interior
What’s it like inside?
No wonder the dash is shared with the Explorer. The design has a clean, horizontal focus. Unfortunately, while this is supposed to be an attractive, design-driven car, much of its structure is a sea of black and gray plastic. At least the cloth-covered soundbar gives you a bit of perk, and the premium B&O system also perks up your ears.
The front seats have integrated headrests. Even if the back looks dark, it’s very racy. Highly supportive and electrically adjustable as standard. Any driver will feel comfortable thanks to the straight-line pedal and the abundance of seat and wheel adjustments. The square wheels are a bit of an acquired taste. The concise driver display is small enough to be visible under the rim.
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What about controls and screens?
There is no need to worry because it is derived from VW’s system. Yes, the ID.3 was pretty bad in the early days, but later VW Group cars had better processors in the center screen. Ford put its own skin on it and changed it to a vertical format. It makes good use of its generous size.
The configuration I decided on is: The map takes up the top half of the screen, with three tiles below it. The larger tiles contain the stereo track, while the smaller tiles display shortcuts to driver assists (lane keeping can be disabled) and drive modes. We decided to leave the trip computer on the driver’s screen because it helps predict range.
The angle of the center screen is adjustable. It is placed near vertically so that it is easy to reach. You can also tilt it for a smoother look. The Premium spec also includes a handy head-up display that shows navigation arrows and adaptive cruise information.
The drive selector is a large stalk on the right side of the steering column, freeing up storage space in the center console. Inevitably you end up with a pretty busy left stalk with dip switches, indicators and wipers. There is no rear wiper. Additionally, the buttons on the steering wheel are touch-sensitive. We prefer the solid click of a physical switch.
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Ford uses VW’s ridiculous and counterintuitive window and light switches. They say you get used to it. Trust me, that’s not true.
Does the “coupe” style come at the expense of practicality?
This is not a coupe, but a five-door SUV with a slightly raked rear window. This means you won’t have to sacrifice much practicality unless you need the boot to swallow a dresser or a large dog. In fact, below the level of the parcel shelf, the long tail creates a huge boot. The height from the floor to the seat back is 567 liters. It makes up for the fact that there is no frank.
There is another trick to the rotating screen. It acts as a lid for a small cupboard in the back, so when you lower the screen it covers that space. Locking your car also locks your screen, increasing your security. Storage boxes for other small items include a removable cup holder that clips onto or below the console, freeing up a vast laptop-sized covered bin.
