Ford Shakes Up SUV World With Its 2025 Explorer

The automaker takes its market-leading SUV and changes up quite a lot.

The adventure continues. Ford Explorer – America’s all-time best-selling SUV – sets a new standard again with an updated lineup of models, all featuring a redesigned interior, advanced new technology and bolder exterior styling to create Ford’s best Explorer yet.

Explorer has helped define SUV

Explorer has helped define SUV comfort, performance, and functionality for more than three decades. The new 2025 Explorer lineup – from well-equipped Active to stylish ST-Line to high-performance ST and top-of-the-line Platinum – continues that legacy with a more refined cabin that features sophisticated new color, texture, and material choices and introduces the new Ford Digital Experience infotainment system.

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For the first time, Explorer drivers who opt for ST-Line, ST, and Platinum models can enjoy the convenience of Ford BlueCruise hands-free highway driving.

“For nearly 35 years, families have chosen the Ford Explorer, making it America’s all-time best-selling SUV. We have refined almost every part of the new Explorer – focusing on a redesigned interior, additional technology like BlueCruise hands-free highway driving, and special editions like the 400-horsepower Explorer ST. It’s the right combination to deliver the new Explorer experience.

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The redesigned interior catches the eye with fine details, surfaces, and colors, including new wrap-and-stitch soft-touch surfaces on the center console, door panels, a redesigned dashboard, and available ActiveX durable and premium synthetic seating.

Front seating area redefined

The dashboard has been pushed forward to give front-row passengers a more open and spacious cabin. An integrated tray below the touchscreen houses an available wireless phone charging pad, and there are USB connections to charge mobile devices in all three rows.

“The new Explorer starts with a great foundation. Customers told us they love how it drives and the choice of rear and all-wheel drive. So, we focused on improving other areas, including redesigning the interior with new materials, textures, and colors to make sitting inside Explorer as enjoyable as driving one,” said Kelley Clark, Explorer chief engineer.

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Explorer brings new standard interior color schemes across the lineup:

Platinum

• Mojave Dusk leather instrument panel, door panels, and console with matched accent stitching
• Mojave Dusk leather seats with matched accent stitching

ST

• Black Onyx instrument panel, door panels and console with red accent stitching
• Black Onyx ActiveX® seats with Miko suede inserts and red accent stitching

ST-Line

• Black Onyx instrument panel, door panels, and console with red accent stitching
• Black Onyx ActiveX® seats with cloth inserts and red accent stitching

Active

• Ultra Dark Space Gray instrument panel, door panels and console with Harvest Bronze accent stitching
• Dark Gray soft-touch seats with Black Onyx inserts and Harvest Bronze accent stitching

These are the broad outlines of the new Explorer. Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at things.

Ford Motor Photo

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.