2002 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition

Suspension has been revamped for both ride-quality and packaging considerations. Each corner is now SLA independent with coilover shocks.

In addition to its cosmetic changes, the Explorer's engineering team endowed this stalwart of the Blue Oval SUV brigade with literally hundreds of tangible upgrades. The most notable involves a major rethinking of its suspension system. Gone are the front torsion bars and rear leaf springs, replaced by a coil/shock combo at each corner. But the biggest move involves jettisoning of the live rear axle in favor of a new independent setup that parallels the upper and lower control arms used up front. The net result is a vehicle that rides and handles better than any of its predecessors while offering more usable space inside.


An integral part of this redesign involves the decision to route the rear halfshafts through rather than under the frame rails using an elongated slot to accommodate the necessary travel clearances. This innovative approach to packaging allows the rear floor to be lowered by more than six inches, permits fitment of a third-row seat and nets an additional inch of ground clearance. It also yields benefits for off-road partisans in the form of improved approach and departure angles.


Although its tautish character does permit a bit more road noise and impact harshness to be transferred back into the new Explorer's passenger compartment, the added control and controllability afforded by its upgraded suspension is a tradeoff well worth the modest cost engendered. Even in 2002, some classic "legacy traits" do live on. Press hard into a tight corner and the Explorer's nose will still push wide; drop the throttle or tap the brakes with the suspension loaded and it responds with a bit of gratuitous tail scoot. However, there's also a newfound poise and predictability to the Explorer's responses that make it palpably more fun to drive than most other SUVs in its class. Fit it with the optional tow package (which also adds an engine oil cooler, limited-slip 3.73:1 rear differential, heavy-duty flashers as well as the upgraded hitch) and trailering capacity rises from the standard 3,500 pounds up to 7,300 (7,000 pounds in 4WD).

Eddie Bauer trim features two-tone leather upholstery and power-adjustable front bucket seats. Other goodies include a 290-watt sound system with 6-disc in-dash CD and steering-wheel controls.

Matching its numerous engineering advances step for step, the latest-generation Explorer also gets a commensurate boost in the people-pampering department. Its completely restyled interior boasts a classier overall appearance and improved ergonomics, including welcome touches like a lower step-in height and variable-position shoulder belt anchors for the second row of seats. Opting for three rows of seats changes the split ratio on the second row from a 60/40 to 40/20/40. While the position and rake angle of the back are fixed, its outboard elements do feature a nifty flip-up/flip-forward design that makes access to the rearmost tier surprisingly hassle-free. More likely to be used by the younger set, that modest two-place perch has enough head- and legroom to handle a pair of modestly scaled adults on shorter treks and still leaves a serviceable 13.8 cubic foot rear mini-bay.


While both 5- and 7-place Explorers feature a completely flat rear floor, the former boasts 46.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind its second seat; the latter only offers 44.4. Those figures rise to 88.0 and 81.7, respectively, when each is deployed in its maximum cargo-hauling configuration. No matter how you set the mix, the Explorer's large decklid with bumper-level lower margin and low-cut flip-up back glass makes any loading/unloading chore easier.