“After seeing it in person at various auto shows, we anxiously awaited our turn with the Ford Explorer Platinum. After all, we were curious to find out what all the ‘Platinum’ hype was all about…”
2016 Ford Explorer Platinum – Go Big or Go Home
Some say there are two types of people in this world, the ones that go all-out, and the ones that—don’t. Based on the title of this story, you may get an idea of what kind of person would buy the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum.
Families have a lot to deal with when shopping for a new car nowadays. Crossover, SUV, two rows, three rows, sport, luxury, hybrid, turbo, the list goes on. Therefore making car buying a tedious process that nobody wants to deal with. Shocker, right?
I have good news for you. Ford’s I-want-it-all approach could make your life easier, the way buying a “move-in ready” home would, but that’s only if you’re willing to spend large on the range-topping Ford Explorer.
Platinum Says it All
According to Ford, there’s a real market for fully loaded vehicles. In fact, Explorer sales are up 7% year-to-date, and a recent survey shows that the Ford Explorer is the most popular SUV with millennial buyers ages 25 to 34. Such stats point towards a prosperous future for the aspiring top-of-the-line model.
The $53,915 Platinum features a long list of safety, technology and luxury features, with premium paint, rear-seat entertainment system, and second-row bucket seats being the only “extras”. Go big and choose all three for $3,080 bucks, and go home extra-happy for a total of $56,995.
At that price, the Ford Explorer Platinum isn’t only better equipped, but offers more room, more power, and more towing capacity (5,000 lbs) than any SUV in the segment, at a lesser price.
Families Rejoice
Odds are you don’t want to drive a minivan, but you still need room for multiple kids and the loads of stuff they come with.
The Explorer Platinum is big. It’s big in size and big in luxury, but in our case, it might be a bit too big, as with two kids; we rarely have a need for a third row. We strapped Josephine’s car seat on the passenger’s side captain chair, while our 12 year old often hopped to the third-row to be “left alone”. Pre-teens, yay…
Speaking of third-row, you will absolutely love the power-folding split-row seats, meaning that at the touch of a button, you can opt to stow half of the third row, or the whole thing. Doing so will reward you with a massive 43.9 cu. ft. of cargo space, or a decent 21 cu. ft. with the seats up.
Shall your family adventures take you off the pavement, simply turn the Platinum’s AdvanceTrac knob to fine-tune the all-wheel drive system to the applicable terrain.
Quantity and Quality
Now that we’ve established that the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum offers plenty of room, we can discuss the quality of such accommodations. All seats in the Platinum feature quilted, supple leather, and are wide and comfortable with decent lateral support, making them a joy to road-trip on.
The Platinum’s steering wheel, first and second row seats are heated, which is quite nice, but perhaps the biggest surprise was a feature that I’d only expect on expensive European luxury sedans—massaging front seats.
Tap a few buttons via the 8” touchscreen and activate instant pleasure. Both driver and passenger seats will start massaging your bottom, mid and lower back just like a fancy massaging chair from a cheesy catalog would. Now, I’m telling you, this isn’t just vibration or a light massaging, this is a full “ oh my gosh, it feels good” massage.
Technology
As you’d expect out of a Ford, and specially a nearly 60-grand one, the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum comes loaded with cutting edge and useful technology.
Shall you need to parallel park into a spot, the Explorer’s Active Park Assist has you covered at the touch of a button, but this system will also help you get out of a parallel parking spot, and will even back up into a perpendicular spot for you. Look Ma’, no hands!
If music is your passion, then you’ll truly love the Platinum’s 500-watt Sony sound system with Live Acoustics and Clear Phase technology, as its 12-speakers will turn your Explorer’s cabin into pure bliss. Audiophiles know, for the best sound experience use a cd or mp3 file, as even XM radio won’t highlight the Sony’s true potential.
As with most Ford vehicles nowadays, the Platinum boasts a suite of high-tech safety features, such as Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring with Cross Traffic Alert, and rear inflatable seatbelts.
Goodbye…
In the end, I really liked the Platinum, in fact, we all did, but Missi and I agreed that for our family, it’s simply a whole lot of vehicle. Not like that’s a bad thing, but it’s just too big and a little too over the top. We find the smaller and simpler Ford Edge we test drove a while back to be a better fit for our family’s needs.
The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum has it all, it’s comfortable, good looking, and a pleasure to drive. Even with its premium price tag, it’s sort of a bargain when you look at the world of luxury SUVs as a whole.
Will you go big, or go home?
- Starts at: $53,915
- Price as tested: $54,760
The Great:
- Plenty of room for whatever life throws at you.
- Good fuel economy. Averaged 21 mpg.
- Top-shelf luxury for mid-range price.
- Plenty of rear charging ports.
The not so Great:
- Exterior design doesn’t stand out enough from non-Platinum trims.
- It feels bigger than it really is while driving and parking.
- Missing rear window sun shades.
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Trish Delgado says
April 8, 2016 at 11:03 amI am currently driving a 2002 Ford Explorer and this one looks very different than the one I drive. Not in a bad way but now my style, I guess when I’m finally ready for a new truck I will explore my options.
tara pittman says
April 8, 2016 at 11:58 amThis is a nice car. Way out of my price range though.
oana79 says
April 8, 2016 at 1:55 pmLooks and sounds like a great car, way out of our price range and something we will admire from the sidewalk for now. I love the ample space and the Explorer’s Active Park Assist but again, I do not think I could justify the expense on account of those two aspects.
Michelle Gwynn Jones says
April 8, 2016 at 8:34 pmI prefer small and sporty, but this is a nice vehicle.
Elizabeth O. says
April 8, 2016 at 9:34 pmFord always makes great SUVs and this one just proves it. I love spacious cars that allows me to put all the things I need for the trip without hassle. It does look a little cramped, but also terribly big, I’m not sure if it’s because of the way the seats are designed.
Heather says
April 8, 2016 at 9:56 pmI didn’t realize how expensive these are! My husband wants to get a mini!
Heather says
April 9, 2016 at 12:36 amIt reminds me a lot of my Dodge Journey. It has a lot of the same features which I love a lot, especially third row seating that can fold down and out of the way if you don’t need it.
Emma white says
April 9, 2016 at 2:07 pmThese car is gorgeous! Ideal for big family’s like mine to, would to be able to afford to get one of these
MsCrookedHalo says
April 9, 2016 at 4:15 pmI really want a vehicle with parking assist but I miss the gigantic back window of the old versions. Also, do they come in hybrid?
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:53 pmDefinitely, make sure to check back with us when you’re in the market. We test over 50 vehicles per year and can provide general advice. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:54 pmIt’s certainly pricey, but the non-Platinum Explorer starts at around 30k. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:54 pmHi! It’s certainly pricey, but remember that this is the top of the line Explorer Platinum, and other models start at a much lower price. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:55 pmI can certainly identify with that. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:56 pmHi Elizabeth. Yes, we felt that it’s a bit too big, though for most families with at least 2 kids it’ll be perfect (or older kids). It does make for an excellent road-trip vehicle though. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:57 pmHi! We love Minis! We’ve actually owned a couple, including the normal hatchback and the Countryman. The Explorer Platinum is surely much bigger and much more expensive, though remember that the non-Platinum models start at around 30k. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 4:57 pmYes, folding 3rd row is certainly a nice touch. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 5:00 pmHi Emma! Yes, the price is steep, but if you can live without the super fancy features, the Explorer actually starts at around 30k, so it’s still worth checking out. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 5:01 pmHi there. Park assist is definitely very cool! There isn’t an Explorer hybrid at the moment, but if you hang on tight, Ford plans on rolling out many, many hybrid and “electrified” vehicles (hybrid or EV) in the next few years. It may not be around the corner, but they’ll eventually be here. Thanks for reading!
Christine - Jar Of Lemons says
April 9, 2016 at 5:05 pmLove that car! It’s perfect for a big family. They seem amazing!
Jerry Perez says
April 9, 2016 at 5:22 pmIt certainly is! Thanks for reading 🙂
Berlin says
April 9, 2016 at 6:44 pmThe ideal car for a family like ours as my boys are now complaining of cramp spaces in our car. Its too expensive though. I guess we all need to get used to our car as education is our priority now than buying a new one. Buti love this.
Jerry Perez says
April 10, 2016 at 11:36 amHi Berlin. Yes, it’s certainly an awesome family vehicle! It’s spacious, comfortable and good looking. Thanks for reading!
Lisa Rios says
April 11, 2016 at 8:41 pmFord cars are always of great quality & have their own standards which none other can beat. The 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum looks absolutely gorgeous & the comfort, technology used & other features makes it the best to go with.
Amy Jones says
April 11, 2016 at 9:00 pmLove the explorer, im sure all my family would fit in there 😉 now i just need to save a little to get one =D
Jerry Perez says
April 12, 2016 at 1:26 pmHi Lisa. Glad to hear you’re a fan of Ford vehicles, we certainly love the ones we’ve tested. Thanks for reading!
Jerry Perez says
April 12, 2016 at 1:26 pmYes! It’s a lot of money, but also a great ride. Thanks for reading!
Kathy Kenny Ngo says
April 14, 2016 at 11:29 amI’ve been looking for an SUV to buy and this seems like a good option. Fully loaded is something I’d want because I’m not too good with cars and if I can get all the safety and what not that I can, I would.
Jerry Perez says
April 17, 2016 at 3:08 pmHi Kathy. If you’re looking for fully loaded, then this is the SUV for you!