2024 Ford Explorer

Capable of seating seven (base trim), the 2024 Ford Explorer holds a strong resume for engine power, towing capability, and sporty driving dynamics. It also boasts safety credentials in the form of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s coveted Top Safety Pick award, as well as providing Ford’s Co-Pilot360 bundle of advanced safety technologies. Furthermore, it looks downright menacing sitting in a parking lot full of less stylish rivals.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of midsize SUVs, including the Ford Explorer.

Despite early rumors of some extensive updates for the 2024 Ford Explorer, it hits dealer showrooms unchanged. A significant makeover is on deck for the 2025 model. Ford did discontinue the Explorer’s hybrid powertrain for 2024.

Bracketing the Explorer’s price in Ford’s range of SUVs is the smaller Escape ($28,000) and the hulking Expedition ($55,525).

The Explorer’s starting price is about average for midsize 3-row SUVs. The Kia Telluride is a little more, while the Subaru Ascent is a bit less.

Our recommendation when shopping for an Explorer is the most popular XLT trim. As is also the case with full-size pickup trucks, even the base Explorer offers so many options and option packages that you can pretty much dress out any grade Explorer to your specifications. However, the XLT doesn’t cost much more than the entry trim yet brings along a host of standard extras like proximity keyless entry with push-button start, heated outboard mirrors, heated front seats, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. We argue that the step up to the XLT is a bargain.

Before buying the Ford Explorer, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. To date, the Ford Explorer has an about-average track record for retaining its value.

The source of thrust for most 2024 Explorer trim levels is the 300-horsepower EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine carried over from last year. Power reaches the rear wheels — or all four wheels, when so equipped — by way of a 10-speed automatic transmission. Among the Explorer’s rivals, only the Buick Enclave (310 horsepower) and Chevy Traverse (305 horsepower) best the Ford’s number. The rest of the pack trails somewhere below 300. The Explorer can run to 60 mph in about 6.0 seconds. That puts it in the top tier of the segment for off-the-line acceleration. If more oomph is to your liking, the ST, King Ranch, and Platinum grades come with a 400-horsepower twin-turbo V6.

We find the Ford Explorer comfortable enough, particularly in view of its sporty driving dynamics and performance-oriented engines. Without gushing, we feel confident in saying the Explorer delivers one of the more driver-pleasing experiences among midsize 3-row SUVs.

Fuel Economy

The Ford Explorer’s 24 mpg in city-and-highway driving is near the top of its class for gas-only models. That’s with rear-wheel drive. Opting for all-wheel drive will drop that combined figure to 23 mpg. Going with an Explorer version with the V6 and rear-wheel drive gets you 21 mpg or 20 mpg with all-wheel drive. You can check out more fuel economy numbers at the EPA website.

The base Explorer accommodates seven occupants, allowing some to be double-fisted sippers with its 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. Not only do the captain’s chairs make accessing the third row easier, they can slide forward to give third-row occupants more space or move back to create a comfortable 39 inches of second-row legroom. Still, 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. The third-row legroom is near the bottom of the 3-row pack.

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. Both measurements are roughly average for the class. The cargo area also has a 12-volt outlet.

On a less positive note, we find the quality of the Explorer’s cabin material somewhat lacking. When our readers had a complaint about the interior, they cited the same feeling.

We like the Explorer’s exterior lines. Projecting a beefy toughness, it manages to look sporty and rugged at the same time.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration is standard in every 2024 Explorer SUV. It’s 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. In fact, we did during our testing period. Instead of pulling the usual release lever in the cabin and then feeling under the hood for the other clip, this arrangement just requires pulling the hood release lever twice, and the thing is ready to lift. Sometimes it’s the little things, right?

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 specialized 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
The driver can customize this 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.

Granted, many SUV owners probably don’t consider it as the most important aspect of a midsize 3-row SUV, but the basic engine in the 2024 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. In our cross-testing of the Explorer against competitors, this performance advantage was clearly evident. It’s easy to grow accustomed to merging into freeway traffic without drama. It only gets better from the 4-cylinder for performance junkies. 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.

Maximum towing figures are 5,300 pounds (4-cylinder engine) and 5,600 pounds (twin-turbo V6). Rear-wheel drive is the standard configuration in most versions, with all-wheel drive on the options list. The one exception is the Timberline, which has all-wheel drive as standard. All variants employ a 10-speed automatic transmission.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Ford follows most mainstream carmakers issuing the industry-standard bumper-to-bumper limited warranty coverage of three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Likewise, Explorer’s limited powertrain warranty is the usual five years or 60,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Explorer its highest overall safety rating of 5 Stars. Moreover, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety not only rated the Explorer with its top score of Good in every one of its crash tests, it also named it to its Top Safety Pick+ list. The Ford Explorer’s bundle of advanced safety and driver-assist tech includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, high-beam assist, rear-park assist, and more.