Vehicle model
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a mid-size SUV introduced in March 1990 as a 1991 model, replacing the Bronco II. A five-door family body from the outset, it was an immediate success with nearly 250,000 units sold in its first year, then more than 300,000 per year from 1993 onward. The Explorer played a key role in popularizing family SUVs in North America and became, in 2020, the best-selling SUV on the US market. Now in its sixth generation, it has evolved toward a modernized rear-wheel-drive platform. It targets families seeking space, towing capacity and three-row seating configurations. Tire note: as a large SUV, the Explorer uses good-diameter wheels and touring or light all-terrain tires; in Quebec, winter tires are essential given its weight and its winter road use.
History
History of the Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a mid-size SUV introduced in March 1990 as a 1991 model, replacing the Bronco II. A five-door family body from the outset, it was an immediate success with nearly 250,000 units sold in its first year, then more than 300,000 per year from 1993 onward. The Explorer played a key role in popularizing family SUVs in North America and became, in 2020, the best-selling SUV on the US market. Now in its sixth generation, it has evolved toward a modernized rear-wheel-drive platform. It targets families seeking space, towing capacity and three-row seating configurations. Tire note: as a large SUV, the Explorer uses good-diameter wheels and touring or light all-terrain tires; in Quebec, winter tires are essential given its weight and its winter road use.
Technology
Technologies, engines and platforms
The modern Explorer adopts a rear-wheel-drive architecture with four-wheel-drive options. It is offered with turbocharged EcoBoost gasoline engines and hybrid variants, driver-assistance features and advanced connectivity.
Tires and wheels
Tire and wheel compatibility
L'offre Ford couvre des besoins très variés en pneus et en jantes. Les camions série F et les gros VUS (Explorer, Bronco) utilisent généralement des jantes de grand diamètre et des pneus larges de type camion léger, parfois tout-terrain, alors que les modèles compacts (Escape, Maverick) emploient des dimensions plus modestes. Les versions sport comme la Mustang reçoivent souvent des pneus de performance à profil bas. Comme l'entraxe et les dimensions exactes diffèrent selon le modèle, la génération et la finition, il faut toujours valider le format inscrit sur la portière ou le pneu d'origine. Au Québec, les pneus d'hiver sont obligatoires et essentiels, surtout pour les camions et VUS à forte traction utilisés sur route enneigée.
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