2022 Ford Explorer Timberline fires back at Jeep and Subaru

Ford had enough adventure-seeking families in the market for crossover SUVs heading to Jeep and Subaru showrooms.

At least, that’s the impression the 2022 Ford Explorer Timberline gives. With more ground clearance, off-road oriented hardware, upgraded suspension and all-terrain tires, Ford has created the most off-road capable Explorer in recent memory. But that should be enough to shake Subaru out of his Outback somewhat, but not enough to steal Jeep’s lunch.

diet ability

Like the Subaru Outback, the Explorer Timberline has lighter off-road capabilities compared to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Let’s call it Capability Lite, a 95-calorie capability.

Every Explorer Timberline has a 2.3-liter Turbo 4 rated at 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque under the hood paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It has more power than any Subaru Outback, enough for an Explorer, but the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk’s 375-horsepower 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain dazzles this Ford.

In everyday driving, the Explorer’s Turbo 4 works fine, but it starts to run out of power when traversing highways. There’s no question that the Timberline’s maximum towing rating is his 5,300 pounds, but I find it difficult to tow confidently on the highway. That’s another test. Senior editor Robert Duffer also found the gearshifts from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd he to 3rd gear jerky, but I didn’t have the same experience.

Where the Timberline takes a gravel turn from other Explorers is the suspension and running bits. Ford replaced a set of beefier shocks (Explorer Police Interceptor parts pulled from his bin), upgraded his stabilizer bars, and installed off-road his springs to increase rebound up front and off Reduced jerky movement on roads. The company’s engineers put on his taller 265/65R18 Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain tires and added his skid plate under the engine, transmission and rear end. They also retuned the steering to match the suspension changes.

The result is the Explorer with the best ride money can buy. On broken Midwestern pavement, Timberline absorbs road imperfections and keeps them in the background. Body movement is well controlled, and with a slightly wider tread than the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, the Timberline feels a little more stable down the highway.

The approach angle has been improved from 20.1 degrees to 23.5 degrees and the departure angle has been improved from 22.0 degrees to 23.7 degrees over the standard Explorer. But with 8.7 inches of ground clearance (0.8 inches more than the standard Explorer), the Timberline literally falls short next to the Subaru Outback Wilderness, which has 9.6 inches of ground clearance. Lifted by air suspension, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk can go deep into the wilderness with its severed front sway bar and 10.9 inches of ground clearance.

The Jeep also has a two-speed transfer case that allows the SUV to crawl over rocks and streams. Explorer? With low-speed torque and low-speed gear for control in the toughest off-road situations, it’s a lie that his 4WD badge is slapped on the tailgate, even though he lacks a second-speed transfer case. It operates on an all-wheel drive system that powers the wheels with traction. Ford’s best feature is the Torsen Limited Slip Rear Differential, which helps reduce wheelspin in slippery conditions.

But like the Jeep, the Explorer’s ace that the Outback lacks is a towing system and normal, trail, deep snow/sand, slippery, sport, tow/haul and eco driving modes. Our off-road tours on the Explorer Timberline have consisted entirely of gravel roads, but we have extensive experience with the terrain management systems on board everything from Raptors and Broncos to Expeditions. It’s one of the best systems in the business, truly tuning the powertrain and traction/stability control to the situation at hand, but it’s worth noting that the Explorer Timberline lacks Rock Crawl and Mud/Ruts modes. It tells a story.

The bottom line is that the Explorer Timberline offers more off-road capabilities that most buyers need than other versions of Ford’s midsize three-row SUV. However, when faced with something technically slow that the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk can handle, it hits the end of the trail.

play an undercover cop

With blacked-out headlights and taillights, chunky all-terrain tires, 18-inch aluminum wheels painted black, and grill-mounted LED fog lights, the Explorer Timberline looks like an undercover vehicle. The orange Timberline badging and tow hook indicate it’s Timberline, but it’s not obvious at first glance.

Grille-mounted LED fog light strips on either side of the Ford badge actually act like driving lights. They do a great job of lighting the road, but the beam is focused in the center of the road between the headlights instead of spreading out on both sides of the road. Although it can be used in conjunction with the round factory fog lights mounted on the headlights, this is an odd choice. . An orange light indicates it is active and has an aftermarket look.

Inside, the Timberline is standard Explorer fare, including an analog gauge cluster with a 6.5-inch information display and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The standard satin silver color trim with a Timberline-specific grain that Ford calls stone mesh looks and feels great, while the green interior with orange stitching gives it a ’90s vibe. It’s hot. The green interior looked great in our tester’s Forged Green paint, but it’s unclear how it would look with one of the other available colors.

These green seats are soft, supportive and road trip worthy.The first two rows are very comfortable and the seats are wider than the Grand Cherokee. However, the third row is a little small for adults. It’s fine for a quick trip around town, but I don’t think anyone over elementary school would want to spend real time there. The Outback doesn’t have his third row, nor does the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

Priced at $47,450 at the time of testing (base price has since increased to $51,475), the Timberline falls between the Limited in the Explorer lineup and the sportier and more powerful ST. It’s also about $11,000 more than the Subaru Outback Wilderness and about $14,000 less than the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

The Explorer Timberline is priced between the Jeep and Subaru. It can’t match the Jeep’s off-road capabilities, but as long as the 8.7″ ground clearance meets your needs, it’s pretty much on par with the Subaru.Sure, you’ll get a green interior on a Subaru or a Jeep. can’t and neither does his 3rd row seat. So how far do you actually need to go off-road and how many people do you need?