Ford Explorer review: a genuine three-row alternative in Bahrain
3.7/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The 2.3-litre EcoBoost Limited is the Explorer to buy in Bahrain — strong enough for daily use and highway towing, with a chassis that rides better than the Japanese default in this class. Steer clear of early 2020-model-year cars if buying used; Ford's first production year here had more infotainment gremlins than the facelifted versions that followed. Third-row space is tight for adults on causeway trips, but the rest of the package is genuinely competitive.
Pros
- Rear-wheel-drive-based platform tows and handles well
- 2.3L EcoBoost four is strong enough for daily use
- Ford Co-Pilot360 standard on most grades
- Composed ride on Bahrain's highways
Cons
- Third row is tight for adults on longer trips
- Early 2020-model-year cars had infotainment glitches
- Cargo space modest for the vehicle's overall size
- Fuel economy trails smaller crossovers
Ford's decision to move the Explorer onto a rear-wheel-drive-based platform for this generation looked like a step backwards on paper — most three-row family SUVs in this price range are front-wheel-drive-based for interior packaging efficiency. On the road it pays off: the Explorer tows and handles more like a proper SUV than a tall minivan, with a chassis balance that stays composed on the sweeping curves of the Bahrain International Circuit access roads.
The 2.3-litre EcoBoost four is the engine most Bahrain dealers stock, and it is enough. 300 hp moves a two-tonne SUV without strain, the 10-speed automatic hides the turbo's low-rev lag well, and the ST's 3.0-litre V6 is genuinely quicker if you want to pay for it — but the four-cylinder does not feel like the compromise option.
Family use in the Gulf
Second-row space is generous and the captain's-chair option (in place of a bench) makes loading child seats easier, but the third row is best reserved for children on anything beyond a short trip — adult knee room back there is tight even by segment standards. Cargo space behind the third row is usable for grocery runs but modest for a vehicle this large.
Reliability notes
The first production year in this generation (2020) carried more infotainment software issues than Ford would like to admit, mostly resolved by over-the-air updates on later cars. Buying a 2022-model-year or newer used example avoids most of the early teething problems, and the extended Ford Co-Pilot360 safety suite is standard across nearly the whole range, which is not something every rival in this class can say.