2025 Ford Explorer ST Review: The Extra Performance Doesn't Change What Matters

I am more than familiar with the Ford Explorer. My family owned one in the late 1990s that we affectionately referred to as "The Exploder" and, since then, I've driven nearly every generation over the years. Ford's perpetually popular SUV is a staple of American roads, and indeed for the 2025 model year specifically, I was able to drive nearly the entire Explorer lineup over the course of a few days in Ford's native Michigan.

That might've been just long enough for me to see and drive a particular car and learn the most important details, but it wasn't quite enough to get a real feel for the given vibe of the SUV. You can't say you've "lived" with a car if you only get to drive it on a race track for 45 minutes.

When Ford dropped off a 2025 Ford Explorer ST for a week's loan, then, I was actually surprised by how much I really liked it after I got to see how the SUV behaved as a spicy commuter.

The ST markets itself as a bit of sport truck, with aggressive coloring and sporty accoutrements. To back up the grandstanding is a 3.0-liter EcoBoost gas engine that churns out a hefty 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Although, if you wanted the true "Muscle Truck," the ST is available with only rear-wheel drive. 

In addition to the engine, the ST version (distinct from the "ST-line") gets you ST badges everywhere, red brake calipers, 21-inch wheels, and a few unique interior trim details. If you want to read how a Ford Explorer ST performs on an autocross course, I wrote about that experience last year. You can forget about having decent fuel economy: 19 miles per gallon isn't fantastic, though it could certainly be worse.

The 2025 Ford Explorer ST makes no bones about what it is: a big, red, sporty SUV that will do a whole lot of sitting in grocery store parking lots and listening to early Black Sabbath. 

It's important to note that, while the ST is the most expensive Ford Explorer trim, it's not the automaker's vision of absolute luxury. For that, you'd want the leather adorned Explorer Platinum. Despite its more race-ready demeanor, the ST was really quite nice to drive, even outside of a race track. The 10-speed auto transmission is responsive and, despite its mass, the Explorer behaved predictably and, dare I say, nimbly. During the week, a friend of mine needed some emergency waterproofing supplies for her business and she didn't have time to leave the check-out counter empty, turning to the Explorer and I for help.

Her shop was in the middle of a pretty crowded city, and to make matters more interesting, it was raining very hard. Fortunately, the Explorer plowed through the rain like it wasn't any big deal, and the steering was tight enough that piloting a big red steamship of an SUV through narrow city streets was a pretty simple task, making the supply run pretty trivial. It's outright easy to drive, despite the fair amount of power on tap.

In terms of interior comfort, the Explorer isn't particularly gaudy or ostentatious. It has cloth seats, with the most mildly aggressive buckets up front and obligatory red stitching being your only indicators that it's the Sporty Explorer. If I had any qualms, it would be that the interior is quite nice, but it's a little staid. I think Ford is definitely playing it safe in a world where interiors — especially those of EVs– are getting wackier by the year. The inside of the Explorer is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not that distinctive either.

As a driver, you get the choice to use Ford's BlueCruise driver assistance technology if you so desire. It's newly equipped on the Explorer for the 2025 model year, a hands-free system that allows you to release the wheel — but still pay attention to the road — on pre-mapped stretches of highway. I can attest that it works just fine; it didn't feel dangerous, and the car didn't do anything goofy, thankfully. But, given the fact I really do enjoy driving, I can safely say the technology isn't for me. It's good to see the option available on more Ford models, though.

Aside from the Emergency Supply City Rainstorm Run, I didn't do anything that interesting when I had the Explorer, and I think that's where the Explorer ST thrives. It is maybe the best car for uneventful daily life. Realistically, you probably won't ever get to fully test the mettle of the EcoBoost V6 under the hood, and a sub-6-second 0-60 time doesn't mean much when you're waiting behind a line of yellow buses at your kid's school. The 5,000 pound towing capacity might only be tested once every few years.

In reality, the Explorer ST is about only about 10-15% more interesting than the Chevy Traverses and Hyundai Palisades sitting next to you in traffic. But that 15% might as well be a million percent with regards to how the Explorer makes you feel driving it. You're not an outright danger to society like the Cadillac Escalade V-Series, but there is a somewhat serious performance car underneath the suburban exterior. It's like having a full Judas Priest-inspired sleeve tattoo under an argyle sweater. No one else may know about it (or really care) but at least you think it's cool. And that's really all that matters when it comes to a car you buy.

Longstanding Ford Explorer buyers and Ford Performance fans who want something to carry groceries are going to buy the 2025 Ford Explorer ST anyway, regardless of what it costs. But for the rest of us, how much does it cost? At its least expensive, the 2025 Explorer Active trim starts at a pretty reasonable $39,785. The top of the line ST bumps that sticker up significantly, to $54,240. For that, you get the 400-horsepower engine and the sporty aesthetic trim pieces.

The Explorer I drove was painted in "Rapid Red," a $495 color. Additionally, it had a Bang & Olufsen sound system and a twin-pane panoramic sunroof as part of the $2,995 "Sun and Sound" package. BlueCruise adds $495 for a one-year subscription plan. Finally, the black painted roof adds a fairly hefty $4,895 to the price. A $1,595 destination charge rounds out the final bill to $66,715 for a big red Ford.

Is $66,000 a lot? Yes, it is. But it makes a little more sense when you compare it to the big SUVs from other American brands. The highest trim Dodge Durango has absolutely no problem eclipsing six-figures if you opt for a Hellcat powertrain. If you're a sane person, the 2025 Dodge Durango has a number of trims over $60,000. The Chevy Traverse, with the right boxes checked, can crest over $60,000 as well. The Explorer is more expensive to be sure, but it's not egregious in context. Still, it slots in significantly higher than cars like the Kia Telluride. 

If it were up to me, I think I would pick the Ford over the rest of the pack. It's a compelling SUV that's completely painless to live with, if you don't mind middling fuel economy. Thirst and a low-key cabin aside, there's nothing outright negative to say about the Explorer because it does exactly what a big, suburbs-dwelling SUV is supposed to do.