Looks Cool, But Is It Worth It? | Daily News Byte

Explorer Timberline trim adds even more to the look. This is the only Explorer with functional skid plates and a tow hook. You get an upgraded off-road suspension with parts from the Police Interceptor Explorer. The Explorer Timberline features a proper limited-slip differential and all-terrain tires. Explorer’s optional Hill Descent Control is standard. The package gives the Explorer a 0.8-inch lift to 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the same as a non-Wilderness Subaru Outback.

The Timberline package improves capability, but perhaps not enough to move the needle for the Explorer toward recreational off-roader.

Ford can only put so much into a middle-tier Explorer. Off-road goodies drain the Timberline’s budget.

The only engine offered is the base turbo 2.3-liter inline-four — no 400-hp twin-turbo V6, sadly. The four is fine – it delivers enough power – but it can sound labored and agricultural while doing so. The all-terrain tires are seriously noisy on long highway drives (even noticeable one morning driving the deafening F-150 Raptor R). And the whole package reduces fuel economy. The EPA rates the standard four-pot Explorer for 28 mpg highway; the Timberline is only rated for 22 mpg highway. (I got 23.6 mpg, to be fair.)

That unique Timberline style can’t keep the interior from feeling a bit of a bargain-bin, either. You get a leather heated steering wheel, but beyond that, the touchscreen is tiny. The front seats are not leather, heated, or supportive. The whole experience feels cheap and plastic, rather than premium.

My tester was a basic Explorer Timberline that started at $46,245 and went up to $47,540 with destination and delivery — about $10,000 more than a base Explorer. Ford revised the base MSRP to $48,480 for 2023.

That’s roughly on par with competitors’ rugged off-road trims. Honda just announced pricing for the new Passport Trailsport, which starts at $48,350. Kia’s SX X-Pro version of the Telluride starts at $49,885.

The Explorer Timberline is the coolest version (and won’t have anyone mistaking you for an undercover cop). But appearance is not everything.

The off-road tech is nice, but getting it means giving up the luxury features, comfort and performance that an Explorer owner will actually use. If you’re willing to drop around $50,000 for an Explorer, you can also splurge extra for the ST, Platinum or King Ranch trim.

Powertrain: 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four; 10-speed automatic; 4×4

horse power: 300

Torque: 310 lb-ft

Towing capacity: 5,300 lbs

EPA Fuel Economy: 19 mpg city, 22 mpg highway

Seats: 7