Journey's End with the Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer 4X4
The EPA estimates that the 2006 Explorer can achieve 14 mpg in the city/20 mpg on the highway with its 4.6 liter V8 engine. Filling up that 22.5 gallon fuel tank was painful, but I would still go for the V8 over the V6, which only gets 15/21 anyway. You'll appreciate the 292 hp and 300 lb ft of torque when driving the 4700 lb Explorer. I would skip the 4X4 option, but you may need it where you live. I didn't test the Explorer off-road. With 8.2" of ground clearance, you'll probably need to invest in some aftermarket components to do any serious off-roading. The Explorer isn't that kind of SUV, honestly.The marketplace is thick with SUVs. If you like the Explorer but want to be different than your neighbors, check out the Mercury Mountaineer. It's mechanically the same as the Explorer, but has a less trucky look. Load up an Explorer like the one I drove, and you can start comparing it in price and features to the Acura MDX, the Toyota 4Runner and the Nissan Pathfinder. Check out the Chevrolet Tahoe EXT, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Hummer H3 -- really.
Then there's always the Ford Expedition, which makes the Explorer look positively compact. If you need that much space, you should consider loading your crew into three Scion xBs.
