15:40 long and only 30 seconds of it are why it screwed up the launch......ford tried changing to much at once...saved you 15 minutes.

10:00 minutes on and still not clear how Ford botched the launch.

Video starts at 8:00

Clicked on this and saw a Volvo advertisement before it started. Perfect.

This stuff happens all the time in new cars. Never buy the first year of any model vehicle that is new or refreshed, wait until the bugs have been worked out and recalled.

Ford was stupid to get rid of their entire sedan market in north america. the fusion and focus were still selling well. They should have at least kept those two cars around. Not everyone wants a crossover or suv.

It's embarrassing that Ford quit the car business in the US to focus on SUVs and their most recent models have been criticized by the press. Hyundai and Kia, still building cars, come out with the Pallisade and Telluride, both of which blow the Explorer out of the water. 😑

The biggest problem with the new explorer is the price there is absolutely no reason why it schould b more expensive then any of the other competitors

it went from a fully off-road capable suv to a soccer mom car

$60k for explorer is way too much in my opinion. I always think about maybe picking up an American brand but then go with Japanese alternative for my piece of mind. I drive explorers at work all day and get no satisfaction out of it.

Should have called it a Mustang.

Ford is in the middle of a turnaround? I have been hearing this stuff, literally, for more than 35 years

I bought a Ford Explorer ST 2020 for a price tag of $57,000 over at Ford Ken Grody on Beach Blvd in the city of Buena Park, Ca. I shouldn’t have bought it not only because of how cruel the staff members were, but this vehicle has already cause me problems in less than a year of ownership. I have taken this car in to car service twice already for the same problem which was an Air conditioning problem. When I asked the gentleman who sold me the car for assistance and to sign up for car service appointments the gentleman literally ignored me.

3rd quarter sales were low because nobody wanted to buy the old leftover 2019's and the volume sales leader "XLT" trim was just trickling in. It was mostly expensive "Platinum and ST" versions being released first. The 4th quarter had a bunch of XLT's finally hitting dealership lots.

I love CNBC. Reporting with so much detail on such niche categories without bias.

Have to say a surprisingly well informed video on the matter that actually acknowledges the unique challenges facing these two cars. Not all cars are this ground-up new and complicated to launch. But the net result is a much better set of vehicles that stand apart instead of blending in.

I hate to be "that guy", but Ford created electric Rangers and Focuses before the Mach E. I know they were compliance cars, but at least the Focus was a production vehicle

The only Explorer I would own is the one from Jurassic park.

The background music is annoying

People can’t afFORD these suvs anymore.

I've only been in an Explorer once after being in a bad rollover in the 90s when I was a kid. That freaked me out so much, I became severe backseat driver and couldn't even nap or not pay attention to what was going on until my mid teens. Ironically, now I'm a bus driver and feel so relaxed driving or riding in anything.

Terrible feature. 8 minutes in to a report about a "botched launch" before the first word about any launch issues. And then we just get a list of two recalls. What for? How did that alter customer demand? We don't know. How is this connected to sales at all? Was production delayed such that no vehicles were available for sale? Are they sitting unsold on the lot because of quality issues? We don't know. We just know that there was a botched launch. We know, because CNBC tells us. Over and over. "Botched launch". But no explanation. I'm kind of amazed that so much research and work went into a report about this and the one core issue of the entire thing never gets explained. The title is "how Ford Botched Its Explorer Relaunch". If you are going to headline a report like that, you at least have to explain that one thing - how Ford botched its explorer launch. Simply stating that the launch was botched over and over doesn't actually tell me *how* ford botched the launch, which is ostensibly the entire reason for the report. I know they had two recalls. I know they had to redo the entire production line. I know they changed the entire platform all at once. So at least those are things that contribute to botching launches. But what the heck happened? Did they intend to produce 500k cars last quarter and only made 300k? Or did they make their target number of cars and scare off their customers by having a poor product? Because those are two very different things. One just means your return is delayed. The other might mean you've screwed your entire brand and the company is in trouble.

I wish american brands made reliable vehicles instead of us consumers playing the guessing game. And then just deciding to go with a honda or Toyota.

I don’t understand why folks are so anxious to jump on the first model year of anything. History shows the same pattern with a lot of automakers, even Toyota with their transmissions and Honda with their oil dilution problems, Kia and Hyundai with their metal shavings seizing engines and Chrysler with their Ecodiesels. Every single time something all new is announced folks line at dealerships with checkbooks ready to preorder before it even goes on sale. Every few years it’s the same old story of first model year blues.

Scotty Kilmer:

The Explorer was never popular in Australia, where it was referred to as the "Exploder".

I'm impressed that you missed the entire fact Lincoln called the shots for the design this new chassis for the Aviator, and then Ford had to adjust the Explorer to it. Every other vehicle in Ford's lineup was designed by Ford and then given to Lincoln to spruce up.

12:24 Hard disagree. The suspension on my Ford Escape wobbles whenever I get off a highway.

The guy mentions Toyota doesn’t have launch issues. Well Toyota also doesn’t innovate, they’re so conservative (like he describes). Most trucks in their lineup are platforms that are 10+ years old.

the launch itself wasnt "botched" it was the build quality

In my neck of the woods they are know as Exploders.

Because they used to be fairly reliable, now most vehicles are shiny shitboxes that break if you look at them wrong.

The only company that did not come to get the Government bail out in 08 .

Don’t fix if it ain’t broke ... Ford can’t miss opportunity to screw up .

Shortsightedness is a requirement in order to be a US automaker.

once you start adding options this thing cost SO MUCH. I think I would rather get Telluride or Palisade that's cheaper with same options and they are more reliabile as well. I personally think the interior design on Telluride/Palisade is MUCH better but I understand the design is a subjective thing.

Forgot to mention that the new Explorer only gets an acceptable rating in small overlap crash test, keeping it from receiving any IIHS Top Safety Pick awards, which are very important to consumers.

I love the 2011 - 2015 models

Going back to rear-wheel drive was a good move. I don't even like front-wheel drive in small cars, lol. But the previous gen looked better. Oh well.

Lol ... what did the 2020 explorer do for me? ... I got the 2019 Explorer Sport with 2A package with 6k off MSRP and 0 percent financing with ford! The 3.5 EcoBoost has been vetted and it's a fantastic engine.!!! Thank you explorer 2020!!!

15 minutes and the only thing mentioned on how the launch was botches was "two recalls". This was horrible.

I would never buy one. This is just a police interceptor in my eyes.

They got the RWD biased and AWD right this year, but screwed up on reliability big time.

Ford made a huge mistake getting rid of Mark Fields. He wanted to delay the Explorer launch. Now we know why. When a man with a 20+ years of expertise, and a proven track record, tells you to do something, you do it. Instead they throw out the expert and bring in a chair salesman. And this is the result. Mark also never mentioned getting rid of sedans or small cars. Now that they are leaving those segments they are handing several hundred thousand sales to their competitors each year. I hope the company does well in the future, since I have been a loyal customer for a long time.

It’s overpriced. There’s plenty of other options that cost less

I rented a 2018 Ford Explorer in the same year. I'm only 5'8 and was surprised at the lack of leg room in the drivers seat. There was a huge hump right by my left foot that made sitting there uncomfortable. My buddy went to a car show a couple weeks ago and said the seating (and overall space) has not gotten better in 2020. How do you not have adequate legroom in a mid-size SUV for someone that isn't even 6'???

I am a team leader on the engine line where we build most of the HEV models of Explorers and Avaiators called the SHO Center which is located about a half a mile from the CAP plant. I EXTREMELY enjoy the new product and much of the launch was challenging. But with this new plant built specifically for Lincoln and Explorer HEV models it is all coming together smoothly now and the result is going to be fantastic for our future. If you ever have a chance please test drive a Hybrid PHEV Aviator. It is amazing! I believe this is the future of all our SUVs in the industry. It is a totally different experience than our older 2018 Explorer builds. It is taking a little longer for it to catch on but I believe this will be an ultra success and benchmark for the industry going forward. Once the market gets more of our product it will be a non decision on what is the best luxury SUV out on the market. Lincoln Aviator is going to be a HIT! Mark my words. The Explorer FHEV(no plug needed) models we build for the police are also impressive with how much acceleration they produce with the added power of the FHEV battery with addition of the traditional 3.3L Gas Engine. Acceleration is much more important to our police than top speed and our product has the best in the business also with more room and better off road capabilities. This is just a small summary from an UAW worker on why I think this product is going to do much better in the future.

Dang. But losing to Chrysler gots to hurt.

In automotive sales and service, we call these exploders.

Thank you CNBC for making detailed car industry videos!

i was working as a tire tech at the time of the firestone recall and in my opinion the issue was fords recommend tire pressure of 28 psi on a vehicle that heavy, that is not enough there for causing overheating and blowouts and rollovers, just for a cusher ride. i think firestone agreed to take the blame as to not tarnish ford image

I'm still driving my beloved simple basic 98 Ranger. I do, however have a beautiful Eddie Bauer interior in it from one of the many many dead Explorers in my nearest junkyard.

The front end is hideous but damn that RWD factor is appealing.

I don’t like the look of the new explorer

Outstanding piece. Very well written and produced. Lots of things I didn't know and I'm a car guy and Explorer fan. Thanks so much for posting!

I miss Mullally

I feel bad for traditional US auto OEM's the UAW has turned from a workers union to the mafia. They are literally extorting US auto makers out of being competitive.

This latest ford explorer is a Range Rover sport nock-off

The implication that the later Ford explorer was the first unibody SUV is just wrong. Cherokee and Grand Cherokee have always been unibody. And they have both been excellent off road. The XJ has become a much sought-after legend.

I wish they were made as an option with the police interceptor column shiftier.

Heres an advice, dont buy the first year of any model.

I like the older ones from the 2005 era more,those can run forever with some maintenance.

As an owner of ford products and a shareholder I think it is time they got rid of their ceo. They made a huge mistake getting rid of Fields a few years ago. He understood cars and the industry. The current ceo doesn’t seem to get it at all.

The Designers designs backwards , the 2013 looks more modern than the 2019, and the 2016 one looks like the one should be out for 2019...

The escape launch was flawless??? Ahahahaha If only y’all KNEW how many problems we’ve had with these in the factory

Screw this i want a new EXCURSION already!!!

Who else was trying to skip the ad when the video started?

Let's not forget Ford is still #1 in SUV brand loyalty.

so how did they botch it exactly? i dont get it... the video just went straight from background to effect.....

Lincoln is amazing I'm so sad for that

Scoty told the people the best car it's old Toyota Celica, no Ford

The crazy thing is that an Explorer Limited, ST, & Platinum reaches into Aviator pricing which doesn't make any sense.

I love my 2020 Ford Explorer ST. It's comfortable for me and my wife in the front seats, with all the technology we could ever wish for. The kids love the space in the back seats, and I love that it has enough power to accelerate extremely quickly for it's size. Coming from Mustangs, this is a nice family alternative for now... ;)

2010 was the last true explorer RIP

My last two Ford Explorer police vehicles, first one went to 95,000 miles (and was still running fine) when I went to the current 2020, have been great vehicles. Routine maintenance only. The 2020 is roomy, drives great, and gets good MPG.

Pricing your customers out of the products you produce. Good luck.

Toyota makes money selling cars Ford makes money fixing their cars

Cut the D-pillar and call it "American/Large Sedan"!

Fantastic documentary. Thank you so much. Very comprehensive. CNBC special content for KZfaq is getting better and better.

I sincerely hope they get it together. These kinds of product roll outs simply cannot happen in today's marketplace. I have applauded FoMoCo for not taking a bailout and doing things by pulling up their own bootstraps. If you really look, they have had some of the most impressive new car releases over the past 20 years alone: Focus, Fusion, Expedition, Excursion, Escape, and Edge. At least one release of each of the models listed here changed the game. They have to research the archives at what made them great and take that as the building block to the next iteration.

One Word: Quality. Ford, because you keep cutting corners and think people wouldn't' notice it. We did and you've lost your long time customers.

The Explorer history has never been smooth, yet it's still there

3:14 picture of an Expedition... LOL

If it weren't for fleet sales, the Ford Explorer would finish at the bottom of the segment in sales. I don't see how anyone can fork up 40-60k for one. The quality and fit and finish of the 2020 Explorer is pathetic. I picked a fully loaded Platinum model at the rental lot and can safely say that I will never make that mistake again. The interior trim pieces felt loose and weren't lined up properly, buttons were cheap and moved around too much in the housing, the centre Ipad like infotainment screen gets super distorted when you look at it from an angle, not to mention the terrible UI, and the leather seats had already lost their structure despite only having 6,000 miles on the odometer.

That might have been the most uninformative waste of time video I have watched all year!

Would not touch one . If I were given one, I'd sell it

If you've ever seen the crew at the Chicago plant you would understand the issue. The terrible reliability and outsourcing of parts and labor by us car companies has lead a race to the bottom. Even union members who traditionally buy American are having a hard time justifying throwing away $ on unreliable foreign sourced goods. The CEOs and big wigs certainly are not helping the issue.

I sold Ford back when the second generation came out. We couldn't get enough of them in the showroom. People would pay thousands over sticker and buy anything you sold with it to get their hands on one. I remember one Saturday I sold 8 of them and nothing else.

These things are junk "throw away cars". Recently went to a car show and my jaw dropped when I saw a price of $56k, for a explorer??? So I decided to go in it and cheap interior materials galore. No thank you.

foreign car brands used to be trash but now they are better maybe we will support american companies when you actually start caring about your cars.

In addition to the remarkable looks and stance of the 2020 Explorer, all trims come with exterior and interior LED lighting; Ford Co-Pilot 360 (including Blind Spot Monitoring and lane centering); as well as the drive modes (Eco, Sport, Mud, Wet/Slippery, etc.); the 4WD has the terrain management system; the RWD gives it better towing (5300-5600 lbs) and handling. Every part of the 6th Gen. Explorer is worthy of the nameplate that created the 3rd row SUV segment.

Really well done piece. Thanks!

Everytime I watch a Ford video - Volvo ads show up. Like my fellow commentor below.

There to expensive you can get a similar equipped Toyota highlander for substantially less. And of course the Toyota will be better long term as well as resale value.

I seriously do hope Ford can rebound from its current troubles, losing Ford would be a catastrophic hit for the Midwest and especially Detroit.

I remember back in the day I wanted my parents to buy the explorer. We ended up buying a van:( Ford seems to screw up some major product launches and at times ruin their own product lines. I remember everyone use to own a Taurus, until they couldn't contain the issue of reliability.

American automakers have lost their purpose in this country, they don't really have a niche anymore other than with law enforcement and legacy buyers. If you want luxury, choose one of the German brands or Lexus. If you want great standard features and shocking design, choose one of the South Korean automakers. Finally, if you want reliability, safety, or value, choose one of the Japanese automakers. There's no category for American automakers, exclusively, anymore. That's why Cadillac is struggling, Ford in is the middle of a 20-year "turnaround," and GM is but a shadow of its former self. American automakers don't have an identity anymore. Sooner or later, they won't know who they are and they will end up just like Infiniti.

It’s the best midsized SUV, in 2020. They lied about the price point, it’s expensive compared to the out going model.

@3:25 Really!? Who researched this? Here is a list of SUV's that beat Ford to the unibody platform approach with SUV's in the Explorer Segment: Honda Pilot: First debuted an SUV based on a platform that was shared from their Accord sedan in 2003. Toyota Highlander: Came out in 2001 with the same K platform from the Camry. Nissan Pathfinder: For its second generation in 1995, Nissan opted to try a unibody SUV. By its third generation, Nissan had reverted to a body on frame construction. Nissan reversed corse again in 2012. Chevy Traverse: Built in 2008 to compete with the growing amount of unibody 3 row SUV's. If an owner wanted unibody, they went Traverse. If body on frame, they went Suburban, Tahoe etc. How about this one? Mazda CX-9: The Mazda CX-9 came out as a unibody SUV in 2006. It used the Ford CD3 platform which was used to create other Ford Products including two Lincolns. There are others and I think you understand the point. Ford was late to the game in changing to unibody SUV's. So the report is just wrong in that sense. Ford makes good products, but this company seems to be mismanaged in a large way that will create large problems going forward with future projects.

I just bought a 2022 Explorer ST. I truly love it. Best value on a 400 hp SUV . Handles like sports car, and is faster to 60 mph than a BMW 3 series of 10 years ago. If you have the means I highly recommend picking one up.