5 Things My Family and I Loved (And 2 We Didn’t) About the 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum
The day before the 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum was delivered to my house, I got word that my older sister needed a place to stay during my 16-year-old niece’s lacrosse tournament. Naturally, they were welcome, on one condition: my teenage niece had to sit in the third row. My two toddlers were strapped into the two captain’s chairs in their car seats, and my older sister was in the passenger’s seat. So, for a few days, the Ford Explorer became a real family SUV.
After they’d left, I then drove it from Bend, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington (a distance of 328 miles) to attend an event. So, for three days of the seven, it was also tested as a road trip companion. Spoiler alert: it performed well. The Explorer I tested had the optional 400 horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, which was a very welcome upgrade when packed full of family and LaCrosse gear, and with the upgraded leather interior, had an MSRP of $57,525. Which, compared to the standard equipment it came with and its competitors, was a pretty fair price.
As you can see, the Ford Explorer checked a lot of boxes. During my trip, I got to thinking it’s no wonder police departments use them. They’re surprisingly nimble, very easy to drive, and a lot more efficient than you’d think. But two glaring issues would push me to consider other options, like the Hyundai Palisade or even the Toyota Highlander.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
1. You Wouldn’t Guess It, But She Gets Up and Goes
As I mentioned before, the Ford Explorer I tested had the optional twin-turbo-toting V6 EcoBoost engine in it, which had 400 eager ponies at the ready. If you get the standard engine, it’s the 300 horsepower 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s still plenty powerful, but having the extra torque and horsepower helped transform the Explorer from a large, bumbling SUV into something more nimble (and enjoyable).
There were several instances when driving through the Mt. Hood National Forest area where I was grateful to have the extra power, especially when passing large trucks or other slow pokes. The extra power means a higher overall towing rating of 5,000 pounds, too. So, the Ford Explorer is both quick and strong.
2. For a Full-Sized SUV, the Mileage Wasn’t Too Bad
Despite having a fairly high-output engine under the black agate hood, the mileage wasn’t as bad as I assumed it would be. With two adults, two toddlers in their car seats, a teenager in the third row, and it being full of LaCrosse gear, I got about 18 miles to the gallon. Bend, Oregon, is a bad city to gauge mileage because getting anywhere means slow speeds, frequent stops, and short distances, so I felt like 18 mpg wasn’t that bad, all things considered.
When I hit the highway to head to the Emerald City, I reset the trip meter and averaged about 27 mpg. This time it wasn’t full of people and gear, so I expected a little more mpgs, but with all the trucks I had to pass, I would give the highway mileage a solid B+. If it were the smaller engine, I assume you’d get noticeably better mileage, but I will absolutely trade power for mileage—especially if I plan to haul a bunch of kids or tow.
READ MORE: The 2025 Ford Explorer Just Got a Subtle, Modern Makeover
3. There Was More Space than Meets the Eye
Don’t be fooled, the Ford Explorer isn’t replacing the Expedition. The Explorer still pleasantly bridges the gap between the Bronco and the Expedition. From the outside, the low roofline and wide profile made me think the inside was going to be average. I soon realized there was way more space than I assumed, especially with the third row (3 rows are standard across all four trims) folded down.
The model I drove had the captain’s chairs for the second row, which made installing car seats a breeze, but I would opt for the bench seat—which is still thankfully an option—to open it up for another passenger. The trunk with the 3rd-row folded was massive, and left us plenty of space for my niece’s LaCrosse stick, gear bag, cleats, an extra uniform, and my sister’s lounge gear of an umbrella, lawn chair, and lunch box. With plenty of room to spare.
With the third row up, the trunk is obviously smaller, but still leaves room for maybe one suitcase and a few extras. So, if the third row is going to be used regularly, I’d look into a rooftop cargo box or basket.
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4. The Explorer Was Quite Comfortable, Well, Exploring
I grew up in a Ford Explorer. My mom inherited a 1991 Explorer with the optional part-time 4WD system, and when it kicked the bucket while I was in high school, my dad bought a 2006 Eddie Bauer edition with the 5.0-liter Mustang GT V8 with the navy blue exterior with tan accents. I went on several camping trips and tackled tons of trails in both Explorers, so it only made sense that I’d take the 2025 model off-road while I passed through the Mt. Hood National Forest.
There’s a 4WD badge on the back, but there aren’t any buttons to change the transfer case gears. One of the seven driving modes is “Off-Road,” and when I activated it, it warned me not to use it on the road. I’m assuming this is where the four-wheel drive is best employed. I learned that it’s an intelligent 4WD system that prioritizes mileage by only allowing all four wheels to spin at the same speed (as there are no locking differentials in the center, front, or rear) when slipping or a loss of traction is detected.
So, it’s more of an AWD system, but regardless—it performed exceptionally well, the suspension kept the heifer poised and steady, and it never lost traction. And there were some spots where it certainly should have, especially since it was on normie all-season tires.
READ MORE: The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor Finally Brings 3-Row Capability in a Smaller Sized SUV
5. Massaging Seats and Blue Cruise Made for a Relaxing Drive
As I passed through the mountain pass and dropped into Portland (about three hours from my house), my tush was getting quite sore. I started to fiddle with my seat adjustment, thinking I just needed to adjust the lumbar a tad, and noticed a “Massage” setting on the center screen. Intrigued, I tapped it, and discovered I could have my lower back, upper back, or my rump massaged. I could choose the intensity, too. With a quick tap, my bottom was being massaged. For an added touch, I turned on the seat heater, and before I knew it, I wasn’t sore anymore.
Turning it off was just as easy, too. Once it was active, I just had to tap the center of the seat adjuster, and it would bring up the menu again where I could change intensity, location, or turn it off. I’d never driven long distances with massaging seats, and I’ll be honest—I’m not sure how I’ll cope not having them anymore.
On the way home, I ran into the same issue. So, I resorted to the same solution: butt massage. But I noticed a different light on the dashboard, and a message saying, “Blue Cruise Available.” It told me to tap a button on the steering wheel. Traffic on I-5 was particularly intense, but after I set the speed, the Ford Explorer handled the rest. Seriously. I’ve never felt more pampered—the Explorer was driving itself while massaging my sore butt at the same time. Suddenly, sitting in traffic wasn’t so bad. Especially after I turned up my tunes through the 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
READ MORE: Ford Blue Cruise 1.5 Does The Driving When You Don’t Want To
Now, For What I Didn’t Like… First, Interior Materials Were Chintzy
I acknowledge that I’m very picky when it comes to interiors. While I loved the layout and design of the Explorer, I was appalled by how cheap the interior felt. The door panels moved and creak with the slightest bit of pressure, the plastic pieces on the A and B pillars had no resistance and threatened to fall off if you touched them, and I watched the bumper—on a car with only 2,500 miles on the clock—flex, bend, and screamed as my petite niece put her knee on it to crawl into the third row.
The second row seats felt like a throne and had excellent visibility from the large windows, but if you so much as breathed on the door panel, it would give and squawk. Everything moved and sounded like an SUV from the 1990s rather than one that was built just a handful of months ago. Every passenger I had, including my niece, was shocked by the quality of the interior materials—and not at all in a good way.
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Second, The Third Row is Tight, Even for a Tiny Teen
While my niece and older sister visited, my toddlers took up the second row captain’s chairs, which doomed my 5’4″ niece to the third row. I slid the chair in front of you the furthest it could go, and she said it was very tight. Her knees were jammed into the seat in front of her, and to be perfectly comfortable, she had to sit a little sideways and put her feet between the chairs to stretch out. With that, I knew it wouldn’t be comfortable for a long road trip, and only for emergencies or if you have to drive one of your kids’ friends home.
She did, though, enjoy the dedicated charging port, the A/C vent pointed to her, the speaker, and the cupholder to put her boba tea in. The window, she said, was large enough not to make her feel carsick, but she did rely on the large panoramic sunroof to bring light and open up the interior. So, if you’re shopping for a third tow that could be used full-time, I would seriously recommend checking out the Ford Expedition.
Aside from those two things, the Ford Explorer was a wonderful dose of nostalgia, and I felt very proud to see how far it’s come from the bare bones, truck-y SUV I grew up with. It’s grown up, but hasn’t lost its charm—not even in the slightest. I loved the power, the space, and how comfortable it was for long distances. I just hope Ford takes the quality complaint seriously (as I’m not the only one) and improves it for the next model year. Until then, I’ll be daydreaming about my off-road jaunt for quite a while.
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