The Best Year For The Ford Explorer
2020 Ford Explorer by Kevauto — CC BY-SA 4.0
The 2017 model year is the best year for the Ford Explorer for both saving money and getting what everyone wants out of an SUV - powerful engine choices, stylish exterior, comfortable interior, safety, and technology.
We’ll take you through the 2017 Ford Explorer’s high points, low points, features, and what you can expect when you take one for a test drive. When we’re done, we think that the only reason you might not still at least consider this awesome vehicle is you must have an allegiance to another brand.
Class Competitors
The Ford Explorer does have some tough competition. Some of their competition is a little light on their feet when it comes to power, towing, and off-road capabilities and some are just the opposite.
The Dodge Durango is one of the toughest of the bunch followed by the Nissan Pathfinder. The Toyota Highlander offers a lot of fun stuff in an overall capacity, while the GMC Acadia and Honda Polit round out the bunch.
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Ford Explorer Trim Levels/Powertrain/Gas Mileage/Towing
Altogether, the best year for the Ford Explorer comes in five different 2017 trim levels: the Base, XLT, Limited, Sport, and the Platinum. For the more reasonable priced Base, XLT, and Limited levels, power comes from a 3.5-liter V6 with 290 horsepower and 255 lb.-ft. of torque.
All engines offered in the Explorer lineup will be mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and come standard with front-wheel-drive. On some of the more optioned models, there are all-wheel-drive configurations.
There is an optional engine you might find in some above-mentioned models but will be standard on all Limited all-wheel-drive models. The 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost engine makes 280 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque and is just an all-around better and more fun engine option.
There is one more exciting engine option that comes standard on the Platinum and Sport all-wheel-drive models. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 makes 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque and gets an EPA-Estimated 16 city / 22 hwy / 18 combined mpg.
The base 3.5-liter V6 gets a little bit better gas mileage with an EPA-Estimated 17 city / 24 hwy / 20 combined mpg. This should come as no surprise, the EcoBoost 2.4-liter gets the best gas mileage out of the three, coming in with an EPA-Estimated 19 city / 28 hwy / 22 combined mpg.
Towing capacity isn’t the greatest, but it is said with the right options, you can seat seven and still get up to 5,000 pounds of towing capacity. That does beat some of its competitors.
2017 Ford Explorer Technology Features
Like most brands, you will save a lot of money when you go with the Base model, but you will be losing some major perks. If you like technology and comfort, but still want to save money, then you’ll want to look more in the direction of the XLT and Limited trim models.
The Explorer comes standard with a 4.2-inch infotainment screen, a rearview camera, CD player, Bluetooth, a USB port, cruise control, cloth seats, air conditioning, alloy wheels, and keyless entry.
The XLT adds rear parking sensors, push-button start, and satellite radio. As you move up to the Limited, you receive a much more user-friendly 8-inch touchscreen for your infotainment center.
You also receive a front view camera, front parking sensors, hands-free tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, leather upholstery, and power-folding third-row seats.
When you move up to the twin-turbo Sport and Platinum trims, you move up in price, but the Sport adds on some extra exterior styling features and a tuned suspension. The Platinum will add all advanced safety features which only come as options for the Limited and Sport trims.
Additionally, most trim models should come with Ford’s Sync 3 multimedia technology with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
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2017 Ford Explorer Saftey Features
Unfortunately, like most brands from this year, not all trim models come with the most advanced safety features that come on the higher-end models. But overall, the best year for the Ford Explorer does get a Five out of Five star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and all Good ratings (Good being best) from the Issuance Institution Highway Safety (IIHS).
Some of the top available advanced safety features that help the Explorer rate so well are Collision Warning with Brake Support, Lane-Keeping System, Blind-Spot Information system (BLIS), and rearview and front view camera with sensors.
2017 Ford Explorer Recalls
Recall Number: 17V453000 Recall Date: 06/10/2019
Component
Rear Suspension Toe:The toe can leak which can suddenly change the vehicle’s handling ability increasing the risk for a crash.
Recall Number: 17V530000 Recall Date: 08/28/2017
Component
Steering: Heatshield fastener may corrode.
Recall Number: 20V675000 Recall Date: 10/30/2020
Component
Rear Suspension Toe: Depending on where the problem was fixed, the Toe may still be defective. If the toe was fixed in any of these states the recall is still in effect: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
Recall Number: 17E048000 Recall Date: 08/28/2017
Component
Wheel Hub Bearing Assembly: A loss of wheel or wheel hub endings due to the incorrectly listed parts during assembly.
Recall Number: 16V925000 Recall Date: 12/22/2016
Component
Engine Turbocharger: 3.5-liter may have improperly brazed turbocharger oil supply tubes causing oil to leak on other engine components and or on the ground.
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How Much Will Insurance be on a 2017 Ford Explorer
Insurance costs will always vary from person to person, from company to company, and even state to state. The 2017 Ford Explorer is right in the sweet spot of not being too brand new when looking for some pretty reasonable insurance premiums. And having some of the most up-to-date safety technology with the best ratings from NHTSA and IIHS doesn’t hurt either.
What Can You Expect to Save on a Used 2017 Ford Explorer?
For the best year for the Ford Explorer 2017 models, the average saving cost is going to be anywhere from $15,000 - $20,000. Now that will depend on the shape of the Explorer, how many miles it has, and what trim level you opt for. And one other aspect that could make this number vary is who you are buying from - a private owner or a dealership
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Ford Explorers Near You
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