Explorer was beginning of the end for SUV's

[kaskirov]

explores weren't that bad. sure they replaced bronco IIs which were awesome, but you could get 2door explore 4x4s with a stick until 2002 iirc. The Bronco was aways kick ass but they changed it to the excursion monstrosity. and they even re badged it as a "navigator". Then they redesigned the explore into a street vehicle. Suddenly ford had no SUVs that anyone would take off road. But that was what people wanted. the space, safety, and control of a large suv. Most people who take their vehicle on trails aren't gonna buy a brand new vehicle to do it, so why sell off road suvs?

Gas went crazy and suddenly its not cool or affordable to drive a gas guzzler. Ford is responding by making smaller trucks (f-100, and the otherthing, read the ford truck news section), but by 2011. so 2 years from now we can get them? gas is expensive now, might not be so bad in 2 years or maybe people will have gotten use to it.

If ford wants to sell vehicles by building what people want then they need to act fast. you cant have the agility of a sloth and expect to hunt mice.

example would be the bronco concept, a 2 door suv that would challenge the FJ and wrangler. they came out with the concept in 04, and are thinking about building it in 2011. Anyone who wanted something like this probably already bought an FJ or jeep.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That Taurus X is nothing but a glorified station wagon. I also think those SportTrack type vehicles SxxCK.

Every SUV that is still selling well is a glorfied station wagon.

 

[Jason]

There are some that can do good off-road. Only God knows why Ford doesn't build them. They do very well with trucks (the only Ford thing I would consider buying) yet they let this segment run away from them. They have the pickup market IMHO, but the SUV market is not looking good. They may sell a ton of Explorers, but they aren't making crap on them. I see the sales sheets from the group I work for, and Ford is losing their collective asses on the SUV market. We have a Toyota store (two actually) and they make a fortune on 4Runners and FJ Cruisers. They don't look like much on paper but the FJ made it through Rubicon (minus Helicopter pass, if you have been there you know) and it needed no mods and only minor assistance form a come-a-long. And the FJ is on the 4Runner platform and chassis. IFS can work if it's done right. The factory selectable locker option doesn't hurt.

I wish Ford would take the leap into the market of capable SUV's. They kind of did with Land Rover. Luxury or not, those things had the balls to take off-road. Too bad the average Land Rover owners did not.

 

[hihoslvr]

Well maybe I should buy my mothers' 2001 Escape from her and turn it into... Wait a damn minute, I can't even afford to "wheel" my Ranger! Anyway, that lil SUV is kinda weird to drive, there's a delay between the time you press the accelerator to when the thing actually moves. It's a bit unerving til ya git used to it, still bugs me out when I ride with her, cuz u gotta hammer down ta git the thing to move, it'll snap yo neck back. Anyway, what the heck was this thread about again?