My guess is that Ford knows what their engines are capable of and has them appropriately assigned to their vehicles. Explorer platinum/st now have the 3.0 where last generation had (a presumably detuned) 3.5L. If the 3.5 had any future in a smaller package than the F-150 or expedition they would’ve kept it.
On paper, the second generation Ford Ecoboost V6 presents an improvement over the 1st generation. This much is obvious, after all. Horsepower jumps up by 10 to 375, and torque improves 50 lb-ft to 470. Power and efficiency increases come courtesy of port fuel injection and more boost. The all new 10-speed transmission aids in efficiency as well. 229 SW Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA. 2016 Ford Explorer XLT. Exterior Color: White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat. Interior Color: Medium Light Camel. Engine: 3.5L V6 Gas (290hp) Transmission:
The 5.0 sounds healthy and strong but its an also-ran. For the record my '21 5.0 runs like a top. Cylinder deactivation is a very sensible way to save fuel. Look at the Wikipedia page for the 3.5 ecoboost engine management features.
Ford’s 3.5L EcoBoost engine is known for its power and fuel efficiency, but certain issues are common in some variants. Intercooler condensation is a problem in some F-150 models due to a design flaw that traps water in high-humidity conditions. A “catch can” apparatus can cost $200 to $400 to fix this issue.
When it comes to headroom, the new Explorer is actually a bit inferior to the old model. First-row headroom, for instance, decreased from 41.4 to 40.7 inches, while second-row headroom fell from
Hmx8Q6. 470 267 317 296 98 335 230 440 78

explorer 3.5 vs 2.3 ecoboost