It offers a more solid stance than before, with a longer wheelbase and a wider track. The three comprehensively-equipped Centennial-edition cars - the {{{2003 Ford Mustang}}}, Focus and Taurus - and two trucks - the 2003 Ford… Basically, he set us up. . Seating fabrics and door trim are new this year. The Explorer Sport has a 5,040-pound maximum towing capacity with 4×2 automatic overdrive transmission when properly equipped. Uplevel models come standard with an illuminated keypad on the door for keyless entry.
It feels secure on wet pavement, gravel, mud, and snow. Unless otherwise indicated, specifications refer to test vehicle. A relatively large center console keep odds and ends in check. The front safety belt pretensioners have been updated for 2003. Interior Features The 2003 Ford Explorer is available with a third-row seat for a maximum seven-passenger capacity. Available side step bars provide convenient access to the vehicle and also add to the rugged, capable appearance.
Safety and Security Safety features include driver and front-passenger air bags, speed-sensitive front windshield wipers, fuel pump inertia shut-off switch, child safety seat top tether anchors and a four-wheel disc anti-lock braking system. Nearly half of all Explorer Sport buyers are women. Plenty of storage space can be found in Explorer Sport. Engine type V-6 Interior cargo length 75. Your passenger will fumble around a bit the first time he or she tries to turn it on, also. Interior door handles seem a bit awkward at first, but that went away with familiarization. I felt safe and confident while pulling a trailer all day through Tropical Storm Isidore, running the length of Tennessee and into Arkansas.
Lap and shoulder belts and head restraints, are provided for all passengers. It produces 210 horsepower at 5100 rpm and 254lb-ft of torque at 3700 rpm. They consider their vehicle a reflection of themselves, and they take pride in a vehicle with a strong personality. If primitive roads and deep snow are the extent of your off-road driving, then the Explorer will serve admirably. Sliding your feet under the front seats increases legroom.
Engine bore x stroke 3. The canopy also promises improved side-impact protection by staying inflated for a much longer period of time. They are wider and offer more fore-and-aft travel than before. Tire whir is heard; road vibration is felt. Both are available with a superb five-speed automatic. Yet this newly designed Explorer clearly evokes the previous-generation Explorer.
Performance, entertainment and style features on the 2003 Ford Explorer have all been given touch-ups, as makers continue the vehicle's evolution with each new year. Turning heads is not always our objective, however, and the more time we have spent with the Explorer the more its looks have grown on us. This lower back bucket gives the cabin a more open feel, as rear seat occupants are less isolated. The five-speed automatic transmission is standard, and aluminum alloy wheels replace steel wheels. Ford has done a great deal of research on this technology and we strongly recommend ordering the safety canopy. Convenience features abound that make it pleasant while driving and when stopping.
But the ride is more comfortable, less jouncy than, say, the Nissan Pathfinder. Urethane also is 27 percent lighter and provides better road isolation, actually decreasing low frequency noise by more than 3 decibels the kind of rumble one hears when going over a road. Engine horsepower 210-hp 5,100 rpm Interior cargo volume 46. A four-wheel, anti-lock braking system remains standard on the Sport. The tests proved that urethane is more durable than rubber — twice as good. Single stainless steel exhaust S Heavy-duty radiator S 130-amp. The second-row center seat offers only a lap belt rather than the preferred shoulder harness, however.
The standard roof rack is designed to support up to 200 pounds. The V8 engine offers excellent acceleration out of corners. Seatbelts use retractors and pre-tensioners designed to reduce injuries in a hard crash. Ignition type spark Aluminum cylinder head S Fuel economy city 15 mpg of valves 12 Torque 254 lbs. Both seats have map pockets on the back. Handsome gray wood accents lend a luxurious appearance.
The Explorer now rides on a four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs all around. The front seats are comfortable. There was probably some guy in a dark suit with a serious brow and the weight of the world on his shoulders posing a weighty question to the group assembled before him. The Explorer is not designed to tackle the Rubicon Trail or any other seriously rugged terrain. Its sporty styling and roomy interior make it more of a lifestyle vehicle than many cars these buyers might also consider. All trim levels offer a choice of two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
Units Affected 61944 It's our guess you could've heard a pin drop the day the Ford Explorer development team sat around some conference table deep within the darkest hallways of Dearborn. The current Explorer offers substantial refinement over the previous pre-2002 version, which rides like a buckboard wagon by comparison. Pushing the wheels out toward the corners makes the Explorer more stable and more comfortable. The Eddie Bauer seats were comfortable throughout nine-hour driving stints on a 2,700-mile cross-country trip. Explorer Sport has an optional electronic shift-on-the-fly, four-wheel drive system.