Ford has started production of the facelifted 2016 Explorer SUV at the Chicago Assembly Plant.
The company has sold more than 7 million Explorers since the nameplate’s launch in 1990, making it the best-selling SUV in America over the last 25 years. The 2016 Ford Explorer represents a significant update, bringing a fresh look, a new 280hp 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a new Platinum series and modern technologies.
Ford is now hoping that the refreshed 2016 Explorer will be a success as well and the signs are encouraging so far.
The automaker began taking orders for the 2016 Explorer in base, XLT, Limited and Sport trims in May, with retail sales for the month increasing 24 percent compared to the same period last year – the Explorer’s best May retail sales since 2004. And that’s before the more luxurious Explorer Platinum series launches later this summer.
The 2016 Platinum series grade features exterior and interior upgrades including LED headlights with signature lighting, dual-panel moon roof, 20-inch wheels, new multi contour front seats wrapped in Nirvana leather, as well as brushed aluminum and satin-finished ash wood accents, among other things.
The Explorer is one of Ford’s top exports from the United States, with the company shipping overseas approximately 54,000 units from Chicago Assembly Plant last year. The SUV is now available in more than 100 markets outside Canada and Mexico.
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