2003 Ford Explorer ESi

XLT gets nicer sport cloth upholstery, a six-way power driver's seat, body-colored exterior trim, and more luxury features, such as a temperature gauge and compass, map lights and dome lights, outside approach lighting, extra power outlets, and an illuminated keypad for keyless entry. An upgraded console offers a tissue box, power points, pencil holder, and coin holder in addition to cup holders and a storage bin. The five-speed automatic transmission is standard, and aluminum alloy wheels replace steel wheels. New for 2003 are a chrome grille and black-grain outside door handles. It's smooth and stable on the highway and handles well on winding roads. The V8 engine offers excellent acceleration out of corners. The current Explorer offers substantial refinement over the previous (pre-2002) version, which rides like a buckboard wagon by comparison. Ride quality and handling were greatly improved, benefits of the Explorer's new frame, chassis and suspension system. The Explorer now rides on a four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs all around. It's a sophisticated setup and it works very well. (Crude by comparison, the previous Explorer used torsion bars in front and a live rear axle on leaf springs.) The independent rear suspension offers better lateral stiffness yet more fore/aft compliance than a live rear axle. That means both ride and handling will be better.