Coming Soon: New Ford Explorer

Ford has revealed a radical new look in the form of the Explorer, an electric SUV/hatchback combo. And while the name may be familiar it's not to be confused with the much larger Explorer sold in the States. It taps into the same spirit, though, given Ford is embracing its all-American roots having licked its wounds over its shrinking European presence with the end of iconic models like the Fiesta and Focus.

The chunky urban car doesn't look or feel remotely like any other Ford you'll have experienced before. From the outside it has that all-American vibe, with a strong, rugged front end featuring a glossy bar bearing its name and a huge new Ford badge inset into the bodywork. Ford reckons the car has a friendly face. We say it's in-your-face, and we like it.

Inside, however, is where Ford has completely rung the changes and introduced a whole new vibe. Gone is the tired, out-of-date touch-screen with its clunky graphics from the outgoing models. In comes a huge, vertical screen with a new design and user experience, which tilts and slides down to keep the sun's reflective glare off and also covers a storage tray to keep your valuables hidden from view. It's high-tech, innovative and cool. Not words usually associated with the Blue Oval.

Ford says the car will go on sale at under £40,000, which puts it in the firing line of the Volkswagen ID.4, and slots it in between the hybrid Kuga and fully electric Mustang Mach-E in its own line-up. As for electric range, the cheapest will be good for up to 218 miles, or you can pay more for up to 335 miles between charges. The fastest, a dual-motor version, gives you over 300 horsepower but in doing so lops a bit off the top range, bringing it down to a maximum 305 miles. We like the choice: more money, more range or more power?

The seats look incredibly comfortable front and rear, there's a lengthy glass roof, a boot with two depths and semi-autonomous driving in the form of automatic lane change. It's quite a step change from the Focus, let's put it that way.