Here's the facelifted 2023 Ford Explorer...for China
Facelifted 2023 Ford Explorer gets revealed early
About two months ago, we were able to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be the 2023 Ford Explorer for the Chinese market. Sporting a noticeable facelift, the midsize SUV gets a more rounded grille, slimmer intakes, redesigned LED headlights and taillights, and a completely restyled interior.
Fast forward to the present day, and it seems our previous report was spot-on. With the 2022 Beijing Motor Show postponed due to a rise in cases, official details and images of the 2023 Ford Explorer have now made their way online via the country's Ministry of Transport.
Beginning with the exterior, the SUV retains the familiar shape of the pre-facelift version. However, it now comes with narrower LED headlights, a new pattern on the redesigned grille, and an updated front bumper complete with slimmer side intakes and chrome accents. Also worth mentioning is the lack of LED daytime running lights on the lower bumper as they appeared to have been re-integrated with the headlights.
If the front only received minor changes, the rear gets a dramatic makeover. Not only does it come with a new tailgate, but the LED taillights are connected via a lightbar. It even gets a thin chrome strip, rectangular dual exhausts, and a faux skid plate.
Official images of the interior are not yet available. But based on the spy photos we saw two months ago, the 2023 Explorer also comes with a heavily-updated cabin. Placed front and center of the dashboard is a massive touchscreen that extends from the middle of the cabin all the way to the passenger side. It is then complemented by a digital instrument cluster and thinner aircon vents.
Powering the 2023 Explorer in China is a familiar 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. Unlike the PH-spec version that makes 304 PS, the one in China only makes 276 PS. Torque, on the other hand, is rated at 425 Nm which is 5 Nm more than what the PH-spec Explorer generates. Power is then sent to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The facelifted 2023 Ford Explorer is set to be available in Chinese dealerships later this year. With that, perhaps the US version of the Explorer might receive the same updates and tweaks in the near future. After all, Ford Philippines sources the Explorer from the U.S. The only question now is, how long will we have to wait before it makes its way here?
