Everything That’s New On The 2025 Ford Explorer Break Cover

Summary

• The 2025 Ford Explorer offers a bold redesign, with a larger grille and aggressive exterior styling, aiming to level up the family name and provide a more enjoyable driving experience.
• The powertrain options include a turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine producing 400 horsepower, making it the most powerful version of the Explorer yet.
• The interior of the 2025 Explorer is sophisticated and modern, with a roomier feel and customizable color and material options. Advanced technology features, including a massive touchscreen, Ford Digital Experience infotainment system, and driver-assist functions, enhance the overall driving experience.

The tried and true Ford Explorer returns for the 2025 model year with a fresh face and some all-new cosmetic options. The Ford Explorer is among America’s all-time best-selling SUVs, and it’s not hard to see why. Looking back on the loyal utility vehicle’s past reveals over three decades of consistent service to the average buyer.

The Explorer provides buyers with an affordable option that comes with premium standard and optional features. The exterior received an aggressive redesign which changes the stance and dimensions of the Explorer as well as accommodates various upgrade packages. Taking a look inside will reveal a new look as well, as Ford turned the SUV inside out in order to provide new customers, and old customers, with a reason to give the 2025 Explorer a second look.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Ford, Ford Media Room, Auto Trader, Ford Authority, and KBB.

2025 Model Year Redesign Turns Up The Attitude Of The Loyal Explorer

The Explorer has long been the go-to SUV in terms of American utility vehicles, as observed in the long-running nameplate’s popularity. An easily identifiable vehicle, the 2025 Explorer aims to level up the family name with bold exterior styling and an interior that is as enjoyable to sit in as the SUV is to drive. To achieve this goal, Ford made sure to jam-pack the 2025 model with their most up-to-date tech, safety, and assist functions, as well as include premium material options and a wider range of color options.

The resulting SUV is one that can be tailored to fit almost any lifestyle. From back-road driving to ten-hour road trips, the 2025 Explorer has all the bells and whistles to make the drive less of a drive and more of a relaxing stroll. Ford aims to retain the affordable price point synonymous with the Explorer while providing buyers with features, both standard and optional, that will indefinitely elevate the feel and overall presence of the Explorer.

Bold Exterior Design For Each Grade

Immediately, upon viewing the 2025 Explorer, one notices the larger grille area and wider front end. A lower, wider air curtain helps lower the vehicles’ visual center of gravity, providing that aforementioned aggressive appearance. The 2025 model starts at $39,625 and comes in four trim levels, each grade receiving its own unique grille pattern and color.

2025 Ford Explorer Grades And Grille Design

• Active – Saw-tooth design, black mesh grille with chrome bars
• ST-Line – Honeycomb gloss black grille with black mesh insert
• ST – Honeycomb gloss black grille with black mesh insert and “ST” badging
• Platinum – Unique wing design, satin chrome and ebony grille

Along with the identifying grilles, there are seven wheel options that add another layer of customer customization, and that’s before you ever enter the vehicle. Options that further enhance the exterior appearance include an available painted-black roof for higher grades, though painted brake calipers are specific to certain upgrade packages, which brings us to our next point.

The packages offered for the 2025 Explorer feature interior, exterior, and performance upgrades that reflect their driver’s spirit. From the luxurious white leather offered in the Platinum Lux Leather Package to the aggressive ST-Line Street Package’s performance brakes with red-painted front and rear calipers, the only limitation is your imagination… and budget.

2025 Explorer Upgrade Packages And Features

• Platinum Lux Leather – Premium Sanctuary white leather on all seats and surfaces, available in Salt Crystal gray or Mojave Dusk
• Platinum Ultimate – Includes all the “Platinum Lux Leather” upgrades, plus 400-horsepower 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 and 21-inch Dark Allow polished aluminum wheels
• ST-Line Premium – Adds power-folding side mirrors, heated second-row seats, ambient lighting, rain-sensing wipers, and a wireless charging pad
• ST-Line Street – Adds 21-inch Magnetite-painted aluminum wheels, performance brakes, and red-painted front and rear performance calipers
• Active Comfort – Adds heated steering wheel, ActiveX seating material, and light Space Gray panels with Harvester Bronze accent stitching

The 2025 Explorer Is The Most Powerful Version Yet

Along with the many new cosmetic options, the powertrain and drivetrain received a refresh in terms of performance and economy. Buyers get the option of two powertrain options, both of them being Ford’s loyal EcoBoost. The base model packs a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Taking the meter up a notch introduces the heartier 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6, which cranks out 400 horses and 415 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful to grace the Explorer in its more than three decades in production.

Both engine options connect to a re-calibrated 10-speed automatic transmission, which sends power to the standard rear-wheel driveline, though four-wheel drive is an option for all grades. Intelligent four-wheel drive will enhance the utility vehicle’s traction for those buyers who experience rougher road conditions, or simply like to drive the family out to the lake on weekends. Why not take the boat with you? The 2025 Explorer boasts a respectable 5,000-pound tow capacity across both engine options. A standard class III trailer tow package provides ample equipment for recreational haulers, with respect to the power and driveline of choice.

Standard Terrain Management System For All Grades

The 2025 Explorer is designed to, well, explore. As Ford says, “It’s all in the name”, and with six standard driving modes, the Explorer will make sure you get there safely. Those who opt for a 4WD Explorer will also receive deep snow/sand mode, which is sure to make the Explorer a formidable trekker. Though no confirmation of an off-road Explorer Raptor has been announced, some predict a more capable model, maybe an Explorer Tremor.

Standard Terrain Management Driving Modes

• Normal
• Eco
• Sport
• Tow/Haul
• Slippery
• Trail

Redesigned Interior And All-New Tech Usher In A New, More Refined Era Of The Explorer

As soon as you enter the cabin, you’re not only greeted by a sophisticated and modern layout, but you notice a roomier feel. This is thanks to Ford pushing the dash forward to increase passenger space, making the 2025 Explorer truly the next step in affordable SUVs. Ford’s taking all the winning recipes from their past and present models and equipping the Explorer with what has made customers happy throughout the decades.

All-new color options also offer buyers a say in the final appearance and material. As was the case with the exterior, the interior color and material combinations are unique to each grade, with the exception of the before-mentioned cosmetic packages, giving each one a complete personality of its own. By now, I’m sure we’ve established that there are nearly endless ways you could option the 2025 Explorer. You could quite literally build a one-of-a-kind Explorer, which is an interesting thought.

Interior Color And Material Options By Grade

• Active – Ultra dark gray panels with Harvest Bronze accent stitching
• ST-Line – Black Onyx panels, Black Onyx ActiveX seats with cloth inserts and red accent stitching
• ST – Black Onyx panels, Black Onyx ActiveX seats with Miko suede inserts and red contrast stitching
• Platinum – Mojave Dusk leather panels and seats with matching accent stitching

Advanced Technology And Entertainment

The plush interior surrounds the modern tech around every corner of the cabin, though it’s hard to miss the huge screens and available charging. The standard for all grades is the massive 12.3-inch touchscreen and 13.2-inch digital gauge cluster. Apple and Android apps are standard as well, but the real fun starts with the new Ford Digital Experience infotainment system, featured for the first time ever on the 2025 Explorer.

Ford Digital Experience allows better connection to your digital life on the go by allowing more access to profiles, content, and apps, including a Ford-exclusive version of the racing game Asphalt Nitro 2, which can be played via Bluetooth controller on the big center screen. The heated front seats are power-adjustable, and heated second-row seating is available via the ST-Line Premium package. A whopping eight USB charging ports and three 12-volt powerpoints keep all devices and tools charged. However, a wireless charging station is optional for that added ease of use.

Standard Driver Assist And Safety Cap Off The 2025 Explorer’s Superb Offering

Included in all 2025 Ford Explorers is Ford’s Co-Pilot360 Assist+, their own suite of safety and assist functions that make driving both safer and more relaxing. Included in the suite are such features as blind spot monitor, lane keep assist, and pre-collision assist, or just about what you’d expect from most modern assist suites. However, Ford’s Assist+ variant adds advanced functions, including evasive steering and post-collision braking.

Ford BlueCruise comes equipped with certain grades, which enable hand-free highway driving with Stop & Go and lane-centering technology. This nifty feature makes long trips and traffic jams less stressful. BlueCruise is a subscription-based service, though buyers can activate the connected services plan for one year at the time of purchasing and enjoy 90 days of complimentary hands-free highway driving. After the 90-day trial, those interested can purchase connected services plans based on their needs.

Ford Explorer Price

(Souce: Ford)

Overall, the cosmetics and mechanical specs of each grade are specific to their level of luxury and their intended purpose. Along with the new available upgrade options, the buying and shopping aspect is now streamlined to make the buying experience less stressful and confusing. All that to say, the 2025 Explorer is more than meets the eye, and Ford is confident that their latest entry to the SUV segment is one that will set a new standard among modern affordable SUV options.