The 2016 Ford Explorer arrives in Vietnam, competing even with luxury cars.

Priced at over 2 billion VND, comparable to many luxury car models, the Ford Explorer, a true muscle SUV from the US with a rugged design and many modern features, will officially debut at the Vietnam Motor Show 2016.

On the market since the 1990s, the Ford Explorer is a quintessential American large SUV. After nearly 30 years of development, the Explorer is now in the final stages of its fifth generation with numerous improvements. Notably, Jim Holland, who was responsible for developing the fifth-generation Explorer and previously served as the chief engineer for the Range Rover project at Land Rover, played a key role in its development.

The Ford Explorer – the muscular SUV from America – is coming to Vietnam.

Therefore, it's not surprising that the new Explorer possesses many distinctive design features and superior performance capabilities, much like the luxury SUV from the UK. It can be said that the Ford Explorer is a good choice for customers who love the Range Rover but can't afford the 4.5 billion VND price tag, because it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the American SUV is a perfect replica of the luxury SUV from the UK.

Compared to its predecessor and earlier versions, the 2016 Explorer boasts a more refined and upscale design, while retaining the core characteristics of a muscular, distinctly American SUV. Inside, the muscular style continues with numerous sculpted details, sporty alloy wheels with integrated function buttons, and a center console running the MyFord Touch infotainment system, combined with a large infotainment screen and modern, aesthetically pleasing button layout. Decorative elements include wood trim, chrome accents on the steering wheel and dashboard, and more.

The 2016 Explorer also boasts many amenities such as heated and cooled seats, a sunroof, power-folding third-row seats, a powerful sound system, independent multi-zone climate control, and multiple mobile charging ports. Safety features are also noteworthy, including parking assist, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and automatic headlights. Overall, this is a versatile and convenient vehicle for large families needing a large, durable car with many modern features to support their daily commuting and long-distance trips.

The Ford Explorer has the advantage of being large and having a spacious interior.

Reportedly, the 2016 Ford Explorer imported to Vietnam is the Limited version, equipped with the renowned 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, producing 280 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 420 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm. The engine is paired with a 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission and a full-time four-wheel drive system. Compared to its sibling, the Everest Titanium, which costs nearly 2 billion VND and has a 3.2-liter five-cylinder engine, the Explorer is significantly more powerful while promising much better fuel economy.

It can be said that the Explorer's biggest advantage lies not only in its renowned Ecoboost technology but also in its more affordable price thanks to its smaller engine (under 3.0 liters). To illustrate, the 3.2-liter engine that caused the 2016 Everest Titanium to cost 1.5 times more in Vietnam became a barrier preventing it from reaching potential customers. This transformed a budget-friendly SUV in the near-1 billion VND price range into a "luxury car" costing nearly 2 billion VND.

The small but powerful EcoBoost engine is also an advantage of the Ford Explorer.

Most likely, bringing the EcoBoost-powered Explorer from the US to Vietnam is part of a plan to replace the ill-fated Everest Titanium and target the SUV segment priced around 2 billion VND in Vietnam. With its larger size, the Explorer could pose a challenge to many smaller luxury crossovers, as currently only the Mazda CX-9 is a direct competitor in terms of size.

According to Thanh Nien newspaper.