2025 Ford Explorer First Drive Review: A Big Step Forward

The Ford Explorer is America’s all-time best-selling SUV, according to the Blue Oval. For over thirty years it’s been hauling larger families around, and Ford’s tried to keep it up to date over time – the latest refresh, however, is one worth talking about.

The Ford Explorer gets an assortment of updates for 2025 to make this seven-passenger SUV better all-around. Updates include a refreshed exterior, redesigned interior with more premium materials, and BlueCruise hands-free driving on select trims. The Explorer also features the first application of the all-new Ford Digital Experience, and infotainment system that allows for greater personalization and seamless voice control.

This isn’t an all-new Explorer, so some things are unchanged, including the engine options. Still, this is a significantly improved Explorer that offers more style, more features, and more reasons we were glad to get some time with it at the First Drive event.

First Drive events provide our initial impressions of a vehicle in a restricted environment under certain time constraints. Keep an eye on CarBuzz for our comprehensive Test Drive review which will follow soon.

Exterior: All About That Grille

First impressions matter, so the Ford Explorer gets an exterior redesign to make it more unique and more eye-catching. The front end especially looks fresh and features unique design elements for each trim. What they all get is a larger grille, new slim LED headlamps, and wider air curtains. It’s a big improvement and gives the Explorer more character.

The base Active trim has a sawtooth design black mesh grille with chrome bars, while the ST-Line has a honeycomb pattern in gloss black with a black mesh insert. Higher up in the range, the Platinum gets a wing design grille in satin chrome and ebony, while the ST adds ST badging to the grille to help set it apart.

This refresh gives the Explorer a more premium look, which is something it sorely needs to compete with cars like the Mazda CX-90 – an SUV bordering on premium status these days. The same can be said for rivals like the new Jeep Grand Cherokee and Kia’s excellent Telluride. All but the base Active also have the option for a black roof for extra contrast. Around back, LED taillamps extend toward the rear badging to finish off the design. It’s a big improvement and makes the Explorer stand out in the segment where it used to blend in.

Interior: Quality And Style

We’ll be the first to say that the interior of the previous Explorer was somewhat lacking. It wasn’t that it was bad, but that it didn’t have the visual punch and premium materials of the competition. That’s a drawback that Ford has largely corrected with the redesigned Explorer. It’s partly the materials, but also partly the physical space with a dashboard that’s further away from passengers to make the interior feel more open and roomy.

Each trim in the lineup now has its own standard theme. The Active gets a gray interior with bronze accent stitching, while the ST-Line gets a more striking black with red accent stitching and ActiveX synthetic leather seats. The ST builds on that look with suede inserts to enhance the sporty vibes it’s supposed to give off. The Platinum gets a rich brown called Mojave Dusk leather with matching accent stitching – clearly the more mature option in the lineup.

There’s less plastic, which not only looks better, but feels better. Especially in the Platinum trim, this is a comfortable, spacious interior that will make family road trips more enjoyable for everyone. Options packages include premium leather seats, tri-diamond perforation, a heated second row, a power-folding third-row, and wireless charging depending on the trim level.

Interior and Seating: Family Friendly

There’s seating for up to seven in every trim except the ST, which has second-row captain’s chairs only and space for six. The rest of the lineup offers them as an option. If you really need seating for seven, then a second-row bench is the way to go, otherwise we prefer the captain’s chairs.

They’re more comfortable for adults by far, and they put a little distance between the kids to avoid squabbles. It’s also better for third row access. It takes an adult to move the second row out of the way, no matter the style of the seat. With captain’s chairs, kiddos can just walk right through the middle to get back there when you have a full crew on board. If your crew is eight passengers strong, you’ll need to upgrade entirely to the Explorer’s big brother, the Ford Expedition.

Up front, the seats are downright plush with plenty of support. They’re exactly the kind of seats you want for long family road trips or while waiting for the kids. The driver’s seat has 10-way power adjustability while the front passenger gets four-way power seats. Both are heated, so there’s no worries about winter’s chill. Adding to the comfort is a smooth, compliant ride. It’s the perfect environment for kids to doze off on long trips. Wind and road noise are largely unnoticeable and rough pavement isn’t a bother.

There’s room for cargo too, with 16.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 46.0 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.8 cubic feet behind the first row. The wide tailgate opening accommodates bulky cargo and features a standard power liftgate. There’s also a low load floor that makes getting heavy stuff into the Explorer easier.

Infotainment: The Ford Digital Experience

Debuting in the 2025 Ford Explorer is the Ford Digital Experience. This isn’t simply an updated version of the Sync setup, but rather a whole new system. It includes a new instrument cluster, new infotainment screen, and Google apps and services with Google Assistant and Google Maps.

It offers personalization with individual profiles, so the content you want to see is always readily available. There’s a standard 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, both of which can display navigation, so it’s less likely you’ll miss your turn.

The system focuses on voice control, prioritizing Google Assistant, but also has Alexa functionality. A simple voice command controls everything from cabin temperature to texting to managing connected devices at home. There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Standard USB ports in every row along with wireless charging and a convenient spot for two devices up front make staying connected easy for everyone. This feels like an infotainment system we don’t need to complain about.

Additionally, when parked, you can watch videos, stream content, surf the web, and even play games with a keyboard connected via Bluetooth to make it as easy as possible. Over-the-air (OTA) updates keep things up-to-date while 5G connectivity with the ability to hotspot up to 10 devices makes sure no one is left out.

Connectivity is increasingly important when we’re in our cars and this system is a big step forward for Ford. The large screen, comprehensive app offering, and ability to use voice control make it less distracting and provide the kind of connectivity that makes the transition from home to car seamless. It’s easy to use, with clear menus and a responsive touchscreen, and good voice control. We also loved the side-by-side storage for smartphones up front that keep them in easy reach and secure so they don’t slide around.

Powertrain: Nothing New Here

One thing that’s unchanged is powertrain options. Base trims get a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. A 3.0-liter V6 engine with 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque is optional. Both are paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. The base engine does the job without complaint, but if you’re looking for better responsiveness, then go with the V6 – just know it’s not available on all trims.

You can get the V6 on the Platinum as an option, but it’s the only choice on the ST, so you do have a bit of a price increase to get that performance. Whichever you choose, the engine is quiet and well-mannered with smooth shifts. Even under heavy acceleration, it doesn’t sound strained.

That smooth engine is paired with responsive handling that makes driving this SUV on winding roads easy. There’s not much body roll with steering that isn’t sporty but isn’t so relaxed that it’s sloppy. The ride remains controlled whether cruising the highway or a country road. Both engines allow for max towing of up to 5,000 lbs, which is also great for family vacations with a trailer hitched.

Drive Impressions: Smooth and Solid

The Ford Explorer has comfortable seating that is easy to position for a good view of the road and a revised dashboard that creates more open space. This is a big, three-row SUV, and it feels like one whether you’re sitting in the front seats or the second row. Even the third row, though smaller than the rest, is roomy enough for adults to be comfortable as long as the trip isn’t a terribly long one.

Improvements to the interior are dramatic. There’s less plastic and more soft touch surfaces, so the spots where you rest your hands and elbows are more comfortable. It’s also quiet, with a minimum of road and wind noise. A rainy night before our drive left wet roads and plenty of puddles, but the noise of driving through it all didn’t create a racket in the cabin.

The two engine options have a big difference in horsepower, but even the base engine has plenty of get up and go, so you won’t be disappointed in the 4-cylinder. If you do step up to the V6, expect improved acceleration that’s aggressive when you mash the gas.

The Ford Explorer features plenty of driver assistance technologies along with available BlueCruise 1.2, which is the latest version of its Level 2 hands-free driving system. It’s a big improvement over the prior version with more intuitive movement, including in-lane repositioning. This subtly adjusts lane centering when there’s a large vehicle in the adjacent lane so you don’t feel like it’s too close. There’s also new assisted lane change. Simply tap the turn signal and the system checks to see that it’s clear before making a lane change. It’s a great feature on road trips.

Conclusion: A Big Step Up

Although this isn’t an all-new version of the Ford Explorer, it still shows off some pretty big changes. The exterior redesign is nice, but the interior redesign makes it a much more attractive SUV – the difference is dramatic. Pricing starts at under $40k, but you’ll pay more than $55k for the top-spec ST with the V6 engine. These prices exclude options and $1,595 destination fee.

BlueCruise 1.2 with its improved functionality makes long drives less tiring and the new Ford Digital Experience makes the infotainment system a priority rather than an afterthought. Affordable pricing also keeps it well within the family budget, making the 2025 Ford Explorer worth a closer look.