Ford Explorer 2011 Technology Requires Reviews by Drivers Too

Torque News writes this review after reading number of reviews of 2011 Ford Explorer, including a TorqueNews Explorer review by Keith Griffin. The overall grading is that this is a great car and a fresh twist in the Explorer family, attempting to provide comfort and every type of assistance to the driver as well as passengers. Yet, it is the technology review that is the focus and scope of this article.

On the other hand this quick review is not intended to replace the Owner’s Guide, which comes with this SUV and contains more detailed information. In fact, the Owner’s Guide of the 2011 Explorer has 448 pages and even has an Index, just like a book. While Ford says it reserves the right to change features, your Ford dealer remains the best source for the most current information about the vehicle.

Convenience, comfort and function are the three main goals Ford’s designers and engineers have tried to achieve in this car. They have done a pretty good job in making significant achievements in all of them.

For convenience, it is recommended that your car is equipped with MyFord Touch system. Its “four-corner strategy” and rich menu provide quick access to various features and settings. Those include setting up the SYNC, phone features, Climate Control, SIRUS, USB, Sound Display and more. Here we would like to make a point that reflects this review’s title. Information on MyFord Touch may appear complicated for some at first; therefore, we recommend to review and study it well before consumers start driving it. Do not play with it while driving, as it will take a considerable part of your attention. We found this aspect reflected in other reviews of 2011 Ford Explorer.

SIRIUS and HD Radio technology are included in the system as well as intelligent access key (if equipped) and climate touchscreen controls (if equipped). This brings us to our next point.

The year 2011 became the year when our cars started talking. We can only imagine how much this technology can advance in the next few years and beyond. Ford Explorer 2011 is equipped with SYNC voice recognition system. This advanced voice recognition system helps the driver to bypass many touchscreen operations and instead talk with the car. The driver can set up the temperature by a voice command, check and set a new destination in the navigation system or simply choose a radio station. The voice recognition system is very valuable and fun (my children loved it) as it comes to compensate seemingly complicated MyFord Touch.

This review will not be able to list all the multiple functions and capabilities of the 2011 Ford Explorer. However, there are four particular functionalities that are very helpful and handy for this SUV. Those are the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Cross Traffic Alert (CTA), Blind Spot Mirrors and Reverse Sensing System (last three if equipped).

BLIS and CTA help to power the technology that works behind the Blind Spot Mirrors. Radar sensors helps to tell the driver if there is a car in his or her blind spot zone while driving. This is where the Blind spot mirrors come handy. As a car approaches while you are driving, the Blind spot mirror will transition approaching car’s image from the main mirror and display on mirror’s upper corner. To keep it even more simple, as a car approaches there will be a yellow light blinking on the upper corner of the mirror altering the driver. The Cross Traffic Alter system alerts the driver with an annoying sound (meant positively) that there is a car coming toward your when your 2011 Explorer is backing out of a parking space. Keep in mind that the detection sensor is limited. The sensor detects cars only when it edges into your lane and only when they have fully moved into your lane. For specifics it’s highly recommended to take time and read the Owner’s guide.

Like any other vehicle, the 2011 Ford Explorer has received mixed reviews, partly because of its blind spots. However, as this review tried to demonstrate, Ford engineers and designers have compensated those spots with the latest achievement of technology. This is why we recommend that consumers who purchase Ford Explorer 2011 do take time and study the guides and manuals - which come from Ford - before hitting the gas pedal.