One of the staples of the Sport Utility segment is the Ford Explorer. In the previous model year debuted a brand new version of the Explorer with seven versions: Limited, Postal, Sport, XL Fleet, XLS, XLT, and Eddie Bauer. Sales for the Explorer, especially the Explorer XL Fleet, were brisk during 2000 and 2001. The improved vehicle quality and the modern styling were responsible for the boost in sales.

Performance

The Explorer XL Fleet is equipped with a Ford 4.0 liter six-cylinder engine that utilizes 12 valves. The engine is mated to a Ford 5-speed Transmission. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for Ford.

The Explorer uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are disc. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The truck uses torsion bar and leaf springs front and rear respectively.

The fuel system for the 2000 Explorer is a traditional EFI, running on gasoline fuel. The fuel is controlled by an electronic system and is a fuel-injected MFI design. The capacity of the fuel tank is 21.00 gallons.

Explorer XL Fleet Statistics

The dimensions of the Explorer XL Fleet are 70.20 inches wide by 190.70 inches long. It sits a comfortable 67.70 inches off the ground. It seats a standard five passengers, with 4 doors. The wheelbase of 111.60 allows for limited leg room for the backseat passengers.

The standard warranty period for the Explorer is 36 months, or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. The warranty also includes a warranty on the drivetrain for 36 months or 36,000 miles respectively. This is standard in the sport utility market. Extended warranties are also available through the dealer.

The listed retail price in 2000 (MSRP) was $23,480, with an invoice cost of $21,242. This price is slightly higher than the industry average price for a four-door Sport Utility.

Fuel Efficiency

The Explorer XL Fleet received a miles-per-gallon rating of sixteen in-city driving and twenty one when it came to long-distance. Being a gas-powered non-green truck, this was subpar.

In 1999 and 2000 the Explorer XL Fleet was availble in the exterior colors of Black Clearcoat, Deep Wedgewood Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Harvest Gold Clearcoat Metallic, Medium Wedgewood Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Oxford White Clearcoat, Toreador Red Clearcoat Metallic, and Tropic Green Clearcoat Metallic. Additional options were made available by the factory.

Conclusion

The 2000 model year was unsuccessful for the Ford Explorer. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the XL Fleet version) meant that buyers had several options to choose from..

Tags: 4-Door, Ford Explorer, Sport Utility, United States market, XL Fleet

This entry was posted on Monday, September 1st, 2008 at 3:00 am and is filed under 2000, Explorer, Ford. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.