It's available in the Active, the ST line, the Platinum and the ST.
I had the ST four-wheel drive.
This is a midsize SUV.
It is no longer body on frame.
When I was doing the research I thought what?
When did that happen?
It's now a unibody three rows of seating with six seats inside.
It was all new in 2020.
It does get a facelift this year all new for 2025.
Exterior features sharp looking restyled grille and lighting up front.
St is the sportiest of the four trim levels Black plastic wheel.
Well, opening moldings in that Forward-raked C-pillar gives the SUV a sportier appearance than most others in this class.
New rear lighting and quad exhaust enhances the overall look.
What I liked about it?
The modern yet conservative styling.
This is a Ford and you can tell it's a Ford.
I think you'll like it.
What could use improvement?
In my mind, nothing.
Interior highlights All.
New interior has enhanced the usability in my mind.
Dash has two screens now one for instruments, one for the infotainment system with the new Google-based system running it.
Comfortable, supportive seating with awesome new coverings, dual phone holders above the center console on the dash.
That was unique and I really did like that.
One of them was the charger and the other one is the holder.
Mama's got.
Just I want to hold my own phone, Okay.
Well, if you want to put it down, there's a place for you.
What I liked about it the optional 13.2-inch
infotainment screen.
Get it, I'll tell you that it's huge.
It's Tesla-like inside Wow Secret compartment in the in-floor cargo area so you can hide stuff.
And I know, Jeff, you've got lots of stuff you need to hide.
I've got a lot of skilletons I need to hide.
Three-liter EcoBoost V6.
The base is 300 horsepower, ecoboost 4.
This one has 400 horsepower, 415 pound-feet of torque, 10-speed automatic transmission.
It'll tow up to 5,600 pounds.
18 miles per gallon, city, 24 on the highway, for a combined of 20.
I got 21.1
miles per gallon over 382.3
miles.
Plenty of power for towing and people riding.
Handling well.
I liked its ruggedness.
I like the rugged feel of this.
It isn't a wallowy suv.
Base trim price 57.1
.
I had a pre-production model, so the approximate test price is about sixty thousand dollars.
Base model price 39 755 is what you can get into one for.
Competitors include the acura rdx 44 7, the mazda cx 90 for 37 845 and the kia telluride for 38 000.
That's because they don't have one this year.
It's priced that I could find Interesting and that is my review of the 2025 Ford Explorer.
Thank you very much, you're welcome.
We'll be right
back Time.
Now for this hour's car review.
Mr Mars has the Land Rover Defender.
How was it, mike?
I have to tell you I was pleasantly surprised after a little while.
It's got a lot of.
English touches to it and I'll try and point them out as we kind of go through this.
This is definitely catered to the English market, but they're sending them into the US.
So it's a 2024 Land Rover Defender 110.
Now, actual 17 models of this vehicle.
There's five different trims it's an SSE, x-dynamic, sex and a V8 engine.
Now we had the Defender 110.
And so this is actually a off-road luxury SUV, if you want to go that away with it.
And the difference between the difference on the 110, the Defender 90 is a two-door, the 110 is the four-door that we're driving and then the 130 is an extended four-door, an extended 110.
You're going to find it comes with the LED lighting, which has got the automatic high beams on it, rain-sensing front and rear wipers on it, got heated power-folding side mirrors with approach lights on them, had the black roof rails with a matching black trim on this particular vehicle Panoramic roof.
You want to get outside, you're going to get off road, you want to see everything and we're rolling on some optional 20 inch dark gray wheels.
Now you get inside, you're going to find some grain leather seating, because this is a luxury off-road suv, particularly in the x dynamic, specific interior with details that are specific to that vehicle.
We had the heated and vented front seats.
We had the side view uh cameras that were set off into the mirrors, so it makes it a lot easier whenever you're getting ready to change lanes.
You can see a whole lot better that's cool the rear seat is a 40, 20, 40 that will fold down and, uh, it's got some dual purpose controls in it that were kind of awkward to figure out.
For example, there's not a cruise control, there is a speed limiter and you know, speed limiter button one time and it automatically limits to what the GPS says the speed limit is.
If it's 60 you do, 60 is the max, it'll let you go.
It's 75, do center or you can hit it again and do a manual override and you can limit the speed to whatever you want.
But it's not.
They don't call it a cruise control and there's several different functions within the car that are like that, that are kind of specific, and you can figure them out pretty easy.
We also had a Meridian 400-watt premium audio system that was really really nice on the inside of that vehicle.
A lot of Jimmy Buffett going on.
Now there's different engines for each different trim level.
We had the 3.0-liter
inline, six-line, six cylinder with 395 horsepower, 408 pound-feet of torque.
It's backed by an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Now properly equipped, this vehicle will tow 8200 pounds.
It does weigh 5 000 pounds on its own, so it's it's a pretty good size heavy vehicle so it can carry that load.
Now the epa says you should be looking for 17 miles to the gallon in the city out on the highway, 20 combined for the 18.
Now, for the week I had it, I drove it 257.7
miles and I got 16.5
across that spectrum of highway and in-town driving.
Okay, now I will say it does ride and drive like a body on frame suv.
It's that feeling that it's a little more solid than a unibody.
It's stiffer.
We also had the air suspension so we could adjust the height on it, and it's got an off-road-specific speed limiter that if you're in the off-road you get into the four-wheel drive, you can actually set it to basically what I would call a crawl.
I think on most American vehicles they call it a crawl, like a low gear.
Like a low gear, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So a base model of a Defender that is the 90.
And it starts at $57,875.
Now the base trim price for the Defender X-Dynamic SE that we were driving is $72,000.
We had a few other things on.
It had an MSRP of $81,923.
Now if you're looking for something to compare it to, you might look at the LX600 from Lexus.
It's a little pricier $92,565.
A Ford Bronco, depending on which one you want to get into, will run you $50,000 to $60,000 to start, and a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is kind of a luxury vehicle as well, off-road, for $60,000.
Wow.
So overall, if you're looking for something a little different that's got a reputation for being heavy-duty in the off-road world, the Land Rover Defender might be the ticket you're looking for.
Could be hey, today's In World Time Club.
We'll be right back, take care.
About this episode
The episode features in-depth reviews of the 2025 Ford Explorer and the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110. The Ford Explorer has transitioned to a unibody design, boasting a sporty ST trim with modern styling, advanced infotainment, and impressive towing capabilities. The Defender 110, a luxury off-road SUV, offers unique English touches, advanced safety features, and a robust engine lineup. Both vehicles cater to different markets, with the Explorer focusing on family-friendly features and the Defender emphasizing rugged luxury.
Discover the thrill of powerful SUVs and what sets them apart in this episode packed with insights for car enthusiasts. Will the Ford Explorer's transition to a unibody design and modern, dual-screen dashboard make it the top choice for those seeking performance and style? We promise you'll gain a fresh perspective on how the Explorer's innovative features and 400-horsepower engine stack up against competitors like the Acura RDX and Mazda CX-90. Get ready to be captivated by the hidden gems that make the Explorer a standout in the midsize SUV market.
We then shift gears to the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110, specifically the X-Dynamic SE trim, and uncover what makes it a luxurious yet rugged off-road marvel. From its robust 3.0-liter inline-six engine to interior comforts like grain leather seating and a premium audio system, we paint a vivid picture of what it's like to experience this vehicle. Hear firsthand accounts of its driving performance and fuel efficiency, and why it stands tall against rivals such as the Lexus LX600 and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Whether you're an adventure seeker or a luxury lover, the Defender's unique features and capabilities are sure to intrigue.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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