Thinking About Getting an Explorer… Which Gen is Best?

I’m almost sure I want an Explorer as my next daily driver. Right now, I have a 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis, and my other vehicles include a 1999 K24 Miata, a 2000 F250 7.3, and a 1957 Ford Courier Sedan Delivery. I’ve owned a bunch of cars, mostly from Ford.

I’ve been looking at options and feel like a 2nd to 4th gen 4.6 4WD would fit my needs.

What I need:

  • A newer, comfortable daily driver
  • Four doors because I have a new baby
  • Some towing ability for a car trailer and my Miata
  • Light off-roading (more than just dirt roads but nothing crazy)
  • All the features I’m used to in my Grand Marquis (heated seats, auto headlights, etc.)

I like the 4th gen because the 3V 4.6 has more power than the 3rd gen’s 2V 4.6. I checked out Mountaineers, but they’re AWD only. Also looked at Aviators for the DOHC 4.6, but most first gens I saw didn’t seem great, and later ones switched to AWD.

There doesn’t seem to be much suspension stuff available for the 4th gen. I wouldn’t lift it much, but slightly bigger tires would be nice.

Are there any big pros or cons to certain generations that I might not be thinking about? Anyone have experience with these?

With what you need, you could probably go with a 4th gen 4.0 if you can’t find a 4.6. Basically, if you come across one that checks all your boxes but has the 4.0, don’t overthink it.

Get one with 4x4 and the towing package, and you should be able to tow up to 5,000 lbs, which should work fine for a Miata and a small car trailer. I used to tow a 26-ft boat with mine, and it did just fine.

Gas mileage isn’t great, but not terrible for a midsize SUV. I get around 14.5 MPG in normal driving, but you can squeeze out 15 if you’re careful.

@Riley
Yeah, I might just be an old-school ‘V8 or nothing’ guy, but I really want the V8. I’d take the 2V 4.6 in a 3rd gen over a 4.0 in a 4th gen.

Vic said:
@Riley
Yeah, I might just be an old-school ‘V8 or nothing’ guy, but I really want the V8. I’d take the 2V 4.6 in a 3rd gen over a 4.0 in a 4th gen.

If I had the choice between a 4.0 and a 4.6 back in 2006, I would’ve gone with the 4.6 too. But my dealer only had the 4.0 with 4x4 and the tow package. Just saying, I’ve had no complaints with mine so far.

Hope you find what you’re looking for!

Personally, I’d go for a 2nd gen from ‘96. Those things can last forever if you take care of them. My dad still has a Ford Explorer Sport that’s been running for nearly 30 years. It’s probably got around 400,000 miles on it, but we’re not sure because the odometer stopped working a decade ago.

Just my opinion, though. If you want something newer, totally understandable!

4th gens are probably the best choice if you want reliability. They were the last body-on-frame model, which is better for towing, and the 4.6 V8 is a solid engine.

Downsides: Gas mileage isn’t great, and the ground clearance is kinda low for off-roading. You can fix that with a Truxxx lift kit or just some bigger tires.

If you go for a Limited trim, you’ll get heated seats, auto headlights, and most of the features you’re looking for.

@Charlie
The 4.6 V8s are really hard to find. I’ve been hunting for a low-mileage one for years.

Lane said:
@Charlie
The 4.6 V8s are really hard to find. I’ve been hunting for a low-mileage one for years.

I wouldn’t say they’re super rare, but yeah, I do see way more 4.0 4th gens.

Lane said:
@Charlie
The 4.6 V8s are really hard to find. I’ve been hunting for a low-mileage one for years.

Here’s a listing I found: https://placehold.co/600x400.png

@Westley
What site is that from? And where are you located? $3,700 isn’t bad at all… I’d rather have a 4th gen, but that’s tempting.

@Westley
That’s a 3rd gen.