The Ford Everest Concept has people wondering if it could be a replacement for the Explorer in the U.S.
Is change in the wind for the Ford Explorer? Many are wondering after getting a look at its latest concept, the Everest.
On display at the 35th annual Bangkok International Motor Show, the Everest concept is a large, truck-based, seven-passenger SUV. Adding fuel to the “is it the next Explorer” fire is that it’s been cleared for production outside the U.S. It will be built in Thailand and sold in the maker’s Asian markets as well as Australia.
“The Everest concept represents out vision of a global Ford vehicle with regional heritage that will allow customers to take on the world,” the maker said in a statement. “(It is a) bold new direction that we envision for a midsize, seven-seat SUV.”
The Ford Everest will be sold in Asia and Australia.
As for the U.S. Explorer, it hasn’t been updated since 2011 and is due for at least a refresh and Everest would be a fine successor. With an aggressive stance, hexangonal grille similar to that of the Taurus SHO and a decent amount of ground clearance, it looks ready to roll.
While the Explorer is a safety leader, both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models earned five-star overall vehicle scores in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program, that’s apparently not enough for buyers.
Sales were down in February 22.1% and have dropped 20.9% year-to-date. The numbers were bad in December too, as sales slumped 6.2%; however, for all of 2013, Explorer sales were up 12.6%.
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One area where Explorer has been exceedingly strong is as a police vehicle. The Interceptor SUV, which is based off the Explorer, has seen sales shoot up 140% over last year. In fact, it was the best-selling police vehicle in the U.S. last year with 14,086 units sold, according to R.L. Polk.
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“We revolutionized our police vehicle lineup with three key changes that differentiate us from the competition,” said Jonathan Honeycutt, police marketing manager at Ford.
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“The new utility vehicle body style meets officers’ growing storage needs; standard all-wheel drive for most models is an industry-first that provides greater mobility and security; plus, expanding the range of EcoBoost engines gives law enforcement agencies more options to suit their needs. Together, these three ingredients are driving sales growth and market share gains for Ford.”