2025 Ford Explorer Is Now A Full-Fledged Crossover

Here I am, enjoying myself in a 2025 Ford Explorer ST, tires squealing as I take the 400-horsepower, 4,700-pound SUV around an autocross course. Thank goodness I don’t have kids. They’d be throwing up all the time if I bought one of those.

The autocross race was the third and final stop on a day dedicated to the updated Explorer. The race began around 8:30 a.m. in the woods west of Ann Arbor, MI, literally wading through mud on a short off-road course in the Explorer Active. This is the new entry-level model, one of only four in a very limited lineup that no longer wears familiar badges like the King Ranch and XLT.

That’s worth pondering for a moment, considering the XLT has been with the Explorer since the beginning—1991, to be exact. We’re talking about more than 30 years of brand equity being thrown away.

A Ford rep told me the company is looking to consolidate the SUV’s trims, though the Escape is currently the only other model offered with an Active trim. However, you can get the ST-Line and Platinum on other models, and those, along with the performance-tuned ST, now comprise the entire 2025 Explorer lineup.

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Whatever you call it, if you liked the way the previous Explorer drove, you’ll like this one, too. The drivetrain is unchanged for 2025, meaning the standard 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine makes 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Power still gets to the ground through a 10-speed automatic transmission, and if you step up to the ST, you’ll get a 400-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. You can also get it as an option on the Explorer Platinum if you don’t want the full-powered ST experience.

What is New, in addition to the larger grille and redesigned front fascia, is a 13.2-inch touchscreen that Ford Explorer Chief Interior Designer Dustin Shedlarski says is like sitting at home watching a big-screen TV. It’s the centerpiece of Ford’s new Digital Experience system, which combines a suite of technologies that, in theory, are designed to replace your smartphone while you’re on the road.

Ford’s Digital Experience comes with a wealth of apps, from Alexa to YouTube, games, an internet browser, and if you’re running late for your quarterly video conference meeting, you can attend from the front seat. Google Assistant will help you sort it all out, and yes, you can still connect your phone for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

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Pros: Plenty of Power, Comfortable Up Front, Well Equipped Even in Base Trim

Unfortunately, the Digital Experience also includes basic climate control functions, which are now only available on the large touchscreen. Fan speed and temperature settings are easy to access, but without any tactile sensation, simply adjusting the fan means taking your eyes off the road. If (like me) you wear thin gloves when winter comes, I imagine this most basic process will be even more difficult. The complexity is not overwhelming, but it will take time for owners to get the hang of it all.

While I didn’t spend much time using the Digital Experience, I did get to cruise down a busy stretch of I-94 in Ford’s updated BlueCruise 1.2. The hands-free technology first arrived in the Explorer on ST-Line, Platinum, and ST trims. This version adds the ability to automatically change lanes, and during my brief time behind the wheel, the changes were as smooth as could be. You’ll have to pay for it, though—BlueCruise 1.2 is a subscription service that costs $800 per year. If you sign up right away, Ford will give you $100 off your first year, or you can pay $75 per month if you only want to use it occasionally. Either way, it’s a pricey upgrade.

Swapping the Active for the ST, I literally drove myself through Hell (Hell, Michigan is a real place) on a winding back road not far from where I grew up. Ford says this is the fastest SUV under $60,000, though you have to forego all-wheel drive to do so. This is where I started to wonder if Ford really intended the Explorer to be an SUV. The ST is a bit harsh, and it has no problem pulling a few Gs in corners. There’s enough hiss to make a normal drive a little less normal, but nothing that made me want to take the long way home.

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Cons: Uncomfortable on Back, Poor Ergonomics, New Technology Requires Expensive Subscription Fees

And there’s no way you’re going to enjoy the ST’s performance with anyone in back. The Explorer’s third row has 32.2 inches of legroom and 38.9 inches of headroom, but it feels much more cramped. Even younger kids might feel cramped if they spend a lot of time in there, and while there’s more room in the second row (39.0 inches of legroom, which drops to 38.3 in the Platinum and ST), things feel a little cramped in there, too. Kudos to whoever designed the Explorer’s seats, though. They’re supportive and very comfortable for both driver and front-seat passenger. And all trim levels have standard heated seats for the first row.

And then came the autocross. The track mirrored the layout Ford uses for its high-performance driving school, something it offers to every new Explorer ST buyer. As such, the ST was the only trim available for us media to critique, and Ford deserves credit for making the SUV fairly agile. But there was not a single spot—on the autocross course, on the highway, or on the back roads of Southeast Michigan—that made me want to keep driving. Is that a knock on the new Explorer? I honestly don’t know.

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To me, the primary mission of an SUV is to haul a bunch of people and stuff comfortably over a variety of terrain. SUVs don’t have to be exciting or thrilling to be good, but between the new Digital Experience system and the emphasis on performance, I suspect Ford wants the Explorer to be very exciting and thrilling. But I wonder… how many Explorer buyers will actually join (or, heaven forbid, host) a video conference from the driver’s seat? How many will pay $700 a year for hands-free highway driving? How many will buy an ST and sign up for the Sports Car Club of America?

High-performance SUVs are nothing new. And technology in vehicles is advancing rapidly. But perhaps Ford is trying to overdo it with the Explorer. This is the SUV that started the SUV trend. It should be focused on the primary mission of an SUV, but instead, it feels distracted. The ST is cool but not a must-have trim for thrill seekers. The technology is impressive but not well-packaged. Oh, and if you want the whole new Digital Experience, this SUV will be another subscription after the first year.

If you get rid of it, you'll end up with a non-functional SUV average as good as competitors like the Honda Pilot. But you can autocross without looking silly, and afterward, you can video call your friends to compare times. If that's what you really need in an SUV, then Ford has you covered.