2002 Ford Explorer

The 2002 model year brought the third-generation Ford Explorer, a redesign that introduced an independent rear suspension to the four-door Explorer for the first time. Earlier Explorers had used a live rear axle; the 2002 redesign fitted a fully independent rear suspension and a wider track, changes Ford described as improving ride and stability. The third-generation Explorer also added an available third-row seat, making it a three-row midsize SUV. The engine lineup was the single-overhead-cam (SOHC) 4.0-liter V6, rated at 210 horsepower, and a new 4.6-liter two-valve single-overhead-cam V8 rated at 239 horsepower, the latter replacing the 5.0-liter V8 used through 2001. The 2002-2005 Explorer remained a body-on-frame SUV with rear-wheel drive standard and available ControlTrac four-wheel drive, and it was offered in trims spanning XLS, XLT, Eddie Bauer, and Limited. The two-door Explorer Sport from the previous generation continued on the older body into 2003 before being discontinued, and the Explorer Sport Trac pickup derivative continued as its own model. The third-generation four-door Explorer ran through 2005 and was replaced by the fourth generation for 2006.