The new re-designed Ford Explorer crossover is scheduled to arrive at dealerships later this year. Many advocates of the Explorer want to know if the SUV-turned-crossover will have the same level of ruggedness and towing capacity when it gets built on a car chassis instead of on the notorious platform for Ford Trucks.

Ford plans to continue marketing the Explorer as an SUV even after the redesign project. Aaron Bragman, automotive analyst responded: “They can call it whatever they like. It’s built on a Taurus platform, so it is actually a crossover.”

Analysts believe that the new Explorer (which hasn’t even been seen by the public yet) will probably not meet the expectations of Ford’s SUV customers.  Some believe that the new Explorer may be competition for other Ford Crossovers such as the Ford Flex, which has not been a great hit for Ford so far.

The present model Explorer has seen a sales increase of 41% and, so far this year, has outsold the Flex (the Flex saw a sales increase of only 16% this year).

Ford is hoping that the new Explorer will be a hit with a different type of consumer, possibly a car buyer with a large family. The new Explorer will be a seven passenger vehicle with three rows of seats, just like the Flex. Ford reports that 70% of current Explorer buyers already select the extra row of seats which indicates to the company that they may be interested in the three row crossover conversion of the Explorer.

“When you see it, you know it’s a Ford, you will know it is an SUV, and you will know it’s a very modern interpretation of our Explorer,” according to Jim Holland, Ford’s engineer in charge of the redesign project.

If you are interested in test driving a Ford Crossover or SUV, see your local St. Louis Ford Dealer, Sunset Ford today.