Kodiac Brown Metallic is a a new color for 2013 in the Ford Explorer line.FAST FACTSModel: 2013 Ford Explorer LimitedExterior color: Kodiac Brown MetallicInterior: Two-tone Char Black and Pecan leatherEngine: 2.0-liter four cylinder (turbocharged)Horsepower: 240Transmission: Six-speed automaticFuel economy: 28 mpg highway, 20 mpg cityDealer: Mountain View FordPrice (as tested): $49,150
When I first laid eyes on this week’s test car, a 2013 Ford Explorer Limited, I would have sworn it was jet black.
But as I approached the SUV, the color seemed to magically change to a luminescent deep-brown hue, the color of dark chocolate. For the record, the new color is Kodiac Brown Metallic.
Little surprises like this are the essence of the latest-generation Explorers, a venerable model that fueled the family SUV boom in the 1990s.
Now for a bigger surprise: Our test vehicle from Mountain View Ford was powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine. Ford calls these little beasts Ecoboost motors, and they are capable of propelling a 4,557-pound SUV like a V-6 with twice the displacement.