• Decent quality up front
• Electric driver’s seat standard on Select and Premium trim
• User-friendly touchscreen could do with bigger icons

How’s the quality and layout?

The Explorer sports a fresh, modern cabin design that’s aiming beyond Volkswagen and towards Hyundai/Tesla territory in its technological simplicity. We think it makes the Mustang Mach-E’s cabin feel very old fashioned in comparison.

However, you can see the Volkswagen parts bin has been raided, in items like the electric window switches, light control panel, and steering column-mounted gear selector. Quality up front is for the most part appears good, with soft-touch materials in areas you touch regularly, if not the most solid build when you start to poke and prod. Hard plastic is present but well hidden, giving a much more upmarket ambience than the Kuga.

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You get only hard plastics in the back and minimal padding on the armrests of the rear doors – something that’s not unusual in this class. Overall it’s pleasant enough, if not as plush as a Renault Scenic or Tesla Model Y.

There aren’t many physical switches, with those present operating pleasingly. Instead, almost everything in the cabin is controlled by the 14.6-inch touchscreen. That doesn’t include the seats and door mirrors like on a Tesla, and all the better for it.

Infotainment and tech

The 14.6-inch touchscreen is portrait oriented, and has shortcuts for regularly used items at the top of the screen, and temperature controls at the bottom. It works well, although the graphics look a bit dated and there’s just too much reliance on it.

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It’s an axe we grind regularly at Parkers, but physical controls for the temperature are just easier to use on the move. We also found the touch-sensitive steering controls to be fiddlier than conventional ones, and easier to accidentally activate. This includes the cruise control, which flicked on as we entered a corner after brushing the icon.

It’s something we’ve also experienced in Volkswagen and Mercedes models with touch-sensitive wheels. This doesn’t make it any less unnerving when you come off the accelerator pedal and find the car maintaining its speed, though. A dab of the brake pedal or prod of the cancel icon on the wheel switches it off at least.

You get plenty of equipment, too. Every Explorer comes with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, and an electric driver’s seat. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.

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Comfort

The front seats aren’t the most immediately comfortable with their firm, domed cushions. They do supply good support, so we never experienced any aches and pains in it. Only the driver’s seat gets adjustable lumbar support and massage, the former being a useful addition and the latter a bit weak compared to the best systems out there.

We found the outer rear seats to be more comfortable initially thanks to their flatter cushions, but are much less supportive of your back and sides. Space under the front seats for feet is generous, and it feels airy in the back, especially with a panoramic roof.