Ford has been making some great, highly practical, and affordable SUVs, for several decades now, but they have also made some lemons and life-threatening behemoths. Until very recently, the top-heavy Ford Explorer series was almost as easy to roll over as the Bronco, another Ford SUV.
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The good news is that, because Ford has been in the SUV game for so long, there are a plethora of decent models one can buy used for reasonable prices. The bad news is one needs to be aware of the few SUVs Ford made that were flops. The price might be right, but is the model a gem or a beater?
10Best: 2020 Ford EcoSport
Some Ford EcoSport crossover SUVs have been problematic, but the original 2012 release is an affordable and fuel-efficient car that can be found for $19,000. Benefits of the eco sport include a 28 MPG combined fuel economy, an optional turbocharged engine, and either FWD or AWD.
Be warned, however, the Ecosport has less than 200 horsepower. So if pickup is a priority, the Ecosport is not a practical choice. That said, the fuel economy is worthwhile for anyone trying to save on gas.
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9Best: 2018 Ford Escape
The Escape series has been reliable for the most part, and the 2018 line was some of the best-performing. The car has great fuel economy, 44 MPG city, and 37 MPG highway. That comes from one of its three engines: the 1.5-liter 3-cylinder, the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, and the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder. The car also has a 3,500 towing capacity.
Earlier models of the Escape were sometimes problematic, as some of the models that came out in 2001 that we list below as one of Ford’s worst SUVs, Used 2018 Escapes can be found for around $20,000. The primary issue they seem to have are coolant leaks, transmission issues, and seat belt latch breakage. This does not make the car any less worthwhile, but it is information worth knowing when buying used.
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8Best: 2019 Ford Flex
Flexes are decent cars, although very boxy. With a 4.8-4.9 out of 5 stars in customer satisfaction rating and a 4-star NHTSA safety rating, they are sturdy machines that are worth the money, new or used.
They run on a 3.5liter V6 engine capable of well over 300 horsepower. They can be found used starting as low as $27,000. One drawback of the 2019 Flex is the fuel economy is a little low, with 16 MPG in the city and 23 on the highway. However, they are incredibly spacious and comfortable passenger cars.
7Best: 2019 Ford Expedition
Ford Expeditions are dependable and rugged machines with a series of benefits that suit both the casual consumer and the regular off-roading camper. Available with either rear or all-wheel drive, 6,000 pounds of towing capacity and a 3.5-liter V6 engine with up to 375-400 horsepower are all offered in the base trim of this 2019 car.
2019 Ford’s are fairly common, but they tend to hold a relatively high resale price. A used one can sell for as low as $33,000 but is usually found for $40,000-$50,000.
6Best: 2018 Ford Edge
One might notice that most of these models are fairly recent ones. That is because the earliest of Ford’s SUVs had some serious issues with weight distribution and tipping. They were also built like tanks and thus rather deadly to other cars in accidents.
The Ford Edge is a car that tones down the earlier, meatier versions of Ford’s SUVs with their endurance and comfort. Although a compact rendition, the car still boasts up to 73 square feet of cargo space (seats down). And as a toned-down crossover, it corrects for Ford’s history of building deadly machines. It has a 5 star NHTSA safety rating.
5Worst: 1984-1985 Ford Bronco II
For the record, there is one reason a person might want to buy this Bronco. The Ford Bronco II was notorious for being easily tipped over, which is an issue that was very common for Ford’s earliest full-size SUVs.
Now, while the safety issue is major baggage for the Bronco II, these cars are now skyrocketing in value. So while they are not ideal to buy as a practical day-to-day car, they might be well worth it for collectors to get their hands on.
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4Worst: 2000 Ford Explorer
Like the Bronco, Explorers were notorious for being incredibly top-heavy and for being death machines to any smaller car that was unlucky enough to get into a crash with it. According to Kelly Blue Book, it has been recalled 5 times.
Although you can find the car for less than $10,000 these days, that is probably money that is better spent elsewhere. The
3Worst: 1995 Ford Explorer
Thought we were done with the Explorer? Think again. The Explorer was first introduced in 1990, and it took several years to work out the safety kinks. But the 1995 Explorer was especially risky.
It had a variety of other issues such as poor seatbelt mechanisms and only adequate driver injury protection. Although newer versions of the Explorer have corrected most of the previous generations' safety problems, the original models were far from that progress.
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2Worst: 2001 Ford Escape
Like the Explorer, earlier versions of the Escape were less practical than the later versions. The 2001 Escape had issues with ignition misfires, engine, and issues with the four-wheel-drive models in general.
Priced well below $10,000 on some lots, this is another Ford SUV that is worth avoiding.
1Worst: 2016 Ford EcoSport
While the 2016 Ecosport is not the worst of the worst Ford SUVs ever, it is still far from the best because it had issues with the brakes sticking, shuddering, and more. The car also loses some points for looks, and the front lights are a bit awkwardly placed according to some buyers.
Reviews of the car are extremely mixed. Some also argue that the 2018 model is worse than the 2016. In any case, buyers, beware.
Here's What The 2005 Ford Explorer Costs Today Read NextShareTweetShareEmail Related TopicsAbout The AuthorJames J. Jackson(81 Articles Published)
James J. Jackson is a writer with words in TheThings, Sacramento News and Review, Ariel Chart Journal, and more.Like many a gear head, he grew up holding the flashlight for his mechanic dad.
