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Report: Why U-Haul won’t rent you a trailer for your Ford Explorer

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Explorer

2011 Ford Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you are a Ford Explorer owner who may need to infrequently tow small loads, here’s a Public Service Announcement that may be of interest. Apparently, U-Haul, which we’d guess is the first name that pops in people’s minds when the subject of a rental trailer comes up, will not loan trailers out if the lender plans on hooking it up to a Ford Explorer, regardless of the vehicle’s tow rating.

According to a spokesperson for U-Haul that spoke to Consumer Reports, it’s company policy to deny trailer rentals to Explorer owners. Why? Lawyers. Says Joanne Fried, director of media and corporate relations, “Every time we go to hire an attorney to defend a lawsuit, as soon as we say ‘Ford Explorer,’ they charge us more money.”

The issue can be traced all the way back to the Firestone tire debacle that tarnished the Explorer’s good name in the late 1990s. Though the original lawsuit has long since been settled and, more importantly, the current Explorer shares absolutely nothing but its moniker with the old truck-based model cited in the lawsuit, the name ‘Explorer’ is still enough to incite bouts of panic, sleepless nights and a bucket full of dollar signs to U-Haul’s legal team.

The corporate edict also applies to the Jeep Wrangler, unless the owner agrees only to tow the U-Haul trailer only when a hardtop is in place on the iconic off-roader. Seems more than a little arbitrary and ignorant to us, but we’re not the ones with law degrees, so what do we know?

Why U-Haul won’t rent you a trailer for your Ford Explorer originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Optima beats Camry, Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Ford, Honda, Kia

2011 kia optima 2.0t

2011 Kia Optima 2.0T – Click above for high-res image gallery

The mid-size sedan battle rages on year after year. Perennial kings are dethroned while new challengers emerge boasting fresh styling and a bountiful list of standard features. Consumer Reports launches its June issue today, and the institute’s testers have put a host of family-minded four-doors powered by four-cylinder engines through a workout to determine which is the top dog. Ten vehicles were tested but, as Christopher Lambert will tell you, there can be only one.

As it has here at Autoblog Towers, Kia’s 2011 Optima draws big praise from the Consumer Reports crew. In fact, the Korean squeezes out a higher rating than the Honda Accord. It may have only beat the Honda by one point, but this represents a significant win for Kia. The opinions of Consumer Reports are highly valued by a large number of car shoppers, and this victory ought to push the Optima further onto radar of the American car buying public. Interestingly, while the Optima earned a “Very Good” rating, it wasn’t the comparison’s overall winner, however, as the Nissan Altima (a perennial CR favorite) claimed the test’s top spot, neatly trumping the Honda and the best-selling Toyota Camry in the process.

One vehicle not fairing so well in the June issue of Consumer Reports? The 2011 Ford Explorer. Nineteen mid-size sport utility vehicles were rounded up for testing, and the Explorer wound up in 17th place – well behind the Toyota Highlander Hybrid – a dismal showing for the Blue Oval brand. If you don’t have an issue of CR in your mailbox, check out the official press release after the jump for more details.

Continue reading Optima beats Camry, Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted

Optima beats Camry, Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz

Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Ford, Celebrities, Humor

Nelly and the 2011 Ford Explorer

Nelly disapproves of back-up dancers and falling snow – Click above to watch video after the jump

The audio system in the 2011 Ford Explorer was created by Sony and features Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Technology being pumped through 12 speakers, including a subwoofer. The crisp-sounding system can pick up HD Radio channels and tag songs so you can buy them later with iTunes. Ford tapped multiple Grammy Award-winner Nelly to discuss the virtues of this setup.

Ford also got a hold of a director that thinks Nelly and the 2011 Ford Explorer are not enough to make a stand-out commercial. He decides to add some pizazz, and Nelly feels it’s not needed. The premise sounds iffy but the results are surprisingly hilarious. Check out the clip for yourself by clicking past the jump. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go brush up on our Country Grammar…

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz

Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising

Kevin Hart's 2011 Ford Explorer Wedding Commercial

Kevin Hart’s 2011 Ford Explorer commercial – Click above to watch after the jump

Company: Ford Motor Co.

Brand: Ford

Medium: TV

Ad Agency: The UniWorld Group,

Product: Explorer

Campaign: “Crazy Kevin.”

What We Like: Humor often works better than painful earnestness to spotlight certain vehicle features in a typical SUV. Kevin Hart has a certain poor man’s Chris Rock likability. The ad has a story, with a beginning and an end instead of a prattle of feature benefits.

What We Don’t Like: Not much except the ad could be funnier to really take advantage of Hart’s talents. The jokes aren’t quite sharp enough. There was probably funnier stuff that came out of working with him, and that may have been left on rejected storyboard. Ford has a habit of smoothing out what might have been an edgy idea creative because it’s too afraid of being risky with ad content.

Strategy: Ford wants to capitalize on Kevin Hart’s brand of humor, which typically centers on his life as a husband and father. The ads will extend into TV, radio, print and digital. Each ad is meant to play up some aspect of the redesigned 2011 Explorer, such as its “Terrain Management System” (TMS) and inflatable rear seatbelts. The kickoff features Hart showing up shockingly late for his brother’s wedding in a 2011 Ford Explorer. As he speeds into the wedding he creates a disturbance where the Explorer steals the spotlight from the bride and groom. During the ad, Hart highlights TMS and how he traveled through sand and mud to arrive at the wedding. He also shows off Explorer’s seven-passenger seating capacity by packing the entire rear of the vehicle with wedding gifts – all while cheering on the “crazy” factor of the SUV.

Grade: B

What do you think? Watch the ads for yourself after the jump.

Continue reading AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart

AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited

Filed under: SUV, Ford, Reviews

Wait ‘Till They Get A Load Of This

2011 Ford Explorer Limited

2011 Ford Explorer Limited – Click above for high-res image gallery

They call it a reboot. It happens all the time in Hollywood when a movie franchise falls flat. After a blockbuster wears out its audience with a string of lesser sequels, the studio starts over, retelling the story from an entirely new angle.

The best example is Batman. The combination of Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton produced critical acclaim and big box office numbers for the first two Caped Crusader films in 1989 and 1992. Then came a new director, Joel Schumacher, who just about killed the franchise with Batman Forever in 1995 and Batman & Robin in 1997. Eight years passed before someone in Hollywood realized the Dark Knight’s name could still fill theater seats, and the franchise was rebooted in 2005 with the dark and gritty Batman Begins.

The totally redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer is the Blue Oval’s Batman Begins. Ford’s most famous sport utility vehicle has desperately needed a reboot ever since the Firestone tire recall in 2000 made it Rollover Enemy Number One. Rising gas prices haven’t helped either, but the tire debacle hurt the brand badly, with the Explorer going from this country’s third best-selling vehicle in 2000 with 445,157 sold to just over 60,000 bought in 2010. But just like Batman, the Explorer name had value that Ford couldn’t let go to waste. And so the 2011 Explorer is the sport utility story retold by Ford from an entirely new angle. The question is whether or not the Explorer’s name can still put butts in seats.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited 4WD: Review

2011 Ford Explorer

Continue reading Review: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited

Review: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How Mulally put the Ford Explorer on a crash diet

Filed under: SUV, Etc., Technology, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Explorer

2011 Ford Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Bloomberg, the Ford Explorer can thank Alan Mulally for its stay of execution. When the former Boeing executive took the helm at FoMoCo, the powers that be urged him to make a decision on the then-ancient SUV. Mulally said that the nameplate could live on, but only if the company’s engineers could find a way to seriously cut weight and increase fuel economy at the same time. The new vehicle was not only able to meet those demands, but was able to offer a larger package with much of the same off-road ability as well.

That meant sacrificing the body-on-frame blue print for a unibody design and exploring alternative engine solutions – engines like the upcoming Ecoboost four-cylinder. In the end, the Blue Oval boys were able to shed 100 pounds off the platform.

Ford has since interpreted that same quest for svelteness into a company-wide strategy, and Bloomberg says that the Dearborn automaker is now on par with automakers like BMW when it comes down to aggressively stripping weight from a vehicle. You can read the full story on how Mulally’s obsession with reducing weight changed Ford for the better here. Thanks for the tip, Andrew!

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer: First Drive

2011 Ford Explorer

[Source: Bloomberg]

How Mulally put the Ford Explorer on a crash diet originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt, Ford Explorer named Detroit Free Press Car and Truck of the Year

Filed under: Sedan, Crossover, Chevrolet, Ford, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

As more and more Car and Truck of the Year awards pour in from a variety of major publications, it’s no shock that the 2011 Chevrolet Volt continues to take home top honors as the best car of 2011. Both Motor Trend and Automobile have deemed the Volt their Car of the Year, and General Motors’ high-profile EV is even a finalist for the prestigious North American Car of the Year award. (Our readers, however, would apparently rather see that honor go to the 2011 Hyundai Sonata). Thus, it’s no surprise that the Volt was just named Car of the Year by The Detroit Free Press.

Similarly, the 2011 Ford Explorer is in the running for North American Truck of the Year, and the Detroit Free Press is honoring it as the best ‘truck’ of 2011. Freep auto critic Mark Phelan states that in the road ahead, automakers must choose the “right shade of green” for each type of vehicle. Phelan explains:

“The Volt allows most owners to go weeks or months without stopping at a gas pump. The Explorer recasts America’s best-selling SUV in a fuel-efficient new form based on the same chassis as the Ford Taurus large sedan.”

Interestingly, The Detroit Free Press details its second and third place choices for Car of the Year, with the Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Leaf taking those spots, respectively. These two vehicles are finalists for the North American Car of the Year award, and we’re wondering if the Free Press‘ predictions foreshadow the decisions that the NACTOY judges will make (Note: Phelan is a member of the jury). We’ll have the answer to that in just a few weeks, but for now, we tip our hats to the Volt and Explorer on taking home the Detroit Free Press awards.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer: First Drive

2011 Ford Explorer

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Chevrolet Volt, Ford Explorer named Detroit Free Press Car and Truck of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Videos: Ford’s 2011 Explorer and 2012 Focus go off the wall

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Videos, Crossover, Ford

Ford Focus Crash Test

2012 Ford Focus plays tag with a wall – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ford has been testing its upcoming 2012 Focus extensively, and it’s already put the compact through 12,000 crashes in both the virtual and real worlds. Ford says that the Focus features advanced restraint systems as well as next-generation airbags that feature upgraded chest-protection technology. The C-Segment car is not stealing all the focus (*ahem*), however, because the all-new 2011 Explorer has clearly received plenty of attention from the safety engineers. For the first time in the Explorer’s history, it has landed on the IIHS list of Top Safety Picks.

Enough talking, because you’re ready for some automotive snuff films, right? Hop the jump to watch a 2012 Ford Focus and 2011 Explorer make out with a wall. While you’re over there, be sure to check out Ford’s official press release.

[Sources: Ford, YouTube]

Continue reading Videos: Ford’s 2011 Explorer and 2012 Focus go off the wall

Videos: Ford’s 2011 Explorer and 2012 Focus go off the wall originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #208 – Explorer, Compass, Ward’s Engines, and a German trio

Filed under: Podcasts, Etc., Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Volkswagen

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Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Episode #208 of the Autoblog Podcast is manned by the terrible trio of Chris Shunk, Dan Roth, and Zach Bowman. We start with the Autoblog Garage and then move on to cover the official-ness of the BMW 1M, Ward’s ten-best engines, the 2012 Audi A6, the Volkswagen Golf R and wrap by coming back to the States to mull the 2011 Jeep Compass and 2011 Ford Explorer. We finish with your questions at the end for an hour and twenty-four minutes total. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #208 – Explorer, Compass, Ward’s Engines, and a German trio

In the Autoblog Garage:

2011 Range Rover Sport Supercharged
2011 Kia Optima

News Topics:

2011 Ford Explorer
2011 Jeep Compass
Ward’s Ten Best Engines
2012 Audi A6
Volkswagen Golf R
BMW 1M

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman,
Runtime: 1:23:58

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #208 – Explorer, Compass, Ward’s Engines, and a German trio originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Ford Explorer

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, Ford, First Drive

Don’t Call It A Comeback…

2011 Ford Explorer

2011 Ford Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery

At least a few eyebrows were raised when Ford first let on that it was bringing the Explorer back in a radically different form for 2011 – but not all of the quizzical looks were for the same reasons.

For one thing, the Explorer name had been seriously damaged because of the very public Firestone tire rollover controversy of the early 2000s, something that ostensibly made the 2011 model a prime candidate for a new name. In addition, early rumors had the Blue Oval transitioning the vehicle to a unibody chassis and away from the very body-on-frame architecture that helped establish it as the archetypal sport utility vehicle for two decades. It simply wasn’t clear that a crossover-based vehicle would still be able to make an authentic claim to the same core values that helped the previous four iterations of Explorer sell millions of copies. Finally, Ford already had a very competent three-row CUV in its arsenal – the Flex. Were its dealers really looking for another one?

And yet… here we are, with a spanking-new and very different sort of Explorer for 2011. Have Alan Mullaly and Co. made the right call? Click through the jump as we try to find out.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Explorer: First Drive

2011 Ford Explorer

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford Explorer

First Drive: 2011 Ford Explorer originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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