2023 Ford Explorer order banks are currently scheduled to open up on August 11th, 2022, while production is slated to begin at the Chicago Assembly plant on November 7th, 2022. Whether or not this later launch is a potential indicator that the 2023 Ford Explorer is set to receive a refresh is currently unclear, but it is possible given the fact that the refreshed Chinese Explorer was recently teased by the automaker.
The refreshed Chinese version of the Explorer features a few changes on the exterior, including up front, where there’s a heavily revised grille and headlight design, revised fog lights, a full-width chrome strip on the rear tailgate, a new rear bumper, and updated taillights. The biggest differences between the current-gen Explorer and this refreshed model lie inside the cabin, however.
There, the refreshed Explorer has received a pretty extensive overhaul with a massive landscape-oriented infotainment screen similar to other Chinese Blue Oval products like the Ford Evos, Mondeo, and Lincoln Zephyr, as well as fewer physical controls and a cleaner, more modern appearance.
While it’s common for Chinese Blue Oval models to get unique features when compared to their North American counterparts, it’s unclear how much of this particular Explorer refresh will carry over to the U.S. version. The current-gen Chinese Explorer presents a few differences when compared to the North American model aside from the aforementioned styling details, including the availability of a black-painted roof option and a larger infotainment screen, so it’s quite possible that many of the changes seen here will carry over to the American version.
Source: Ford Authority
