2022 Ford Explorer Timberline fires back at Jeep and Subaru

Ford had had enough of adventurous families in the market for a crossover SUV going to Jeep and Subaru showrooms.

At least that’s the impression the Ford Explorer Timberline 2022 makes. With more ground clearance, a smattering of off-road-oriented hardware, upgraded suspension and all-terrain tires, Ford has created the most off-road capable Explorer yet. But while it should be enough to sway some from a Subaru Outback, it’s not enough to steal Jeep’s lunch.

Ability to diet

Like the Subaru Outback, the Explorer Timberline falls behind in off-road capability compared to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Let’s just call it Capability Light, the 95 calorie ability.

Each Explorer Timberline has a 2.3-liter turbocharged 4 with 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque under its hood, mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. While that’s more power than any Subaru Outback and adequate in the Explorer, the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain in the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk leaves this Ford in the dust.

In everyday use, the Explorer’s Turbo-4 is the definition of fine, but it’s starting to run out of steam when overtaking on the Autobahn. I’m not questioning the Timberline’s 5,300-pound maximum towing capacity, but I suspect it will be difficult to tow safely at highway speeds. That’s a test for another time. Senior Editor Robert Duffer also noticed lumpy first-to-second and second-to-third gear changes, although I didn’t have the same experience.

Where the Timberline takes a right turn down a gravel road from other Explorers is its suspension and travellers. Ford swapped out a set of heavy-duty shock absorbers (pulled from the Explorer Police Interceptor’s parts bin), upgraded the anti-roll bars and installed off-road springs with more rebound up front to reduce jarring off-road movements. The company’s engineers also opted for larger 265/65R18 Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain tires and added skid plates under the engine, transmission and rear. They also recalibrated the steering to bring it in line with the suspension changes.

The result is the best explorer money can buy. On broken Midwestern pavement, the Timberline absorbs road bumps and keeps them in the background. Body movements are well controlled, and with a slightly wider track than the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, the Timberline feels a little more stable on the freeway.

Departure angle improves over the standard Explorer from 20.1 to 23.5 degrees, while departure angle increases from 22.0 to 23.7 degrees. But with 8.7 inches of ground clearance (up 0.8 inches over a standard Explorer), the Timberline literally falls short alongside the Subaru Outback Wilderness’s 9.6 inches of ground clearance. And the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk will venture much deeper into the wilderness with its removable front stabilizer bar and 10.9 inches of ground clearance when raised on its air suspension. The Jeep also has a 2-speed transfer case to let the SUV crawl over rocks and through creeks. The discoverer? It lives a lie with a 4WD badging on its tailgate, though it lacks a 2-speed, low-range transfer case for low torque and control in the toughest off-road situations. It goes about its business with an all-wheel-drive system that transfers power to the wheels with traction. The Ford’s best feature is its Torsen limited-slip rear differential, which helps keep wheel spin at bay in slippery situations.

But like the Jeep, the ace up the Explorer’s sleeve that the Outback lacks is a terrain management system. The system has the riding modes Normal, Trail, Deep Snow/Sand, Slippery, Sport, Tow/Haul and Eco. While my off-road excursion in the Explorer Timberline consisted only of a gravel road, I gained extensive experience with Ford’s Terrain Management System, as it’s included in everything from Raptors and Broncos to the Expedition. It’s one of the best systems in the business and really tailors the powertrain and traction/stability control to the conditions at hand, although it’s notable that it lacks Rock Crawl and Mud/Ruts modes on the Explorer Timberline.

The bottom line is that the Explorer Timberline will offer the off-road capability that most buyers need better than other versions of Ford’s mid-size three-row SUV. However, it will reach the end of the trail when faced with the technical, slow-speed stuff that the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk can handle.

Play undercover undercover cop

With blacked-out headlights and taillights, chunky all-terrain tires, 18-inch black painted aluminum wheels and grille-mounted LED fog lights, the Explorer Timberline looks like an undercover cop car. The orange Timberline badges and tow hooks give away a Timberline, but it takes more than a quick glance to spot it.

The grille-mounted LED fog light strips on either side of the Ford badge work more like driving lights. They do an excellent job of illuminating the road, but the rays are focused in the middle of the road between the headlights instead of spreading out to the sides of the road. They also can’t be used with the high beams, although they can be used in conjunction with the round factory fog lights, which are mounted lower in the bumper, which is an odd choice. The top-mounted fog lights are activated via an AUX button on the headlight dial. An orange light indicates they are active and have an aftermarket appearance.

Inside, the Timberline is standard Explorer fare, including the analog instrument cluster with a 6.5-inch information display and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The standard satin silver trim with Timberline-specific Ford stone mesh is nice to look at and touch, but it’s the available green interior with orange stitching that’s so hot with ’90s vibes it tugs at my childhood hearts. While the green interior looked amazing with my tester’s Forged Green paint, it’s unclear how it would look with any of the other colors available.

These green seats are plush, supportive, and road-trip-worthy. The first two rows are extremely comfortable, and the seats are wider than the Grand Cherokee. But the third row is a bit small for adults. It’s acceptable for quick trips around town, but no elementary school-age person will really want to spend time there. The Outback doesn’t have a third row, and neither does the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

At $47,450 on review (although the base price has since been raised to $51,475), the Timberline sits in the middle of the Explorer line between the Limited and the sportier, more powerful ST. It’s also about $11,000 more than a Subaru Outback Wilderness and $14,000 less than a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

The Explorer Timberline is priced between Jeep and Subaru. It can’t match the Jeep’s off-road capability, but is about on par with the Subaru as long as 8.7 inches of ground clearance suits your needs. Depending on the off-road adventure capability you want, the Explorer Timberline might be the right choice. You certainly can’t get a green interior in a Subaru or Jeep, and neither have three rows of seats. How far do you really have to drive off-road and with how many people?

Ford provided a green-on-green Explorer Timberline for this review, but your author provided the Minnesota backdrop