The new 2012 or 2013 Ford Expedition may get Terrain Management with Hill Decent Control and Hill Accent Assist.

The 2011 Ford Explorer will début later on this year with the Terrain Management and Hill Decent Control systems.

YouTube - Next Generation Ford Explorer: Terrain Management System (TMS)

 

Nice, but it almost seems like a 'marketing breakthrough' for an Expedition as opposed to something useful to the majority. How many Expeditions are actually ever driven off-road, in deep sand, etc., perhaps 1/100th of 1 percent?

I guess I would rather have it than not have it, but I for one would rather see the investment made in a stronger powerplant (with the same or better fuel economy)

Thanks for posting, please keep them coming....

 

I might be quite silly here but I see this as somewhat ironic. Here we have a new system designed to help you, for the most part, in a more "off-road" type of environment yet the new Explorer is being built as a more crossover "SUV" that is designed to stay "on-road".

Soccer moms need never fret the horrible downhill at the local shopping mall ever again during those dastardly slippery days when the rain comes or the snowflakes fall.

 

Does anybody have a confirmed redesigned model year?

 

It would be neat to see the Terrain Management system incorporated into the Expedition’s ControlTrac 4-wheel-drive system. It would offer up a whole new level of off road capability. Four modes are included for the unibody 2011 Explorer:

-General Driving
-Grass/Gravel/Snow (applicable to any slippery condition)
-Mud & Ruts
-Sand

The modes control and adjust the engine, transmission, torque distribution, throttle response, ABS, traction control and various other vehicle systems to "adapt" the SUV to a specific terrain type. It insures the SUV is setup for optimum performance on the said terrain. While it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get stuck, it does make it harder for you to get stuck.

This system would be ideal for the Expedition as it still has a proper four-wheel-drive system with a heavy-duty transfer case and low range gearing.

The 2011 Explorer will just have Terrain Management and all-wheel-drive with no transfer case and no low range gearing.



No official word yet from Ford on when the new Expedition is to arrive. However, GM has stated that the all-new Tahoe and Suburban are about 2 or 3 years out, due around the 2012 or 2013 model year.

The all-new, or at the very least a thoroughly revised Expedition will make itself known about that same time.