2020 Ford Explorer Among CR’s Used Cars To Avoid Buying

The 2020 Ford Explorer ushered in a total redesign for the long-running, ever-popular SUV, but it was one plagued by problems from the start. In fact, many 2020 Ford Explorer models suffered issues immediately after rolling off the assembly line, including faulty seats, loose wiring harnesses, and digital displays that didn’t work, prompting FoMoCo to admit that it made the mistake of rushing that launch. Thus, it isn’t terribly surprising to see the 2020 Ford Explorer land on the latest list of Consumer Reports‘ used vehicles to avoid.

In its new list of used vehicles to avoid – which contains a total of 67 different models this time around – Consumer Reports singled out the 2020 Ford Explorer largely due to its low predicted reliability score based on a number of issues suffered by owners and members of that consumer organization. The most commonly cited problem areas are powertrains, brakes, the climate system, in-car electronics, and overall build quality.

Luckily for those in the market for a Ford Explorer, quality has seemingly improved significantly since that botched launch. In fact, the Explorer made the cut as one of CR‘s most popular used vehicles recently, with the 2024 model earning a second-place ranking among all mid-size SUVs in J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS), and it was also added to CR‘s latest list of recommended vehicles based on these improvements – along with securing the top spot among all American mid-size three-row SUVs.

On the flip side, the 2020 Ford Explorer wasn’t alone in regard to Blue Oval models that ranked among the used vehicles Consumer Reports recommends that shoppers avoid, either. In fact, it was joined by the Ford Expedition, the Ford Bronco Sport, and both the ICE 2021 Ford Escape and 2021-2023 Escape Hybrid crossovers. This list of used cars to avoid is based on data collected from Consumer Reports‘ Annual Ownership Surveys. There, CR can determine an average problem rate for a variety of vehicles from particular model years, after which it highlights the ones that have a reputation for lower-than-average reliability based on actual owner data.