It looks like the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator are dumping their hybrid trims for the 2024 model year. The Explorer SUV was previously offered with a hybridized 3.3-liter V6, whereas the Aviator Grand Touring came with a hybridized twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. These powertrains won’t be available on the retail market anymore. However, there’s a chance PHEV variants of both models will return in 2025.
While the company’s reasoning isn’t entirely clear, Car and Driver reported the Blue Oval had cited high demand for the hybrid version of the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility, along with demand for other Ford hybrids. The automaker may simply be prioritizing Explorer hybrid production for fleet sales. But it doesn’t account for what’s happening with the Aviator.
Truth be told, the hybrid version of the Explorer really only helped drivers save some fuel around town. But if that was all Ford’s clientele were interested in, there are other three-row SUVS that should have been on their shortlist. The Explorer excels at towing and off-road work, all while still being a competent commuter car. It seems plausible that retail customers were looking at the fuel economy advantages offered by the hybrid and decided it wasn’t worth the extra money. But police departments would undoubtedly appreciate getting a few extra MPGs as they patrol city streets for the whole day.
The hybrid system in the Lincoln Aviator was more about adding performance and modernizing the SUV by chasing down the latest trends. As a plug-in hybrid, it offered a dozen or so miles of all-electric driving range and a significant boost in power over the trims that don’t include the words “Grand Touring.” While your author has not driven that particular model, others have said the powertrain lacked refinement and often failed to transition between gasoline and electric power in a smooth manner.
It doesn’t exactly sound like something you’d want from a luxury vehicle. The Aviator is also shares the Explorer’s CD6 platform and is manufactured at the same Chicago facility, likely influencing Ford’s production decisions.
From Car and Driver:
Notably, the Aviator Grand Touring was one of the few plug-in-hybrid models eligible for the full $7500 tax credit as part of the new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rules. The 2024 Aviator is now available only with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 gas engine, while the 2024 Explorer is offered with the same 3.0L V-6 or a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four base engine.
While the nonhybrid Explorer and Aviator models are unchanged for the 2024 model year, we expect to see updated 2025 versions soon with a new look. These photos show what the 2025 Ford Explorer's new front and rear ends will look like, including reshaped headlights and taillights, a larger grille, and different fascias. We can also see new wheel designs, and it's likely there will be updates for the interior as well.
We're not sure if Ford or Lincoln plans to bring back the hybrids as part of this update, but Ford did say that the 2.3L and 3.0L engines make up "a majority of Explorer sales," so it's possible the hybrids are done for good. Ford has previously promised that an electric version of the Explorer is in the works, and is already selling a smaller EV in Europe that also uses the Explorer nameplate.
We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. The 2025 model year should be on sale within the next 12 months and Ford won’t be able to keep everything a secret forever. We imagine the sixth-generation Explorer should stick around for a couple more years, providing us with at least one more opportunity to see if the hybrid comes back.
[Images: Ford Motor Co.]
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from TheTruthAboutCars https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cars/news-blog/no-hybrid-ford-explorer-or-lincoln-aviator-for-the-2024-model-year-44503348?utm_medium=auto&utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=all_full
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