“We’ve never seen a Ford like it. It’s individual without being quirky.
“People will buy it because they trust Ford – they’re a safe bet.”
Ex-Dyson engineer and Mondeo driver Tony Widdick also liked it.
Possibly.
He said: “I didn’t hate it when it was revealed, but if you really take the time and look at it, I think they’ll win with it.
“It has tremendous presence for its size. I like the back.
“I think it’s a very smart alternative. I would prefer the Ford over the Volkswagen.”
Tony’s partner Clare Dorling was less impressed.
She said: “I’m a technophobe, the simpler the better for me – and I wouldn’t spend £40,000 on a car. I do like the colour.”
Others said Explorer has the smell of an Evoque.
What do you think?
Metal recycling boss Shilow Smith said: “If you saw a black one on the M1 at night you would say it was an Evoque on the rear.
“What a compliment.
“Same window, same lines, same black strip across the trunk where Explorer is.
“But the front is too flat and smooth for my taste. It needs definition and aggression.
“The interior sells itself. Ten out of ten.
“Love the big screen, the sound bar and the Discovery steering wheel.”
Puma driver Kay Frost said: “I have to say it reminded me of the Evoque, which I love. I would trade my Puma for one of these.”
Hubby Andy said: “The interior is very airy. Nice technique. Beautiful finishes.
“But I’m with Shilow. I prefer something that looks a little bit more aggressive on the front, a big grille and so on.
“I know EVs need to be smooth and clean to increase range, but that’s my eye.”
Practice lawyer Yvonne Hagan: “I’m all for sustainability.
“If I can do my bit for the environment and know that I don’t have to pay ULEZ, I’ll participate.
“I don’t do 300 miles quickly, so this works for me.
“Thanks to the thin headrests, I could see my three-year-old son in the back just by turning my head.
“I need to use a second rear view mirror in my Peugeot 206 convertible.
“My partner could drive it if he wanted to, unlike my pretty girl car.”
So here’s the verdict:
- 4 THUMBS UP
- 2 THUMBS MIDDLE
- 1 THUMBS DOWN
Let’s end with a few words from Explorer designer Jordan Demkiw on the Evoque comparison.
He said: “Our own back catalog has a lot of inspiration.
“If you look at the Explorer in the US, that’s how the rear is set up.”
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