Ford recently unveiled the 2025 Ford Explorer, and we were given the chance to get an up-close look and a pretty thorough drive of the upcoming SUV during a trip to Michigan. The drive included an off-road section, a highway segment, and a brief trip to Hell, which has a mini-golf course and some pretty decent ice cream.
As far as the vehicle goes, buyers have four trims and two engines to choose from. Rear-wheel drive comes as standard, but you can always (and arguably should) opt for the all-wheel drive variant. On the bottom rung is the “Active” trim, followed by the ST and ST-Line trims. Finally, the Platinum trim is the Ford Explorer’s top-end offering.
Regarding powertrains, a 2.3 liter EcoBoost boasting 310 lb-ft of torque is the economical option. It offers a combined 24 mpg in RWD configuration, with that dropping to 23 mpg combined should you opt for AWD. If you prefer grunt over fuel economy, the 3-liter EcoBoost V6 can crank out 400 horsepower, produces 415 lb-ft of torque, and offers a combined 21 mpg in both RWD and AWD configurations. No matter what engine you opt for, the SUV’s towing capacity is a fair 5,000 pounds.
All trims and powertrains come with a 10-speed gearbox, though the performance-focused ST features paddle shifters for those who like a more hands-on experience. The ST and ST-Line are also packing “performance brakes” and other sports features to help give the vehicle a bit of an edge. Ignoring cosmetics like wheel and color options — the real choice with the 2025 Explorer is between Premium and ST. Do you prefer luxury or performance? Heated massage seats or sports suspension? 0-60 times, or a smooth, stress-free ride? That’s the choice you have to make.
There are a few cosmetic changes and a big tech boost
Visually, the Explorer has had a bit of a facelift this time around. The new grille stands out more than anything, forming the centerpiece of a redesigned front end. New headlamp and foglamp architectures are present, and even the lower end and skidplate have received a bit of a boost. At the back, you’ll spot some new taillamps, a “lightbar” style arrangement, new liftgate architecture, and a “new lower end.”
In terms of tech, you can get a 2025 Explorer with Bluecruise capability built in. A 13.2-inch console and 12.3-inch digital cluster adorn the vehicle’s interior. A new lower console also makes an appearance. On the road, the Explorer feels large but is very controllable. The pace is there, especially in the ST-line model, and you’ll find it easy to stay centered in your lane with the array of driver assists available on the vehicle. This includes advanced features such as evasive steering assist and pedestrian detection, as well as more standard options like lane-keeping assist.
It’s capable of some light to moderate offroading
SUVs tend to be practical vehicles and are traditionally designed to do well off the beaten path. However, as SUVs have become more popular, the average offroading capability has decreased across the class. This makes sense to some degree, as hardcore offroaders aren’t buying the majority of modern SUVs, with the modern customer base preferring comfort features over the kind of build that will help you scale the side of a mountain.
With this in mind, the Ford Explorer retains a fair amount of offroading capability. With a minimum clearance of between 7.6 and 8.2 inches, depending on trim, the Explorer can clear a good number of obstacles in any mode. However, if you want to get specific, “Trail” mode is the standard off-road setting, which allows for wheelspin and helps you keep momentum while slogging through mud, gravel, or similar obstacles. Ford set up a short offroading course as part of the first drive experience for the 2025 Explorer. It contained a few tight turns and some fairly steep ascents and descents, which really helped show off the usefulness of the Explorer’s camera system and its overall maneuverability in less-than-ideal conditions.
The Explorer didn’t really struggle with this course at all. In fact, it made it round just fine in modes like “Eco” mode and even the wheel spin limiting “slippery” mode. It is worth noting that the short offroad course is probably as bad as, if not worse than, any off-road situation the average Explorer owner will encounter unless they go seeking difficult terrain. So it’s pretty capable in a lot of cases.
It does lack specialist features like a locking differential and sway bar disconnects, so you should probably avoid things like rock crawling and other moderate to extreme off-roading activities. That’s the kind of thing Ford makes the Bronco for.
