Yahoo Autos Tested: 2025 Ford Explorer Grows More Refined, Connected
10/18/24 UPDATE: This review has been updated with instrumented test results for an ST AWD model.
Whether you love technology's ever-encroaching presence in our daily lives, some truths remain: People still have places to go, families still have things to do, and today's tech-laden automobile is integral to both. That line of thinking was top of mind at Ford when it came to improving the Explorer three-row SUV, which benefits from a comprehensive interior-focused update for the 2025 model year.
The current Ford Explorer was introduced for 2020 with a new rear-wheel-drive-based design that, while not game changing, made for meaningful improvements over the generation that it replaced. However, its cabin was quickly upstaged by rivals, both in content and finish, which did little to balance out the ho-hum driving dynamics the Explorer exhibited once you got moving. In a five-way comparison test of three-row SUVs back then, the then-new Ford finished fourth.
Modernized Accommodations
Fast-forward to today, and the Explorer's innards garner the greatest attention. Unsurprisingly, the tech interface takes center stage, with all models getting a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch center touchscreen. Though physical secondary controls are both small in size and limited in number (there is a volume knob at least), this marks the first Ford-branded model to feature the new Ford Digital Experience infotainment system that debuted on the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus.
Climate controls are clearly labeled and always present at the bottom of the center display, and the whole system is crisply rendered and highly intuitive to operate. Based on the Android Automotive operating system, its features are many: Google Maps–based navigation can run on either display, and there's access to the Google Play store, allowing numerous apps, from Waze to YouTube, to be directly downloaded. When parked, you can surf the web via the Vivaldi browser (and eventually Google Chrome), play games and videos, and even host meetings through Webex. Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa can be used for voice control, and the system fully supports over-the-air updates; a Ford Premium Connectivity subscription, the first year of which is free, includes a 5G connection and a Wi-Fi hotspot. And for those who'd rather just mirror their phone, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.
All this is housed in a redesigned six- or seven-passenger environment that enriches the Explorer's ambiance with cleaner styling, nicer materials, and a reasonably quiet atmosphere (68 decibels at 70 mph inside our test car). You won't mistake it for a Lincoln, but it is a pronounced step up from before, particularly in the front row. The new dashboard's highlight is a fabric-covered section that mimics a soundbar and integrates the front speakers, and we appreciate the handy center tray that doubles as an optional wireless charging pad. There's good storage in the deep cubbies of the new center console, now flanked by softly padded rails. Again, features abound, from numerous power outlets and USB ports to available ambient lighting and heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats.
Prominent contrast stitching and metallic-like trim that extend to the door panels nicely break up the forms, and most trims feature easier-to-maintain matte surface treatments instead of shiny piano-black bits. The top Platinum model is an exception, but it makes up for this with attractive model-specific trim and quilted leather upholstery in fetching light Salt Crystal Gray and purple-ish Mojave Dusk hues. The sportier ST-Line and ST trims continue with their red-accented dark interiors, but the base Active trim is arguably the most impressive, with plenty of upscale-looking finishes, plus fabric inserts within its vinyl seat coverings. While cheaper plastics are largely kept out of sight up front, they creep more into view the farther back you move in the cabin. The third row remains a rather unadorned space with uncomfortably low-mounted seat cushions and only a modest amount of legroom.
Smarter Driver Assistance
The Explorer's other major update is the addition of Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving tech, which is available on all but the Active model and, in this latest iteration, closes the gap to GM's Super Cruise in terms of functionality. Operable on around 130,000 miles of limited-access divided highways, the system performed well on our test drive: Lane centering was quite good, automatic lane changes were executed smoothly, and the system only nudged us to retake control around the tightest of bends or when it got confused by convoluted lane markings near interchanges. A new feature is the SUV's ability to automatically adjust its position within its lane if a vehicle in an adjacent lane starts to drift too close. Buyers can activate the system at purchase for $700 or sample it for a 90-day free trial, after which it costs $800 up front or $75 per month.
Despite the myriad enhancements, you'll probably need to see the 2025 Explorer parked next to last year's version to spot the exterior differences. The new model's head- and taillights have been subtly restyled, as have their model-specific grilles. But that's about the extent of it. The greatest tells are the ST model's new dark-finished 21-inch wheels, which also are available on the ST-Line (18s are standard on the Active model; 20s are standard on the ST-Line and Platinum).
Even fewer changes come to the Explorer's driving experience. Virtually none, in fact. Its seats are still flatter and less supportive than we like. Its steering is accurate if short on communication. And its over-the-road demeanor prioritizes comfort, with a composed-if-soft ride, satisfactory body control, and generally less-than-eager handling. ST models like our all-wheel-drive test car, with their stiffer suspension tune, are the most athletic of the bunch and are the only models with paddle shifters for the 10-speed automatic transmission.
They’re also pretty quick, with the 400-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 punting our example to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 100 mph. Just don't expect anything special when you turn the steering wheel or hit the brake pedal, as our example's Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season tires managed only 0.83 g of grip around the skidpad, and the stop from 70 mph required an unexceptional 172 feet. Despite a 20-mpg EPA combined rating, if you drive the ST like the Ford Performance team that tuned it might want you to, its fuel economy won't impress either. We did drive it like that and averaged only 16 mpg, though we have seen a respectable 25 mpg on our 75-mph highway test with a similar 2020 model.
The ST's boosted V-6 also is available in the Platinum (it was previously standard), with the alternative continuing to be a 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder, which should be more than adequate for most users. Regardless of engine, all models now feature the previously optional Trailer Tow package and a 5000-pound towing capacity.
With its pared-down model lineup—Active, ST-Line, Platinum, ST—prices for the 2025 Explorer start at $41,350 and can approach $70K for a loaded ST model. Rear-wheel drive remains standard, with all-wheel drive being a $2000 upgrade on all trims. Sharp eyes will notice the absence of the off-road-oriented Timberline model, which is currently off the roster but expected to make a return in the near future, likely with some additional upgrades. While these latest mid-cycle revisions don't address all of the Explorer's shortcomings, they do provide families with a more sophisticated and technologically convenient place to pass the miles.
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