OREANDA-NEWS. February 10, 2016.  Giving SUV buyers a fresh option for a sportier-looking ride, Ford adds the new Explorer XLT Sport Appearance Package to its popular full-size SUV lineup for 2017. The addition of the package expands Explorer offerings to six models. Other versions include base, XLT, Limited, Sport and the Platinum edition.

Explorer buyers are demonstrating an interest in unique models. Sales of Explorer Sport and Platinum, the two top models, account for approximately 30 percent of Explorer sales in the U.S. market. The new XLT Sport Appearance Package joins the Explorer family beginning this summer. 

The 2017 Ford Escape, launching in the coming months, will feature a unique Sport Appearance Package as well. 

“Our Sport Appearance philosophy is rooted in the fact that we know exterior appearance is the No. 1 consideration in SUV purchase decisions,” said Omar Odeh, Explorer brand marketing manager. “The XLT Sport Appearance Package is a dramatic offering that gives customers another attractive option.”

The Explorer XLT Sport Appearance Package features updates both inside and out:
• 20-inch Magnetic Gray wheels
• Magnetic Gray grille
• Magnetic Gray mirror caps
• Magnetic Gray rear appliqu?
• Ebony Black body side cladding
• Black roof rack
• Explorer hood badge
• Dark Earth Gray leather for front seats, including outer bolsters by premium leather maker Salerno; Dark Earth Gray Miko® suede for seat back uppers and inserts with Umber scrim, and door trim inserts; Umber contrast stitching
• Explorer logo floor mats

The 2017 Explorer XLT Sport Appearance Package comes equipped with standard XLT features including a 3.5-liter V6 engine, Intelligent Access with push-button start, 10-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, SYNC® 3, LED fog lamps and much more.

“In the market right now, across all our SUVs, customers are looking for unique colors, wheels and interior appointments,” said Odeh. “We’ve worked closely with Ford Design to deliver a unique look that will resonate with customers.”

Beginning this spring, Escape buyers can consider the Sport Appearance Package for 2017 as well – available for Escape SE and Titanium models. The package includes premium 19-inch Ebony Black aluminum wheels and high-gloss upper grille; black beltline molding and front fenders; partial leather sport seats with contrast stitching, and more.

SUV sales remain robust in U.S. market
Driven in part by increased sales to maturing millennials and continued interest from baby boomers – the two largest consumer groups in the U.S. market – SUV performance is robust and is expected to continue through the end of the decade. 

More efficient than ever, with EcoBoost® engines available for every nameplate, Ford-brand SUV sales totaled more than 740,000 vehicles in 2015 – an increase of nearly 7 percent versus a year earlier. Escape sales in 2015 reached 306,492 vehicles – an all-time record. Sales of the new Edge grew 14 percent, with Explorer sales increasing more than 18 percent.