Ford's low-key, drip-by-drip rollout of the 2013 Explorer Sport continues with revelation of its pricing via the model's addition to the Explorer's
online configurator on Ford's consumer Web site. For people that appreciate bang-for-the-buck, the good news is the Sport model is only $865 more than an all-wheel-drive Limited model. As for power, Ford has yet to announce the final power figures, saying only that it will be "around" 350 hp and 350 lb-ft.
Granted, $41,545 isn't exactly bargain-basement, but when it there aren't many other performance-oriented SUVs in that price range. The larger and heavier Dodge Durango R/T AWD totals $39,390 before rebates or discounts while the significantly more-powerful two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 commands a stiff $55,595.
The Explorer Sport's performance will probably not match the Jeep's but should exceed the Durango's. In our test of 2011 models, the 5.7 Hemi-powered Durango managed the 0-60 mph sprint just 0.6 seconds quicker than the V-6 Explorer. In what is an indication of what the Explorer Sport may be capable of, a 2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost we tested was able to do 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. With a slightly lighter weight than the Lincoln, the Explorer Sport could be a legitimate sub 6-second SUV. We can't wait to get one to see if our hypothesis is true.