A 15-year-old platform that still sells because it's the only three-row SUV offering a 392 Hemi and 7,000-lb towing under $60k. The current generation (2011+) has genuinely matured, owners report the 5.7 Hemi runs strong and the ZF8 transmission holds up, a stark contrast to the catastrophic engine failures that plagued pre-2011 models. The tradeoff: it guzzles premium fuel, the interior feels a decade behind, and those HVAC blend door seals turn to goo on 2011-2019 models, gluing your vents shut. Buy it if you need V8 power and towing in a family package and accept you're choosing driving fun over efficiency. Skip it if you want modern tech, fuel economy, or the peace of mind a Telluride or Highlander delivers.
Ford built a genuinely quick electric crossover that happens to embarrass its own gas-powered Mustang in a drag race, the GT does 0-60 in 3.1 seconds, and one owner's 300,000-mile example lost just 8% battery capacity. The 2021, 2022 models suffered chronic infotainment failures (Bluetooth drops, system freezes) that Consumer Reports documented, and Ford's loss of the $7,500 federal tax credit leaves it thousands more expensive than a Model Y or Ioniq 5 after incentives. If you want the performance and can live without the rebate, the 2025 refresh at $38,000 finally adds the heat pump and fixes the value equation, just know you're buying into a brand still figuring out its EV commitment, with dealers sitting on unsold inventory.