2002 Ford Explorer Vs. 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Both I-5 and I-4 versions of this new engine are being readied for future GM products. However you look at it, this engine sets new standards, not only for SUVs, but in the industry as a whole, and it makes the Explorer's SOHC 210-hp V-6 seem antiquated in comparison. To get the same level of performance, you'd have to opt for the Explorer's $695 4.6L/240-hp V-8 optional engine, and you'd still come up short in terms of peak horsepower and fuel mileage. We weren't able to test the Explorer fitted with the V-8; however, we did manage to test its twin, the '02 Mercury Mountaineer. It barely outran the TrailBlazer, by one-tenth of a second in both 0-60 mph (7.6 sec) and quarter-mile (15.8 sec) times. This improved SOHC V-8 replaces the aging OHV 5.0L/215-hp unit.

The '02 Explorer's ace in the hole is its new suspension setup. Not only does it offer ride and handling light years ahead of the previous front torsion bar/rear live-axle leaf-sprung setups it replaces, it allows undercarriage room for the new third-row seat. In a clever bit of packaging, the engineers decided to make frame portholes to pass the half-shafts through, and suspension uppers over the top of the fully boxed frame. They claim the sleeved holes don't affect the strength of the frame, which is now 350 percent torsionally stiffer and 26 percent more resistant to vertical/lateral bending than the old version. Cutting through the engineer-speak: stiffer frames allow for more precise suspension tuning, usually resulting in both improved handling and better ride quality. These figures are not-so-subtle reminders of how soft the last Explorer's frame was. Within the first minute of driving the '02 Explorer, each staff member made the same comment, "This is an Explorer? But it rides so firm and tidy."

The TrailBlazer's frame and suspension are also completely new. It utilizes lightweight, strong, and hollow hydroformed frame rails that run the length the truck. The rails are supported by eight crossmembers for added strength and chassis control. Its rear suspension is a truck/car combination of live axle/multilink with coil-over shocks. The result is an incredibly smooth and calm ride on the highway; however, the slightly sportier-feeling Explorer performed better than the Trailblazer in our slalom testing. No surprise, but on highway drives, we prefer the cushier TrailBlazer over the firmish Explorer, despite the Chevy's trucklike slalom performance. Expansion joints, pavement irregularities, and uneven dirt roads are better isolated from the Chevy driver. Both vehicles have carlike rack-and-pinion steering with similar overall ratios that provide excellent on-center feel, good weight, and tight-for-SUV turning radii, with the Explorer offering a slight advantage in turn-in response and accuracy.

If towing is a necessary part of your SUV experience, the 4WD TrailBlazer with its four-speed automatic transmission comes standard with a Class III hitch and a 3.73:1 rear-axle ratio good for up to 6200 lb (6400 with 2WD). Despite its five-speed transmission, the 4WD Explorer would need a $395 optional towing package to upgrade from the standard V-6's Class II hitch and 3.55:1 ratio to increase its capabilities from 3500 lb to 5500 lb (4WD V-8, 7000 lb; 2WD V-8, 7300 lb). Happily, the rear-bumper-mounted ball has been banished.

Both vehicles are larger than their predecessors. The TrailBlazer is noticeably 8 in. longer with a 6-in. increase in wheelbase and is a huge 7 in. wider than the truck it replaces. The Explorer hasn't grown in overall length or width, yet its wheelbase has (by 2 in.) and track by 2.5 in.