New Car Review: 2011 Ford Explorer

A Brief Insight into the Reinvented Explorer

In 2011, Ford decided to reinvent and redesign the original Explorer rather than scraping it altogether. Ford got rid of its original truck-based design, full time four-wheel drive, available V8 engine, and just about anything else. The new 2011 Ford Explorer is a crossover, where the only thing in common with its predecessor is the available seven-passenger seating.

The standard powertrain of the Explorer puts together a 3.5 liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower with a six-speed automatic transmission. It is able to tow up to five-thousand pounds. Safety feature of the 2011 Explorer include traction control, ABS, antiskid system, and front side and curtain side airbags. All have MyFordTouch - a touch screen system controlling climate, audio, cell phones, and all navigation controls. MyFordTouch also comes with voice activation. The navigation system uses TeleNav and also has "Eco-Route guidance" so drivers can locate the most fuel-efficient route to the desired destination.

Other standard parts of the Explorer on the Limited edition and option on XLT include leather upholstery, automatic climate control, rearview camera, and heated front seats. Options only available to the 2011 Ford Explorer Limited edition include adaptive cruise control, cooled and heated front seats, hands-free parallel parking system, and forward-collision warning. The Limited and XLT have optional power tailgate and sunroof.

Why do People Like the 2011 Ford Explorer

The newest Explorer model is praised for its smooth and steady acceleration and its ability to switch gears in a smooth manner. The new model is very capable. It may lack off-road hardware that was visible with its Explorer predecessors, but even for a crossover, it is a very capable car. The Explorer handles off-roading situations with ease. Though not recommended for extreme trails, for moderate forays onto non-pavement scenarios, the Explorer will not cause you any trouble. The seats are much more comfortable than past models and its third-row seats are the most adult-friendly out there. You can be five-eight and still be able to sit comfortably in the back and not in a position where you are hugging your knees.

As previously mentioned, the Explorer is well stocked when it comes to technology. It has the latest model of Ford's Sync system and is able to understand nicknames and synonyms. It also has the improved MyFordTouch system with no more delays and the new Eco-Route guidance feature. The 2011 Ford Explorer is also the latest in Ford's line of vehicles to have iTunes Tagging that works in conjunction with the radio receiver. Individuals, upon hearing a song they enjoy, can "tag" it and save it to the onboard memory. Once an individual plugs in their iPod, the data stored is transferred and the individual can purchase those songs.

2011 Chevy Impala - Good Car Overall But Lacks Much Needed Innovation

The 2010 Chevrolet Impala has numerous features that would make any car buyer happy, but the problem is that the competition provides more for the same price. With the economy in a downward spiral, most people who plan on buying a car these days will usually go with a model and make that they know for sure will be reliable and affordable. And for a lot of people that vehicle is the Chevy Impala. This particular vehicle has been in production for decades and its reputation is quite good.

For those of you who may not know much about the Impala, it was once the best selling sedan in America. Chevy has introduced a few different trims for the car since it was released in the late fifties including: coupe, convertible and sedan models. What the automaker had in mind was to create a different model type for each type of shopper such as families, muscle car lovers, and shoppers on a budget. The 2011 version is actually a nice combination of style, performance and value, but it could be better.

A few of the things that makes this car a good choice is its large interior (which can fit 6 adults comfortably), its noise reducing cabin, a nice size trunk and probably most important it has a high safety ranking. While it may not be ax exciting to drive as Chevy's popular Coupe, the Camaro, the Impala has a lot to offer those who want a reliable car, with nice features and at an affordable price.

Unfortunately, Chevrolet didn't make too many changes to the 2011 model which means that instead of adding new features like its competitors are doing, they're basically just continuing to rely on dedicated Impala buyers to keep the brand going. This is not a good business plan mainly because this is how models end up being discontinued, especially during times like these. The lack of exterior styling innovation, the cheap interior parts and the low horsepower engine are features that Chevy can easily improve on.

What Chevrolet really needs to do is go back to square one and redesign the aging Impala from scratch. It worked successfully with the Camaro so there's no reason why it could not work for the Impala. One of the reasons why Chevrolet may be "satisfied" with the car's overall sales and performance is because thanks to rental company fleets, its sales are actually pretty good. But with all the choices that are available to consumers such as the Chrysler 300 and the Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet should focus more on what consumers want instead of what rental companies want.

The 2011 Impala is available in the following trim packages: LS, LT, and the fully loaded LTZ. Seating is available for up to 5 adults on the standard models but the number is increased to six if you get the optional front bench. The base LS model has standard features such as cruise control, air conditioning, power accessories, a 6 speaker sound system and automatic headlights.

The mid-range LT model has more popular features such as Bluetooth, a steering wheel with a leather cover, a better internal computer, remote ignition, foglamps and 17 inch wheels. This model also has a package that include more luxurious features such as a 8 speaker sound system, heated seats, heated mirrors and leather interior.

And for those of you lucky enough to get the fully loaded LTZ model, you'll get everything the LT models offers with additional features such as a 8-way power driver seat, 18 inch ally wheels and a more powerful V6 engine. You can also get a moonroof on this model as well as the LT version.

As for the engine specs, the Impala's V6 engine only has 211 horsepower which is considered very low these days and it also has 216 feet of torque. The LTZ model's engine is slightly better featuring 224 horsepower and 235 pounds of torque. The one good thing about this car having a low hp V6 engine is that it's fuel mileage numbers are quite good. It's gets a combined 23 mpg which is more than a lot of its competitors. Overall, the Impala is affordable (starting at $24,495), safe and reliable, but with just a few minor changes it could have been much better car.

Best Car Criteria For Families In 2011

All of us want the best. And we would also want the best car for our family and loved ones. Many models of course come out every year and 2011 is no different. Quite a few criteria are needed to find out what kind of car makes it to the best category.

One criteria for a good family car is space. Having a family is always about space, especially on long hauls. Nobody wants to travel cramped for long hours at a time, so it pays to look at how spacious the leg room is in the car of your choice. The more space you have, the better. Next to space, the next required feature of a family car is safety. The more safety features a car has then the better it is for you and your family. Remember that the cargo of the family car is very precious so it has to protect and keep it from harm. You should not skimp when it comes to safety for you and your family.

After these two criteria will be economy. Your new family car cannot be a gas guzzler as you would want to spend the money on other more important things than just fuel for your road trips. Remember that there is a difference in consumption within the city and in country driving, so try to gauge which kind of driving you would do mostly. Having thus covered the basics here next up will be a short discussion on the recommended models for 2011 for the family car class. These cars are voted along different features to assist you in choosing which can be the best one for you. Two Asian cars and two American cars are in the discussion.

First off is the Honda Accord. Though used as an executive car in some countries, it is also ideally suited for small families. It has a modified l transmission system that makes it easier to go uphill. Fuel economy for the model is around 23 miles per gallon in the city and about 33mpg in the country.

The next family car that you can consider is the Ford Fusion Hybrid. Being one of the best family cars to come out in 2011, you can choose either automatic or manual transmissions for your use, with the manual transmission model fitted with six gears. It is considered as an efficient combination of both electric and fossil fuel power, with up to 94% of kinetic energy being retained to empower the batteries.

The 2011 Kia Optima Is also in the running with advanced safety features and sensor warnings. Fuel economy is also good at 24 miles per gallon in the city and 34 miles per gallon for country driving. Adjustable seats and lumbar support is also available in this model.

The Chevy Suburban comes in 5.3 liter and 6.0 liter fuel capacities. Plenty of safety features are also in this model with passenger air bags, traction control systems and electronic stability systems. A four wheel anti lock breaking system is also an added safety feature alongside a rear parking assist. Due to its size the fuel economy is a bit lower than most models at 15 miles per gallon within the city.