Used 2023 Ford Explorer

Those who learn at the master’s feet will eventually become masters themselves. So it is with the Ford Explorer and the many midsize SUVs that have followed in its venerable wake.

Although the Explorer has plenty of family-friendly credentials — like the Top Safety Pick+ accolade from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the availability of all-wheel drive, plenty of standard driver assistance features, and great towing talents — it still needs to compete with newer, more impressive lower-priced rivals.

Now in its sixth generation, the Explorer range encompasses a fairly well-equipped base model, a lavish Platinum trim, an off-road specialist, and a tarmac-tearing ST somewhere in between.

Ford really has a talent for creating enjoyable drives, even in a midsize 3-row SUV like the 2023 Explorer. It feels secure, stable, and kind of nimble. Yet the ride quality remains comfortable over most road surfaces.

We like the 10-speed automatic transmission as well. The top three ratios work best on the freeway, keeping engine speed (and, therefore, fuel consumption) relatively low.

When driving in the suburbs, though, we sometimes felt that the transmission wasn’t exactly sure which gear it wanted to be in. Also, the shifter is a rotary control, which might take a little getting used to.

Outward vision is just fine, helped by the raised driving position, with extra information coming from the standard blind-spot monitoring system.

Some rivals come close, but none of them reach the 300-horsepower mark of the Explorer’s base turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. However, the new turbo 4-cylinder in the Toyota Highlander does match the 310 lb-ft of torque. This amount of muscle is more than adequate for what most people will ask of their midsize 3-row SUVs.

Those asking for more should find the 400-horsepower V6 in the ST, King Ranch, and Platinum trims highly desirable. Yes, it enables the top towing ability of 5,600 pounds. But more excitingly, this is serious power. It’s among our favorite engines currently in production, bar none.

In the ST version, with its sport-tuned suspension and optional performance brakes, this twin-turbocharged V6 helps create that rare marriage of a family vehicle with enthusiast appeal.

For a lower-emissions approach, there’s a hybrid drivetrain making a perfectly punchy 318 horsepower. But it’s available only in the Limited and Platinum trims.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of midsize 3-row SUVs, including this Ford Explorer.

Ford needs to raise the quality of its cabin materials. The cheap look and feel of various components in the 2023 Explorer’s 3-row cabin don’t compare well to rivals from Kia, Hyundai, or Mazda.

The base Explorer accommodates seven occupants and 10 cup holders. A 3-position bench in the second row is replaced by a pair of captain’s chairs in the one-up-from-base XLT, making it a 6-seater. Those captain’s chairs can slide forward to maximize cargo space or move back for a comfortable 39 inches of legroom. The Kia and Hyundai contenders have more.

Somewhat less comfortable is life in the third row. Low-set cushions and 32 inches of legroom make this area better suited for younger and smaller family members. It’s among the segment’s tighter third rows.

Behind the third row is a luggage area of 18.2 cubic feet. With rows two and three folded down, the maximum cargo space is 87.8 cubic feet. That’s perfectly fine for the class. The cargo area also has a 12-volt outlet.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration is standard in every 2023 Explorer SUV. Not wireless, though, in any of the trims — which is a bit behind the times.

Double-pull hood release
It’s inevitable that we’ll need to take a look under the hood at some point. Instead of the usual release lever in the cabin and then the by-feel search-around for the other clip, this arrangement just requires pulling the hood release lever twice, and the thing is ready to lift.

10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen
This becomes available in the Limited Technology package, replacing the standard 8-inch display. Set vertically, it has swipe and pinch-to-zoom functions, plus a split-screen mode to show, for example, navigation and phone information simultaneously.

Timberline model
This is the off-roading Explorer SUV, with all-wheel drive as standard (including a terrain management system), a dedicated suspension setup, and actual metal skid plates instead of the plastic pretenses found on some off-road-wannabe rivals.

12.3-inch digital driver information display
This can be customized by the driver to show whatever information is most essential at the time. It also has a more minimal Mindful mode, cutting down on any info that might be distracting. Available in ST, King Ranch, and Platinum trims.

Active Park Assist
Sadly an option now and only available with the ST and Platinum models, this is a self-parking system that works for both parallel and perpendicular spaces. It will also drive itself out of a parallel space.

Perhaps not the most important aspect of a midsize 3-row SUV, but the basic engine in the 2023 Explorer is among the most powerful in its class. The turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder unit makes 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

It only gets better from here. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 in the ST, King Ranch, and Platinum trims develops 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. This is also remarkable for the sector.

In its wisdom, Ford has decided to make the hybrid drivetrain available only in the Limited and Platinum trims. This setup has a total output of 318 horsepower and 322 lb-ft of torque. Power delivery and braking feel aren’t nearly as refined as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s, for instance.

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the standard configuration in most versions, with all-wheel drive (AWD) on the options list. The one exception is the Timberline, which has AWD as standard. All variants employ a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Maximum towing figures are: 5,000 pounds (hybrid), 5,300 pounds (4-cylinder engine), and 5,600 pounds (twin-turbo V6).

It’s OK to use regular gasoline with any of these engines. Fuel economy estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relate to 2022, although we don’t anticipate any changes for 2023.

2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (Base, XLT, ST-Line, Timberline, Limited)
300 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
310 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/28 mpg (RWD), 20/27 mpg (AWD), 19/22 mpg (Timberline AWD)

3.3-liter V6 + electric motor (Hybrid: Limited & Platinum)
318 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
322 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/28 mpg (RWD), 23/26 mpg (Limited AWD), 23/24 mpg (Platinum AWD)

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (ST, King Ranch, Platinum)
400 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
415 lb-ft of torque @ 3,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/26 mpg (RWD), 18/24 mpg (AWD)

More Explorer fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.

3-year/36,000-mile warranty

The new-vehicle warranty on a 2023 Explorer is for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. The powertrain is covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. The hybrid’s battery has its own 8-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Through the FordPass plan, three complimentary services are available, with the final one at 22,500 miles.