2012 Ford Explorer consumer reviews

was concerned about the sync and mytouch problems I read about and the dealer assured me they were now all fixed and I would not have any problems with it. 4 days after buying it the screen freezes and sync support told me the dealer lied and they knew there was still issues and a fix is months away. It is now a week old and has frozen twice now. They tell me the fuse needs pulled out each time to reset it. I guess they dont care about the customer and will do whatever to make the sale.

HORRIBLE!! I had the car for two months when the whole computer system stopped working!! No navigation, no rear view camera, no climate control, no radio, no back up notification, NOTHING!! I took the car in and they "performed a system update". The same day I picked it up, same thing all over again. So we took it back in and they've had my car since January 30th!! Its February 15th! Ford told me there is no fix until March 31st! DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER THIS VEHICLE until they can fix these serious issues!!

The new Explorer is very comfortable to drive and ride in. All the seats are well made, not just the front. It is extremely quiet on the road and very smooth. When the headlights are on dim it does take a while to get use to the straight cut top line, but on bright the county is illuminated. Gas mileage is good for an SUV, but not quite what Ford said. It might increase as the car is broke in. Love my Ford

I purchased an 2012 Explorer with Ecoboost in August 2011. Ford promises 28 miles per gallon/highway. I average around 19-21 highway on a flat stretch of road. I asked my dealership to address this issue, and after they drove the car for several days, I was told I can "Replicate" the promised mileage only under certain driving conditions - like not using the cruise control on the highway, don't drive over 55 (mpg is based on 55 mile/hour), and try not to engage the twin turbo when going up and incline such as an overpass. If you are looking for mpg's and performance, do not purchase a Ford Explorer with Ecoboost. On another note, the Sync system does not work properly. Ford continues to provide software updates - which causes interruptions in service, but many phones will not stay synced with the unit. I was told to disconnect the battery to reset the Sync system, but even this does not fix the problem. Additionally, the Sync system does not always shut off when you turn off the vehicle. I was told the problems stem from Ford trying to save money in 2012 by writing the software for Sync instead of allowing Microsoft to do so. Do your research, but beware of misleading data from Ford. I'm not surprised Ford has fallen from 5th to 23rd in customer satisfaction ratings.

I really like the new Explorer. I am replacing a Suburban and I retain most of the passenger capacity with a small loss is baggage-cargo capacity. And the better gas milage is a real plus. A bit underpowered but still quite acceptable. It was very comfortable on a 2 day 1200 mile trip. The electronics are awesome. The gap feature on cruise control makes it usable over a much larger set of driving conditions.

I bought my 2012 Ford Explorer XLT just a month ago and overall, this is a very cool SUV! This is my 4th Ford Explorer over a 10 year period and the new 2012 has a better interior and exterior than any of the previous models I have owned. Now for a few of the drawbacks that the engineers at Ford could have done better on: 1) There is no way to turn the dome light completely off when you have the door or the lift gate open. Previous models has a switch of some sort to turn the dome lights off. If you are camping and want to leave the lift gate open, the dome light will not turn off. 2) The positioning of the Hazard Light switch, which works on capacitive touch to turn on, is right below the Navigation screen where the palm of your hand rests on to manipulate the menus. The Hazard Light switch is constantly being activated. 3) The software for the Navigation display constantly reboots for no reason. Hopefully there will be a software upgrade at some point in the future. 4) It would have been nice if the engineers at Ford had kept the ability to open the window on the lift gate without opening the lift gate. In my opinion, this feature was one of the best that the Ford Explorer had to differentiate itself from other SUV's in its same class. 5) Lastly, the engine is a bit sluggish. Maybe this model is carrying a bit more weight or the transmission switches before the engine can really wind up. Not sure why!

Traded a 2009 Lincoln MKS to gain more room for hauling kids and stuff. My Explorer Limited has almost 4000 miles and I am really enjoying it. Combined fuel economy is exactly 18 mpg since new. Much more comfortable than I expected and interior room is perfect (my other choice was a Tahoe or Escallade). Like many others, my only complaint is with the My Touch Sync system. The older version was much more user friendly and had none of the issues of this latest version. Ford informs owners that a fix will be delivered in January. Had it not been for the Sync issues, this vehicle would have scored higher.

I have owned many SUVs and crossovers from many manufacturers. I had the Ford Explorer XLT as a rental vehicle for five days. I have to say Ford has done a lot to improve their vehicles in the past several years. The Explorer is a great example. Lots of attention to details such as the "Explorer" badge in headlight housing that typically you would see on luxury vehicles, air diffusers for side view mirrors. The ride quality is superb, very comfortable seats and very quiet ride, thanks to the sound absorbing double layer windshield and passenger windows. Usable third role seats. Performance and handling is very good consider the weight and size. Steering has balanced weight and effort, transmission shifts at right points. Gas mileage is not bad either, I average 21MPG in mixed driving speed with heater on and 40-50 degrees weather and uses regular gas. The biggest complaint I have is the SYNC, my phone disconnects frequently and the system itself reboots frequently, the car only had 2,000 miles, voice recognition works 80% of the time. The touchscreen gets washed out in sunlight and the system responds slowly. If Ford can get the SYNC system sorts out it will be a very competitive car in its segment. Third role seat head rest can be smaller for better driver rear visibility. I'm impressed overall.

I had the chance to drive about all the lux SUV's and for the price these days, the explore limited 2012 can't be beat. period............................................................

I have driven my Ford Explorer for 4,000 miles. It has been in the dealership four times to fix the FordSync system. I can't pick up calls on the bluetooth system, if I use for an outgoing call my voice fluctuates, the voice recognition works about 20% of the time, and nav system has never worked. BE AWARE that Ford knows that there is a HUGE issue with the 2012 Ford Explorer. Their customer assist and satisfaction departments are a complete waste of time and an excercise in futility. Beautiful car with a hunk of junk that Ford and Microsoft engineers are trying to create a fix for immediately. Wished I wouldn't have bought this car and advise you not to purchase until Ford has a clear idea of how to fix the system.