Savage Geese Reviews the new Explorer

[Anthony]

I know what you are thinking.  Yes, He has destroyed other Fords in his reviews (like my poor Ranger) and I’ll be honest, he is pretty critical of the Explorer in this review.  The difference is, he really likes the vehicle as a whole, but hates a lot of the individual features (and he is never going to like the 10 speed in ANYTHING).  Whatever, watch it for yourself, I can’t fault it that much as much of it has been parroted here. He gets into the Ford politics in the quick (rushed) plant switchover at the end.
 

 

[Nickp]

That backup camera is terrible omg 

[fuzzymoomoo]

His complaint about seat discoloration is why I will never ever EVER own another car with seats that aren't black ever again, I don't care what kind of car it is or what material it is. 

[Bob Rosadini]

Well after reading all the horror stories about all the ongoing issues at CAP,  seems like a lot of that gives credibility to this guys report.   Of course  the best manufacturing plant in the world with the best workforce can only  build the best product if the design is good.  The fit and finish issues?  How do you justify that? 

 

He is probably right about this vehicle being okay for us Ford boys.  Guys like me who have never owned anything but.  Case in point, pissed off the wife big time today because one of my daughter in laws wanted a Suburban then I  got involved.  Long story short they bought a 2019 Expedition Max tonite.

 

His last point about shit rolling down hill?  Sounds like he took a direct shot at Ford's direction.  And to me that is clearly directed at the guy who was so successful at building office furniture.  Apparently Hackett's definition of "fitness" does  not translate to "fit and finish".  And the comment about the second string engineers or however he referred to the engineering effort,  has to be a result of cost containment (head count) while at the same time he orchestrates a total plant makeover coupled with a complete product make over.  I know nothing about heavy manufacturing but IMO, sounded like a very tall order IF you had the most experienced people handling it-and with realistic timeframes.

 

In any case SG DID give it good marks as to its "truck like roots" in a world populated by "carlike" suvs being cranked out by the rest of the industry. So there is some hope.

[snooter]

Brutal review....the situation in chiraq plant shows more than anything else the precarious situation 1 vehicle can mean to the companies bottom line health...rebuild was pushed harder than may be it should have been but i doubt ford had any other choice...

[fuzzymoomoo]

Well said bob. 
 

It's not the most positive review out there and in general I think he's pretty fair. He doesn't usually take cheap shots. The only review of his I didn't think was fair was the Ranger one, and that's only because I/we here know what it really is (a stopgap) and how close the new one is. He clearly doesn't know and/or care. 

[Bob Rosadini]

21 minutes ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

Well said bob. 
 

It's not the most positive review out there and in general I think he's pretty fair. He doesn't usually take cheap shots. The only review of his I didn't think was fair was the Ranger one, and that's only because I/we here know what it really is (a stopgap) and how close the new one is. He clearly doesn't know and/or care. 

My youngest son bought a Lariat crew cab in late November.  Loves it, no issues-had it like three weeks and some women  cuts in front of him at an intersection- he is in right lane, traffic in left is stopped making left hand turns and this lady coming in opposite direction turns left - he jumps on brakes-had like 15' and road was wet.  15 grand in damage.  Body shop (Ford dealer) still awaiting like 30 parts.  Think it s the first Ranger they have had with that much damage.  Fortunately cops gave her a "failure to yield at intersection" .I'd post pix but for some reason I have trouble uploading to  BON.

[fuzzymoomoo]

Stories like that are why I'm researching dash cams for my cars. 

[T-dubz]

Pretty accurate review. My wife has an xlt and loves it (besides the transmission cooler repair lol). As for the interior, he’s pretty spot on. It does seem like the design is a bit unfinished. It’s good enough for us. I think the silver trim looks better then the wood trim and the 8” screen looks better too. I haven’t noticed any bad viewing angles on our screen either. I don’t have the B&O sound system but the regular speakers sound just like any other car to me. Transmission has been fine for us. I wish the console between the second row seats was a bit better. It just looks kind of cheap to me.

The only thing I really didn’t like was the gas pedal. I’m used to gas pedals coming out from under the dash, but it feels like the pedal in the explorer comes up through the floor. Doesn’t sound like a big deal, but the angle is a bit different so it just felt weird for a few days until I got used to it.

 

forgot to mention that we are a ford family and have never owned any other brand, so he nailed it on that point too lol.

Edited January 25, 2020 by T-dubz

[T-dubz]

What car does this guy like? I’ve only watched the videos of the ranger and explorer that were posted here which were negative, so I quickly scrolled through his videos on YouTube and based off of his titles, it seems like he doesn’t like any car ? 

[kyle]

10 hours ago, T-dubz said:

What car does this guy like? I’ve only watched the videos of the ranger and explorer that were posted here which were negative, so I quickly scrolled through his videos on YouTube and based off of his titles, it seems like he doesn’t like any car ? 

 

 

He just gave a positive review on the Outback:)  I've seen probably 30-35 of his videos and actually like his perspective-he is brutally honest about the crappy infotainment systems out there and the skyrocketing cost of vehicles.  I also appreciate the fact that he puts them up on a lift and goes over the mechanics of the suspension, etc. And I don't know anyone who is analyzing the audio systems to the extent he is doing-graphing things out, etc. -it is beyond my mindset, but he backs up those comments with facts-instead of most people opinions. 

 

And check out his Mustang-Camaro-Challenger videos from maybe 2 years ago-picks apart the Mustang where appropriate but that was his favorite of the 3 vehicles. 

[fuzzymoomoo]

1 hour ago, kyle said:

And check out his Mustang-Camaro-Challenger videos from maybe 2 years ago-picks apart the Mustang where appropriate but that was his favorite of the 3 vehicles. 

I think that's what I like most about him. He does pick them apart but he makes it clear it's his opinion and he doesn't take cheap shots. He's brutally honest and (as the end of the Explorer vide illustrates) he's not afraid to speak some hard truths. 

[probowler]

15 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

His complaint about seat discoloration is why I will never ever EVER own another car with seats that aren't black ever again, I don't care what kind of car it is or what material it is. 

Ive got red leather seats that are over 20 years old and still red.  Worn down and ready to replace? Yes, but still red ?

[Bob Rosadini]

12 hours ago, T-dubz said:

Pretty accurate review. My wife has an xlt and loves it (besides the transmission cooler repair lol). As for the interior, he’s pretty spot on. It does seem like the design is a bit unfinished. It’s good enough for us. I think the silver trim looks better then the wood trim and the 8” screen looks better too. I haven’t noticed any bad viewing angles on our screen either. I don’t have the B&O sound system but the regular speakers sound just like any other car to me. Transmission has been fine for us. I wish the console between the second row seats was a bit better. It just looks kind of cheap to me.

The only thing I really didn’t like was the gas pedal. I’m used to gas pedals coming out from under the dash, but it feels like the pedal in the explorer comes up through the floor. Doesn’t sound like a big deal, but the angle is a bit different so it just felt weird for a few days until I got used to it.

 

forgot to mention that we are a ford family and have never owned any other brand, so he nailed it on that point too lol.

Such a key point-and how  often have you ever heard a reviewer bring that up.  I think that is a  huge factor-but I'm afraid Ford -as well as GM and "Mopar" will all be loosing that edge.  How many young buyers today have grown up in households that have had nothing but Toyotas, Hondas etc.

Me?  I'm 76 and I recall a story of how my grandfather was so pissed at his Model T he made a sweeping motion with his hand in frustration that he damaged the radiator!  

Brand loyalty is built over time.  I've always said, you could paint a pile of dog shit Cat yellow-or Deere green- or Ford blue -and guys would stand around and say.."isn't that the nicest pile of dog shit you have ever seen?" (pick your color?)

[rperez817]

Thanks for sharing this video Anthony! Savage Geese seems very knowledgeable about automobiles and the automotive industry. Much more than typical amateur reviewers posting videos on YouTube. This review of 2020 Explorer is professional quality.

[probowler]

13 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

Well said bob. 
 

It's not the most positive review out there and in general I think he's pretty fair. He doesn't usually take cheap shots. The only review of his I didn't think was fair was the Ranger one, and that's only because I/we here know what it really is (a stopgap) and how close the new one is. He clearly doesn't know and/or care. 

Is that an excuse though? I get what you're saying about it being a stopgap, 100%, but if you release a "new" vehicle that is already out of date, or rushed, for whatever reason, well at the end of the day your vehicle will still lag the competition. 

 

It would be nice if he explained the situation, but it technically is truthful and fair, no? 

[buddysystem]

Watched this this morning.  Hadn't heard of his reviews before.  Came over here to see if anyone had noticed it yet.  I just felt sad watching it.  The chassis sounds and looks great.  I hope Ford listens to it.  Hope a early refresh fixes the issues quick.  Just start over on the IP.

[blwnsmoke]

16 hours ago, Nickp said:

That backup camera is terrible omg 

 

Yes, we are all complaining about the 10.1 layout.  Just a disaster for screen utilization.

[fuzzymoomoo]

43 minutes ago, probowler said:

Is that an excuse though? I get what you're saying about it being a stopgap, 100%, but if you release a "new" vehicle that is already out of date, or rushed, for whatever reason, well at the end of the day your vehicle will still lag the competition. 

 

It would be nice if he explained the situation, but it technically is truthful and fair, no? 

It's unfair from the standpoint of it's not exactly a well kept secret that he somehow doesn't know about, or just didn't care. Not that his point wasn't valid about its price vs. F-150.
 

At least he said he wasn't saying not to buy it but test drive it first and do some research. That part is definitely fair. 

[hbalek]

The only thing I don't like about the 10.1 inch screen is the camera image placement.  Yes it is too small but there are 3 buttons at the bottom that are very easy to use if you want a larger rear-view image.  It fills the width of the screen if you really need to see what's behind you.  It was unfair of him to make the pinch and zoom gesture for that camera image without mentioning that it has  3 view buttons below the image.  I agree with other critics who said the 2 camera images should be stacked to fill up more of the screen but when you're in navigation mode or other modes the vertical screen really does show you more information than the horizontally oriented one, which would require more scrolling to see complete lists and such.  No vehicle is perfect and he's a very finnicky critic. But the fun-to-drive factor of this vehicle  not to mention its stunning looks and presence along with comfort and premium features usually not offered on mainstream brands make it stand out from the pack. Flaws and all this vehicle is never boring!  I've had this Explorer ST now for about 2 months and I'm very happy with this purchase decision over the Lincoln Nautilus or Ford Edge ST!

Edited January 26, 2020 by hbalek

[snooter]

I seem to remember he mentioned not buying for 2 years until issues were corrected.......may be i viewed the unredacted version.....

[blwnsmoke]

13 hours ago, hbalek said:

The only thing I don't like about the 10.1 inch screen is the camera image placement.  Yes it is too small but there are 3 buttons at the bottom that are very easy to use if you want a larger rear-view image.  It fills the width of the screen if you really need to see what's behind you.  It was unfair of him to make the pinch and zoom gesture for that camera image without mentioning that it has  3 view buttons below the image.  I agree with other critics who said the 2 camera images should be stacked to fill up more of the screen but when you're in navigation mode or other modes the vertical screen really does show you more information than the horizontally oriented one, which would require more scrolling to see complete lists and such.  No vehicle is perfect and he's a very finnicky critic. But the fun-to-drive factor of this vehicle  not to mention its stunning looks and presence along with comfort and premium features usually not offered on mainstream brands make it stand out from the pack. Flaws and all this vehicle is never boring!  I've had this Explorer ST now for about 2 months and I'm very happy with this purchase decision over the Lincoln Nautilus or Ford Edge ST!

 

Ford should allow the last setting to stay so we dont have to keep hitting the 3 buttons everytime.  It should be full with taking up 2/3s of the top and then the radar sensors taking up the bottom 1/3.

Edited January 26, 2020 by blwnsmoke

[rperez817]

On 1/25/2020 at 9:40 PM, snooter said:

I seem to remember he mentioned not buying for 2 years until issues were corrected

 

Ford may have an emergency refresh for Explorer in that time to address at least some of the issues Savage Geese, other professional reviewers, and customers have experienced with the 2020 model.

[akirby]

It's not so bad that it needs an "emergency" refresh.  A few running changes would help but I doubt most customers who see it on tv or on the road and go drive one will be nitpicking that much.   It's a little disappointing but it's not a disaster.

[Bob Rosadini]

26 minutes ago, akirby said:

It's not so bad that it needs an "emergency" refresh.  A few running changes would help but I doubt most customers who see it on tv or on the road and go drive one will be nitpicking that much.   It's a little disappointing but it's not a disaster.

AK, I think you are too generous to call it a "little disappointing".  Given the complexity of the new vehicle, given the magnitude of a total plant "gutting", given the nature of the CAP workforce, where was the chain of command -Hackett, Hinrichs- guys making huge bucks as this train wreck was happening?

I recall a post by someone recently who looked at two new Explorers on a dealer lot.  One with an earlier build date had a certain shield in place,  (that had been identified previously as a problem) while a second one with a more recent build date did NOT have the shield in place.

 

How does that happen?  I can recall watching the videos of the CAP plant conversion and thinking .."Amazing, just think of the engineering, co-ordination required to get all this highly mechanized, computer controlled system to function properly".  Apparently Hackett figured .".No problem-done this before at Steelcase".

 

I have two sons, one has a 2019 Ranger Lariat-beautiful -loves it.  One has a 2019 Expy Max- beautiful-loves it. The Ranger is in the shop with $15,000 in bodydamage-some dumb ass woman blew through an intersection ("failure to  yield at Intersection") and my son broadsides her .  Over 100 parts to fix- 30 on backorder-and this is just front end damage.  The Expy? I'm checking it out and the complexity in terms of all of the systems  it has blow my mind.

 

In both cases I think this just illustrates the need for people who understand what was possible 10 years ago to insure a positive end result, no longer applies today.  Remember when Mulally came on board and at a meeting some guy questioned if he understood the complexities of building cars?  His answer was to the effect an airliner has like 5.7 million parts.

 

Seems like perhaps the emphasis is "get it out the door, we will  handle the details later".  Or has Nancy Pelosi said- "just approve it, then we will read what it says"?