Ford sells a ton of Explorer SUVs. Old or new, it’s probably one of the more populous cars on the road, in police fleets, and on CarGurus. But the current model is starting to feel a bit long in the tooth compared to newer, more advanced rivals. That won’t remain a problem for long (sort of), as Ford recently introduced the 2025 Ford Explorer with substantive updates to its styling and interior.
The Explorer’s powertrains remain unchanged, with a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder as the standard offering. It makes 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. A twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 is available, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains are reportedly mated to a retuned 10-speed auto. The SUV keeps its rear-drive bias, and four-wheel drive is still available.
Ford gave the Explorer a new face for 2025, with the Active trim featuring a sawtooth grille with black mesh and chrome bars. The ST-Line and ST get honeycomb gloss-black grilles, and the ST adds red badging. The top Platinum trim gets a wing design grille with satin chrome and black accents. Ford offers seven new wheel designs, with sizes from 18 to 21 inches.
Each trim gets a unique interior look, ranging from the dark grey, bronze, and black accents in the Active trim to the “Mojave Dusk” interior theme for the Platinum model. The sporty ST and ST-Line get black interior finishes with red stitching, and the ST adds Miko suede inserts to the upholstery.
Interior tech got an upgrade, with a standard 13.2-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ford also equips a 12.3-inch configurable digital gauge cluster, Amazon Alexa capabilities, eight USB ports with two for third-row passengers, three 12-volt powerpoints, and a Class III trailer tow package. Buyers can also add Blue Cruise, a hands-free driving assistance feature.
Ford Co-Pilot 360 Assist+ comes standard, bringing features like blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure alerts, and more. The 2024 Explorer earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick award for the 2023 calendar year, so the new model should perform at the same level.
If you’re hoping to get a 2025 Explorer, the order books opened this morning. You’re looking at a $41,220 starting price, including destination, and deliveries should start in the second quarter of this year.
