Ford Explorer review

Keeping it simple, the launch line-up is just the two powertrains and two trims. So it opens with the extended range RWD Select, at £45,875 or about £550 a month on finance.
Stepping up to Premium trim gets the B&O stereo, matrix headlamps, a glass roof, 21-inch wheels, fake leather seats and power tailgate. That lot adds £4,100.

The twin-motor adds another £5,000, and Premium spec is obligatory here, taking you to £53,975. Worth £9,100 over the RWD Select? We think not.

Ford will later launch a 52kWh pack for a 'standard range' version that squeaks in under £40,000.

Options include a heat pump (should be standard, at least on Premium) and a towbar. Yes, this EV can tow. A further pack adds a HUD, self-parking and 360 camera.

What about running costs?

On an average UK tariff a full top-up of the Explorer’s battery is going to cost you about £20 on a home supply, but you could slash that if you get one of those special deals to charge cheaply overnight. Obviously, using a public charging point - especially an ultra-fast one - is likely to cost a lot more.

Our driving included a fair bit of European 85mph motorway cruising, and mountains as well as more economical suburban-type roads, so the 265-mile range (3.4mi/kWh) is probably pretty representative of the worst you'd get if you have even nodding acquaintance with the UK 70 limit and hit a few 50mph roadworks.

All versions have an 11kW on-board charger, so it's only seven hours flat-to-full on a three-phase charge point, or 10-and-a-half on the more common single-phase 7.4kW point.

On DC, the 77kWh pack peaks at 135kW, and the 79kWh pack peaks at 185kW, so both are under half an hour 10-80 per cent. The battery gets itself to the right temperature for fast-charging if the charger is in the navigation route, or you can hit a button to do it manually.

Some charge network subs are included for the first year. Five years' servicing is free, except for consumables. Warranty is three years/60k miles but you can extend that to five/100k if you pay.