The Explorer is easier to drive on a daily basis than the bigger SUVs in the Ford stable. It is far more nimble in crowded parking lots with narrow spaces or on forest roads with tight switchbacks. If a small turning circle is paramount, the 2-door is a better choice, at 34.7 feet curb to curb, though the 4-door Explorer manages a fairly nimble 37.3 feet.The V6 is the most popular engine. But the 5.0-liter V8 assures a certain command of the road with an ability to accelerate with all but the sportiest of automobiles, handy for merging or passing. It's the best choice for doing any towing, with reserve power for climbing hills and bucking headwinds. The V8 offers quiet cruising on the highway.
The Explorer is relatively free of wind noise and only a modicum of road noise filters up to remind you that you're in a truck. But the Explorer is indeed a truck. It's responsive to its rack-and-pinion steering, reacting smartly to a turn of the wheel, but there's no denying the high-mounted center of gravity and overall mass of the vehicle. It handles like a truck.