Overview & Reviews

For 2012, the Ford Explorer offers an optional turbocharged four-cylinder engine that promises six-cylinder performance with four-cylinder fuel economy.

• Available fuel-efficient turbocharged four-cylinder.
• Abundant high-tech features
• Excellent ride and handling balance
• Upscale cabin

• Feels bigger than it is behind the wheel
• MyFord Touch is slow to respond and can be difficult to use.
• Less third-row and cargo room than rivals

User Reviews:

Showing 11 through 20 of 40.00

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  Very Pleased - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By whereismyhair - January 31 - 8:26 pm

  I am really happy with my Explorer. I think it is a good looking vehicle, I get 23 mph even when the 4wd is on (I live in the UP of Michigan and use it in the snow), and I like how it drives. The speed control with the auto slow down is great and it helped stop me when a car recently stopped suddenly in front of me on the highway. I have towed with it, filled it with a very large light item and many smaller heavy items and still it drives fine. I traded a F150 for it and dont regret doing it.

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  I love my Ford Explorer - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By simsational - November 9 - 6:04 pm

  I fell in love with the new Explorers long before I purchased my new vehicle. Not knowing what new vehicle I wanted to purchase I went directly to the Ford Dealer to test drive the Explorer and I knew this was the vehicle for my family. Its been a year since I purchased the Explorer I continue to fall in love with it. I look forward to driving it each day. If I leave on vacation I cant wait to return to my Explorer. All my friends and family members love it as well especially my 4 year old daughter.

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  Navigation is unusable - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By explorerdriver - September 18 - 10:19 pm

  I have used different navigation systems for years, but the voice-activated navigation in this vehicle is so frustrating to use that it is unusable. Nothing about it seems to work - it does not recognize what you are saying, even when you enunciate carefully. It does not allow a passenger to manually enter information, so you must always use voice activation. Could not get it to recognize numbered routes. Would not "hear" my address which is a one digit address - kept repeating its prompt. Prompts are not helpful. There are so many bugs that I think I will need to purchase a portable Garmin unit to use in the car insead of the expensive navigation. Do not waste money on purchasing this

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  First Ford - not very happy :( - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By newfordowner - September 6 - 1:40 pm

  So...I leased this vehicle because I fell in love with the body style! Well...it was 2012 demo left over - but still beautiful! So after the first month - the computer froze up - went blank...I thought for sure I did something - they said it had a virus - ok - and now month 3 months later - the transmission feels like it is slipping - so today - it is back at the dealer for that and the computer again - it froze up and went black screen again. I am not really happy with my first Ford experience so far. Also - the gas mileage has been horrible! My last vehicle a Toyota Highlander (6 cylinder) was awesome - I got at least 22-25 mpg. I am only getting 16.3 mpg - and that is highway too.

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  Rides like an army truck - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By royd4 - July 12 - 7:23 pm

  We got the 2 WD thinking it would ride smoother than 4 WD. Unless you are on new smooth paving the ride is jarring. Seats are hard as rocks. Because they force the 3 rd row seating there is so little leg room that only a child can be comfortable in second row seats. If we would not take such a big loss we would get rid of the car.

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  Computer not functional - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By deb93 - June 26 - 8:04 pm

  The computer system on the new explorer lacks the tactile functions necessary to safely drive the vehicle. I also drive a 2012 Infiniti. The Infiniti computer system permits BOTH touch screen functionality AND touch and click key strokes allowing the driver to feel that the commands have been accepted by the computer. Other car makes have figured this out. Also, the trip computer also freezes occasionally (2 times for me in 2 months), forcing me to pull over, turn off the car, and reset it. Ford needs to change these things asap.

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  25 mpg??? - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By kristen7 - June 3 - 11:01 am

  We traded in a large SUV (Navigator) in hopes of retaining some of the space we are used to while getting better gas mileage. We have owned the car 3 months and have gotten no better than 20 miles per gallon on the interstate. NEVER have we gotten near the advertised mpg. The gadgets are "cool" in the interior however, my phone is continually bumped from the system (sometimes during calls) and at times the whole console goes dark. We have always been Ford owners but this car has been a bit of a disappointment. Looks good but I miss my Navigator.

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  Explorer 2012 FWD good for the city but not for the snow - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By dryan865 - May 20 - 5:43 pm

  We are a Ford family and have owned at least one Ford car as long as we have been married. We purchased the 2012 Ford Explorer FWD 3.5L V6 Limited in March and have driven it on one long road trip (5K driven). We like the features and quality of the vehicle. However, in the snow it was very disappointing. We were misled when we purchased the vehicle by the dealership. (We were told chains were an option) After I got stuck in the snow and returned to purchase chains from the dealership, I was informed by the parts dept that Ford does not support any model of snow chains for the car. We are living in the Pacific NW currently and would not dare take a road trip in the winter with it.

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  Ecoboost Gas Mileage - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By bctrane46 - May 7 - 12:59 am

  I love my new Explorer but the gas mileage is not as advertised. I would not have spent an extra $1,000.00 to get worst highway gas mileage than a V6 Explorer. I highly recommend the V6 verses the 2.0 liter ecoboost. After 2,000 miles and resetting my MPG counter after each fill-up I only get around 21 MPG on the highway at best. Combined mileage stays between 18 to 19 MPG which is ok but I am very dissappointed in the highway MPG. I know people with the V6 who get 24 to 25 MPG on the highway with their FWD Explorers. But we love everything else about the vehicle. It is a well equipped Limited and the ride is simply awesome and very comfortable. Go Ford, but drop the 2.0 unless MPG improves!

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  I wanted an SUV not a Mini-Van - 2012 Ford Explorer
  By robert200 - May 5 - 1:25 pm

  At first I was excited to get my new 2012 Ford Explorer but that quickly faded. After a few months of towing my trailer around with it problems started to arise. I didn’t think that my sea doo trailer “which is well under the tow limit” was going to be a problem but after bring my explorer back into the service department for the third time the service writer practically interrogated me about how I use the vehicle. After I explained that I either use it to tow my dirt bike or sea doo trailer he then says to me “Well that the problem, it’s not meant for all that” I was shocked by this response considering I bought an SUV for this purpose. I went to the dealership the next day to pick up my explorer then I drove across the street to the Dodge and traded it for a new Durango.