I think it's a huge improvement on the previous one. That one had a horrendous ride IMO, and didn't look all that hot either.
This one looks better. I especially like the rear treatment - miles ahead of the Explorer itself. The newfound rigidity probably helped the ride a great deal too.
Who would want that creme coloured interior tho? The seating, centre stack, heck even the steering wheel would have dark marks in minutes. At least the carpeting is darker.
And in the last photo in the article, the proportions look odd again. The hood looks ungainly long while the passenger cab looks short and grafted by comparison.
Then there's the pitiful fuel economy...
To me, the new Explorer is a non-event and an embarrassment.
And I'd take the RidgeLine over this Sport Trac any day, but pricing does look very tight and attractive for top-line models.