2025 Ford Explorer: A Three-Row SUV That Still Drives Like a Truck | Greenway Ford of Raytown

Three-row midsize SUVs mostly share a formula: front-wheel-drive platform, four-cylinder engine, seven seats, competent and forgettable. The Explorer takes a different route. It’s built on a rear-wheel-drive platform, which changes how it tows, how it handles, and what you can get under the hood.

That matters if you need three rows but don’t want to give up capability to get them. Here’s how the 2025 Ford Explorer breaks down.

Two Engines, Two Different SUVs

2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder. 300 horsepower, 310 lb.-ft. of torque. Standard. This isn’t the underpowered base engine the segment usually gives you. 300 horsepower moves a loaded Explorer with the family in it, and EPA estimates reach up to 29 mpg highway.

3.0L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6. 400 horsepower, 415 lb.-ft. of torque. Available on ST and Platinum. This is the reason people cross-shop the Explorer against SUVs costing considerably more. It turns a school-run vehicle into something genuinely quick.

Both use a 10-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with Intelligent AWD available. For Missouri winters, AWD is worth the money, and on a rear-drive platform it’s a real traction system rather than a front-drive setup with a rear axle attached.

Towing is rated up to 5,300 pounds when properly equipped, which covers a mid-size camper, a boat, or a utility trailer. Confirm the rating on the specific configuration before matching it to a trailer.

The Interior Got a Real Redesign

The dashboard moved forward, which opens up the front of the cabin more than the spec sheet suggests. Two screens run the show: a 13.2-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The touchscreen runs Ford’s Google-based system with native Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Alexa Built-In. The practical difference from a typical factory system is that navigation is the actual Google Maps you already use, with live traffic, rather than a lesser version you’ll ignore in favor of your phone. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are there anyway, along with a wireless charging pad and dual-phone storage.

Seating goes up to seven. Materials range from ActiveX through Miko suede to Sanctuary leather depending on trim, and ambient lighting offers seven colors.

Cargo reaches up to 87.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. More useful day to day is the space behind the third row, which is where most families actually live. It handles a grocery run with all seven seats up, which not every SUV in this class manages.

Trims carry distinct interior themes: Black Onyx with red stitching on ST and ST-Line, Mojave Dusk leather with Salt Crystal Gray accents on Platinum, and an Ultra Dark Space Gray theme on Active.

Safety: A Legitimately Strong Record

The 2025 Explorer earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, the organization’s highest designation. It rated Good, the top score, in small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side crash testing, along with front crash prevention for pedestrians. NHTSA rates it 5 stars overall.

One detail worth knowing if you’re shopping used or older stock: the IIHS award reflects headlight updates made during the 2025 model year, and headlight ratings varied by trim on earlier builds. If a specific vehicle’s award status matters to you, ask us to check that VIN’s build date.

Ford Co-Pilot360 is standard, including Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, BLIS with Cross-Traffic Alert, a Lane Keeping System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering, and Rear Automatic Braking.

A 360-degree camera is available, and so is BlueCruise, Ford’s hands-free highway driving system, which operates on mapped Blue Zone highway sections with an active subscription.

One honest note for parents: like most three-row SUVs, the Explorer’s third-row LATCH anchors are harder to use than the second row’s. If you’re installing car seats in the third row regularly, come try it with your actual seats before buying. That’s true across the segment, and it’s the kind of thing you only discover in a parking lot at 7 a.m.

Outside

The front end is wider and more aggressive, with LED headlamps and taillights and available 21-inch Magnetite alloy wheels. Two-tone roof options are available, and the color palette includes Star White Tri-Coat and Vapor Blue.

Who the Explorer Is For

It fits if you need three rows, want to tow more than a crossover can manage, and would rather have a rear-drive platform than the front-drive norm in this class. The ST makes sense if you want genuine performance and refuse to buy a minivan to get the space.

It’s less of a fit if maximum fuel economy is your first priority or if you never use the third row, in which case a two-row SUV gives you the same cargo space for less money. We’d rather point you there than sell you a row you won’t use.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people does the 2025 Ford Explorer seat? Up to seven passengers across three rows, depending on configuration.

What engines are available in the 2025 Ford Explorer? Two. A 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder producing 300 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque is standard. A 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 producing 400 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft. is available on ST and Platinum trims. Both use a 10-speed automatic transmission.

How much can the 2025 Ford Explorer tow? Up to 5,300 pounds when properly equipped. Capability varies by engine and equipment, so confirm the rating for the specific vehicle.

Is the 2025 Ford Explorer safe? It earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award, rating Good in small overlap front, moderate overlap front, and side crash tests, plus front crash prevention for pedestrians. NHTSA rates it 5 stars overall.

How much cargo space does the Explorer have? Up to 87.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, with usable space behind the third row when all seven seats are in use.

Does the 2025 Explorer have all-wheel drive? Rear-wheel drive is standard and Intelligent AWD is available.

What’s the fuel economy of the 2025 Ford Explorer? EPA estimates reach up to 29 mpg highway, depending on engine and drivetrain.

Where can I test drive a Ford Explorer near Kansas City? Greenway Ford at 9505 E 350 Hwy in Raytown, MO. Browse our Explorer inventory or contact us at 816-482-3921.

Come Sit in One

Three-row SUVs are hard to judge from a spec sheet, because the numbers don’t tell you whether your family fits. Bring the car seats. Fold the third row. Put the stroller in back.

Browse our current Explorer inventory, see how the Explorer compares to its competition, or look at our full SUV and crossover lineup if you’re still narrowing things down.

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