The Explorer just got a makeover America will never get to see
New face, a 27-inch screen and 286 hp — the Chinese Explorer is turning into a land yacht, while the US keeps the plainer version. The gap has never been wider.
America gets left out again. Ford has revealed an updated Explorer — but only for China, and once more it’s not the SUV sold in the US. The Chinese version gets its own design, a richer presentation and a cabin dominated by a giant screen. The brand seems determined to turn the family Explorer into a “land yacht” for the local market.
The look was penned by Ford’s Chinese design center — and it shows. Up front: a big rectangular grille, heavy chrome, a new full-width light signature and tidy chrome inserts around the vents. The Timberline plays by different rules — it’s deliberately rugged. Its own styling cues, built-in front LED lighting, pull-out tow hooks, silver skid protection and wheels with Twister Orange accents.
Inside, take your pick of space: five, six or seven seats. But one detail steals the show. A 27-inch screen framed by new metal trim, with ambient lighting and a redesigned center console. Even before the debut this display split the room — some call it stunning, others see a family SUV drifting away from practical logic toward a pure show car.
Under the hood, though? No surprises. According to MIIT filings, there’s a 2.3-liter EcoBoost making 286 hp (or 290 metric PS); torque for the current version is expected around 445 Nm. The gearbox is almost certainly the familiar 10-speed automatic. This isn’t an engine-bay revolution. It’s a bet on design, comfort and local taste.
And here the gulf between the two Explorers keeps widening. In the US, Ford sells a straightforward three-row family SUV with clear trims — the Timberline there gave way to the Tremor. In China, the same silhouette is pushed relentlessly upmarket: more chrome, more screen, more talk of “premium.” For Ford it’s a forced move. Chinese buyers now weigh the Explorer not only against the Toyota Highlander and Volkswagen Teramont, but against local brands — and those learned long ago to sell big screens and rich cabins for less than the global players.