The 2006 model year brought the fourth-generation Ford Explorer, the last generation to use the Ranger-derived body-on-frame layout. The 2006 Explorer kept the three-row, body-on-frame midsize SUV format and was re-engineered with a stronger frame and revised suspension. Safety equipment was a focus: this generation added electronic stability control, which Ford marketed as AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, along with side curtain airbags and tire-pressure monitoring. The engine lineup was the single-overhead-cam (SOHC) 4.0-liter V6 and an updated 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8, now a three-valve-per-cylinder design rated at 292 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, more than the earlier two-valve 4.6, and paired with a six-speed automatic from the 2006 launch. The 2006-2010 Explorer remained rear-wheel drive in standard form with available ControlTrac four-wheel drive, and it was offered in trims spanning XLS, XLT, Eddie Bauer, and Limited. The body-on-frame Explorer Sport Trac pickup derivative continued through 2010 as its own model. The fourth-generation Explorer was the final body-on-frame Explorer; for 2011 Ford replaced it with a unibody crossover on the D4 platform.
The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer at a glance
- Generation: fourth-generation Ford Explorer, the last body-on-frame Explorer
- Years: 2006 through 2010, replaced by the 2011 unibody crossover
- Engines: 4.0L SOHC V6; 4.6L SOHC three-valve V8 (292 hp, 300 lb-ft), paired with a six-speed automatic from 2006
- Safety: electronic stability control (AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control), side curtain airbags, and tire-pressure monitoring
- Chassis: body-on-frame, re-engineered with a stronger frame; rear-wheel drive standard with available ControlTrac four-wheel drive
- Seating: three rows, seating up to seven
- Trims: XLS, XLT, Eddie Bauer, and Limited
- Related model: the body-on-frame Explorer Sport Trac pickup continued through 2010 as its own model
Ford Explorer 2006-2010 year by year
| Year | Ford Explorer changes | Engines offered |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Fourth-generation Ford Explorer arrives with a re-engineered body-on-frame chassis, a three-valve 4.6-liter V8, and added safety equipment including electronic stability control and side curtain airbags | 4.0L SOHC V6; 4.6L three-valve V8 |
| 2007 | The 2007 Ford Explorer continued the fourth-generation design; the Explorer Sport Trac was redesigned alongside this generation | 4.0L SOHC V6; 4.6L three-valve V8 |
| 2008 | The 2008 Ford Explorer carried the 4.0-liter SOHC V6 and 4.6-liter three-valve V8 on the body-on-frame chassis | 4.0L SOHC V6; 4.6L three-valve V8 |
| 2009 | The 2009 Ford Explorer continued the fourth-generation lineup with the V6 and V8 engines | 4.0L SOHC V6; 4.6L three-valve V8 |
| 2010 | Final model year of the fourth-generation Ford Explorer and the last body-on-frame Explorer; the 2011 redesign moved to a unibody crossover | 4.0L SOHC V6; 4.6L three-valve V8 |
The last body-on-frame Explorer
The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer was the fourth and final generation to use the Ranger-derived body-on-frame layout that the Explorer had carried since 1991. For 2006 Ford re-engineered the chassis with a stronger frame and revised suspension while keeping the three-row, body-on-frame midsize SUV format. When the Explorer was redesigned for 2011, it abandoned body-on-frame construction in favor of a unibody crossover platform, which makes the 2006-2010 generation the dividing line between the truck-based Explorers and the crossover Explorers.
Safety equipment: stability control and curtain airbags
Safety was a focus of the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer. The generation added electronic stability control, marketed by Ford as AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, which is designed to help reduce the risk of rollover, a notable change given the Explorer's earlier tire-and-rollover controversy. The fourth-generation Explorer also added side curtain airbags and tire-pressure monitoring. These additions made stability control and side curtain protection standard or widely available across the lineup.
The 4.0 SOHC V6 and the three-valve 4.6 V8
The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer was powered by the single-overhead-cam (SOHC) 4.0-liter V6 and an updated 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8. The 4.6-liter V8 in this generation used a three-valve-per-cylinder design rated at 292 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, more than the earlier two-valve 4.6 used in the 2002-2005 Explorer, and it was paired with a six-speed automatic from the 2006 model-year launch while the 4.0-liter V6 used a five-speed automatic. The Explorer remained rear-wheel drive in standard form, with available ControlTrac four-wheel drive depending on configuration.
Trims and the Explorer Sport Trac
The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer was offered in trims spanning the XLS, the XLT, the Eddie Bauer, and the top Limited. Alongside the four-door SUV, Ford continued the Explorer Sport Trac, a pickup-bodied derivative on the body-on-frame Explorer chassis, which was sold as its own model through the 2010 model year. The Sport Trac was not continued when the Explorer moved to a unibody platform for 2011. This page covers the four-door Explorer SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Was the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer the last body-on-frame Explorer?
Yes. The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer was the fourth and final generation to use the Ranger-derived body-on-frame layout. For 2011 Ford redesigned the Explorer as a unibody crossover, ending body-on-frame construction for the model.
What engines did the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer use?
The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer used the single-overhead-cam 4.0-liter V6 and a 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8. The 4.6-liter V8 in this generation was a three-valve-per-cylinder design rated at 292 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, more than the earlier two-valve 4.6, and was paired with a six-speed automatic from the 2006 launch.
Did the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer have stability control?
Yes. The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer added electronic stability control, marketed as AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, along with side curtain airbags and tire-pressure monitoring, as part of the generation's safety upgrades.
What is the difference between the 2002 and 2006 Ford Explorer V8?
Both the 2002-2005 and 2006-2010 Ford Explorers used a 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8, but the 2006-2010 version was a three-valve-per-cylinder design that produced more power than the two-valve 4.6 used in the 2002-2005 generation.
Is the Explorer Sport Trac the same as the 2006-2010 Explorer?
No. The Explorer Sport Trac was a pickup-bodied derivative on the body-on-frame Explorer chassis, sold as its own model through 2010. The 2006-2010 Explorer covered here is the four-door SUV.
Sources
- Ford factory specification sheets and brochures for the 2006-2010 Explorer
- Wikipedia, Ford Explorer (fourth generation)
- Ford Explorer fourth-generation engine and safety references
Asked all the time
Was the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer the last body-on-frame Explorer?
Yes. The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer was the fourth and final generation to use the Ranger-derived body-on-frame layout. For 2011 Ford redesigned the Explorer as a unibody crossover, ending body-on-frame construction for the model.
What engines did the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer use?
The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer used the single-overhead-cam 4.0-liter V6 and a 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8. The 4.6-liter V8 in this generation was a three-valve-per-cylinder design rated at 292 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, more than the earlier two-valve 4.6, and was paired with a six-speed automatic from the 2006 launch.
Did the 2006-2010 Ford Explorer have stability control?
Yes. The 2006-2010 Ford Explorer added electronic stability control, marketed as AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, along with side curtain airbags and tire-pressure monitoring, as part of the generation's safety upgrades.
What is the difference between the 2002 and 2006 Ford Explorer V8?
Both the 2002-2005 and 2006-2010 Ford Explorers used a 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam V8, but the 2006-2010 version was a three-valve-per-cylinder design that produced more power than the two-valve 4.6 used in the 2002-2005 generation.
Is the Explorer Sport Trac the same as the 2006-2010 Explorer?
No. The Explorer Sport Trac was a pickup-bodied derivative on the body-on-frame Explorer chassis, sold as its own model through 2010. The 2006-2010 Explorer covered here is the four-door SUV.
The wall · registered 2006–2010 Explorers
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