RA TABI NERS REET ee RE A OVER THE decade, many car-owners have switched to sport-utility vehicles and mini-vans, attracted by the -fact that modern trucks ae offer the roominess, drive- - ability, and luxury features of a modern automobile as ~ well as the ruggedness, cargo space, and four-wheel-drive capability of a truck. By Greg Wilson Z . Contributing Writer ~ The Explorer is the most popu- lar compact sport-utility vehicle in North America, particularly the four-door model. Aside from the ’ obvious front-end styling changes, the new Explorer offers revised interior styling, a new front suspen- sion, better brakes, more safety fea- tures, and a new type of four- wheel-drive system. Explorer’s new “‘wind-friendly” _ front-end follows a styling trend seen.on other Ford trucks, such as the Ranger and F-Series. The _ Explorer's nose has been rounded ” off, the headlamps/iurn signals have been integrated into the new shape, and the hood slopes down- ' ward at the front improving airflow and forward visibility. The grille also has a larger air-intake for. -” improved engine cooling. © The rest of the Explorer’s exteri- : OF, aside from wider fender flares, is pretty much the Same as it was. last year. a The interior, however, has been * completely redesigned. Dual ‘airbags are now standard equip- — ‘ment, and the dashboard is more - functional and more attractive. The centre dash area, dominated by a «lange stereo with big, easy-to-see buttons, is closer to the driver. “Rotary heater controls are easier to use, and the large round instru- ments are plainly visible through a: . «well-designed, airbag-equipped . "Steering wheel. The 1995 Explorer i is available * with’ more options than last year, including available hands-free cel- -' lular phone, a six-disc CD player '“ hidden in the console, automatic | climate control, trip computer with” console mounted LCD readout, and a handy tissue ‘dispenser. ‘ To improve ride, handling and. ; ehicle dynamics, Ford replaced the traditional twin ]-beam (2WD) and twin traction beam (4WD) front suspension with a more con- ventional upper and lower control arm suspension, like that used on most other sport-utilities. The more compact setup allowed Ford to lower the height of the powertrain, Jowering the center of gravity and improve stability. I noticed an improvement in the ride, improved straight-line track- ing, and more accurate steering response, the latter due to a new rack and pinion steering system replacing the recirculating ball steering gear. . Still, the Explorer's ride is still a bit choppy, particularly in the rear seat. The Explorer’s traditional truck-like leaf-spring rear suspen- sion lags behind car suspensions in ride quality. — Top-of-the-line Limited models get a new air-spring suspension that automatically damps the suspen- sion over rough roads and lowers - the ride height at highway speeds to improve aerodynamics, and rais- es it at low speeds for off-road applications. - The Explorer's new four-wheel- drive system allows the driver to - chveose between three modes via a ‘rotary knob'on the dashboard: rear- wheel-drive, four-wheel-drive Auto, and four-wheel-drive Low. —- The 4WD Auto is what's new — instead of channelling engine power through all four wheels all of the time, Control Trac sends it to _ style |< the rear wheels until they begin to slip. The 4WD Auto system is fully automatic and does not require dri- ver intervention. It can be. engaged when travelling on dry pavement without damaging the system's mechanicals yet provides instant four-wheel-drive traction should the vehicle encounter ice or snow. There are no front hubs to unlock, and the driver does not have to back up to disengage the hubs. Another important new feature on the Explorer are disc brakes on all four wheels with a standard four- wheel anti-lock braking system. The Explorer retains its 160 horsepower, German-built V6- engine mated to a standard five- speed manual transmission or optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. This V6 engine has adequate power for everyday urban and highway use, but the heavy curb weight of the 4X4 Explorer (1,900 kg/4,189 Ibs.) takes its toll on performance ; on long uphill sectiors. It also . takes its toll on fuel economy. My on-board trip computer indicated . an average fuel consumption of 16 litres per 100 kms (18 im.p.g.). Frices for base two-door, two-.. wheel-drive Explorers start at ; $23,695, an 11% increase over the 1994 base price. Base 1995 four- wheel-drive XL models begin at $28,095,‘XLT $30,595, Eddie Bauer $35,995, and top-of-the-line Limited at $40,395. ” ‘THE 1995 Ford Explorer features a restyled front-end, a new all-of- the-time four-wheel-drive system, a more attractive interior, anda maricing front suspension for Hpproved ride and handling. USED C CARS 94 Cutiaes 5 Ciéta s/ :.'94. Olds Cutlass Ciera... 194 “494 “QS i ‘93 ‘93. 2 §93 oe 93. 193 vs ‘93 ge ‘92 91 = OF ‘91 {91 em: ) 2490 90 Cutlass Supreme .... Carnaro 228, convert Chevrolet Lumina... Olds Cutlass Ciera . ‘Olds Achieva........ Camaro 228, 6 spd Cavalier Z24, black. Grand Prix LE oo... Chevrolet Luinina. . Pontiac Grand Am . Toyota Corolia SW. Cutlass Ciera SL .. Olds Cutlass Calais Cavalier Z24, biue«. Buick Park Ave... . Olda Delta 88....:. Achiava, like new... ... 2. $14,975 Olds Delta88......... Camaro RS, Trfs...... 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