Ford Explorer sales decreased in United States while increasing in Mexico during the first quarter of 2022.
| MODEL | Q1 2022 / Q1 2021 | Q1 2022 | Q1 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXPLORER | -34.50% | 42,736 | 65,244 |
| MODEL | Q1 2022 / Q1 2021 | Q1 2022 | Q1 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXPLORER | -9.76% | 3,235 | 3,585 |
| MODEL | Q1 2022 / Q1 2021 | Q1 2022 | Q1 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXPLORER | +1.89% | 324 | 318 |
Ford Explorer sales slid 34.5 percent to 42,736 units during the first quarter of 2022. Despite this decrease in sales, Ford’s three-row crossover utility placed second in its segment by sales volume, behind the Toyota Highlander, which saw a three percent increase to 66,026 units, 23,290 vehicles ahead of the Explorer.
The Honda Pilot came in third with a 24 percent decrease to 23,989 units followed by the Chevrolet Traverse which saw a 38 percent slide to 23,464 units. Fifth place was taken by the Kia Telluride, which saw a one percent increase to 22,076 units. The rest of the segment contenders each posted less than 22,000 deliveries.
| MODEL | Q1 22 / Q1 21 | Q1 22 | Q1 21 | Q1 22 SHARE | Q1 21 SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOYOTA HIGHLANDER | +3.44% | 66,026 | 63,831 | 25% | 20% |
| FORD EXPLORER | -34.50% | 42,736 | 65,244 | 16% | 20% |
| HONDA PILOT | -23.73% | 23,989 | 31,451 | 9% | 10% |
| CHEVROLET TRAVERSE | -38.31% | 23,464 | 38,037 | 9% | 12% |
| KIA TELLURIDE | +1.02% | 22,076 | 21,854 | 8% | 7% |
| HYUNDAI PALISADE | -0.86% | 21,025 | 21,207 | 8% | 7% |
| VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS | -51.72% | 14,734 | 30,520 | 6% | 9% |
| SUBARU ASCENT | +1.55% | 14,698 | 14,473 | 6% | 4% |
| DODGE DURANGO | -30.21% | 14,349 | 20,560 | 5% | 6% |
| MAZDA CX-9 | +11.47% | 10,463 | 9,386 | 4% | 3% |
| NISSAN PATHFINDER | +0.79% | 8,975 | 8,905 | 3% | 3% |
| TOTAL | -19.34% | 262,535 | 325,468 |
The Highlander held a 25 percent segment share, up five percentage points from the year ago quarter while the Explorer slid four percentage points for a 16 percent share. The Pilot and Traverse each earned 9 percent, with the Pilot decreasing one percentage point and the Traverse decreasing three percentage points. Finally, the Telluride saw a one percentage point increase to eight percent. All other models each accounted for eight percent or less of the segment’s share.
The three-row, large crossover segment contracted an average of 19 percent to 262,535 units in Q1 2022, meaning that Explorer sales underperformed the segment average.
For informational and comparative purposes, we are also providing sales figures for midsize SUV models that overlap with large crossover SUVs like the Explorer – either in price, seating capacity, or both. Despite the fact that these models are physically smaller than the Explorer and its direct rivals, they are often cross-shopped. These overlapping vehicles include:
| MODEL | Q1 22 / Q1 21 | Q1 22 | Q1 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | +36.09% | 75,117 | 55,198 |
| FORD EDGE | +19.24% | 26,412 | 22,150 |
| HYUNDAI SANTA FE | -10.46% | 25,582 | 28,570 |
| CHEVROLET BLAZER | -2.37% | 18,808 | 19,265 |
| KIA SORENTO | -9.13% | 17,923 | 19,724 |
| MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER | +218.19% | 13,065 | 4,106 |
| NISSAN MURANO | -18.40% | 9,403 | 11,523 |
| GMC ACADIA | -53.22% | 9,336 | 19,956 |
Despite facing a rocky start when launching for the 2020 model year, the Explorer was able to maintain a solid upward trajectory in sales volume during 2021. The model’s current decline is a reflection of negative repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing microchip shortage. In fact, the majority of the large, three-row crossover segment followed a similar trend of being in the red due to similar constraints associated with production and availability.
It’s also worth noting that competition in the large, three-row crossover space is heating up as two competing models – the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride – maintained relatively high placement during the first quarter. Combined, the Kia and Hyundai accounted for 43,101 deliveries, 365 units more than the Explorer. The results are very impressive for the two newest entrants, given that both Hyundai and Kia were almost non-existent in this segment two years ago.
| MODEL | Q1 22 / Q1 21 | Q1 22 | Q1 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KIA TELLURIDE | +1.02% | 22,076 | 21,854 |
| HYUNDAI PALISADE | -0.86% | 21,025 | 21,207 |
Another rival that is adding competitive pressure to the Explorer is the overhauled Nissan Pathfinder as well as an updated Chevrolet Traverse, which has received a refresh for the 2022 model year. Meanwhile, FCA Stellantis has launched the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee family, which now includes a three-row variant dubbed the Grand Cherokee L that competes with the Explorer, alongside the “regular”, two-row Grand Cherokee that competes with the Ford Edge.
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