Ford Explorer: Philippines Adventure Experience

Our Ford SUV experience in the Philippines was scheduled to begin with the Ford Explorer for the first half of the day. Soon after the safety briefing, we were led to a shiny convoy of Ford Explorers parked outside our hotel. The Explorer is a petrol SUV that’s positioned above or below the Endeavour (depending on the market), is a ‘made-in-USA’ only model, and is currently engineered to be a left-hand-drive car only. Since the Philippines is a LHD market, it is sold there too.

To experience the luxurious life of an Explorer owner, we were assigned to hit the road and head to the ‘Green Canyon Resort’. With close to 44km to be covered, reaching the destination meant that we had to navigate tarmac roads with mostly highway driving. We also came across Mount Arayat, a dormant volcano that’s close to the city of Angeles. There are sections of winding country roads where one needs to pass through villages on route to this resort.

The Explorer is a seven seater SUV that comes with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 petrol motor that is impressively refined and packs enough performance to keep you entertained behind the wheel. One has to be extremely gentle on the throttle to drive this vehicle smoothly, and the ride coupled with supreme noise insulation keeps reminding you that you’re seated in a luxury SUV. With interiors that are massive, reaching out for even the glovebox needs nothing less than a stretch, and you may still not reach it!

With a wide windscreen and large windows, it allows a fantastic view of the road from the driver’s seat, but the view out of the rear is limited due to the design of the rear glass section. The driver and front passenger will appreciate the well cushioned leather seats, knee and headroom, with the only downside being the slight lack of thigh support. However, the button operated pedal length adjusters immediately brought a grin to my face.

While the middle row seats boast of exceptional contours, an adjustable backrest angle, and good legroom and headroom, the thigh support was again in short supply. Passengers can comfort themselves with the air-con blower and temperature controls situated between the front seats. Though the last row offers adequate headroom and is wide enough for two adults, the crouching position with hardly any thigh support, and limited legroom will keep reminding you that these seats are best suited for children. Boot space is adequate for a seven seater, and it holds a space saver 18-inch wheel (original is 20-inch).

The roads leading to the Green Canyon Resort were primarily well paved with no tight bends, and speeds were restricted to an average of 60kmph in a tight convoy. So we witnessed the superb ride quality this SUV had to offer with the only exception being the slight up and down movement at lower speeds over road irregularities. At the resort, we also had the opportunity to hit a mild off-road patch comprising of steep ascents, small rocks with mud, and descents. The Explorer went about the job effortlessly, treading the terrain while the occupants were cocooned with superior insulation and shock absorption.

There’s no denying that the Ford Explorer does the intended job of offering a luxurious and smooth drive with great performance, while looking sharp to the eye. After the drive we took the time out for a sumptuous lunch followed by a massage at the resort before heading back to the hotel, in time for the next experience.