5 Things I Loved (And 2 I Didn’t) About the Fast and Furious Ford Explorer ST
The 2025 Ford Explorer ST is the king (or queen) of versatility, but there are a few noteworthy flaws.
Not too long ago, we spent some time with the 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum and discovered the things we loved about this family-sized SUV, but also found a couple of things we weren’t so enthusiastic about.
But what if your heart desires something that channels the spirit of track legends like the GT40, the GT, or the Mustang GTD, but can also do kids and grocery duty? Thankfully, that racing pedigree can be yours for $54,770 MSRP—closer to $66,850 if you build it out like our test drive model. The starting price of the ST isn’t too far from the Platinum’s price of $57,525, so at the top of the line, you can choose: sporty or luxury.
For this test drive, I spent the week in a Rapid Red Metallic Explorer ST (which allowed me to cosplay as a firefighter instead of a cop for a week) to zip around my small town in Southwestern Virginia. And, just like with the Platinum, there were a lot of things to love about the ST, but a couple of things that didn’t really work for me.
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.
First, Let’s Dissect the Cost
The Ford Explorer is no cheap pony. The company’s top-tier baddie will knock more than your socks off at the stoplight. It’ll also do the same to your wallet, so here’s where the ST sits in the 2025 Explorer lineup before adding in the $1,695 destination charge:
- Active: $40,050
- ST-Line: $45,020
- Platinum: $52,525 ($57,525 as-tested in the previous review, including destination charge)
- ST: $54,770 (no as-tested figure was given by Ford for our example, though you can build a similar configuration for $66,850 total sticker, including destination charge)
READ MORE: 5 Things My Family and I Loved (And 2 We Didn’t) About the 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum
1. Ford Actually Wants You to Take it to the Track
One of the benefits of purchasing the 400-horsepower 2025 Ford Explorer ST is receiving an invitation to explore all this high-performance SUV has to offer from the Ford Performance Racing School. The ST SUV Experience provides you with an ST to learn how to control your ride in serious situations, take out on street drives, and even go through the cones by autocrossing the SUV.
You can drive there in your own ST, but the organizers prefer you leave yours parked during the experience (save your ride for track day at your nearest road course). The ST SUV Experience is held in Park City, Utah, and Asheville, North Carolina, and the day of racing instruction is included in your purchase of an Explorer ST or ST-Line.
READ MORE: The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor Finally Brings 3-Row Capability in a Smaller-Sized SUV
2. Power Is Not an Option; It’s the Product of 400 Thunderhorses
This track-ready SUV throws a powerful punch thanks to its 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V6. Backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission, the 2025 Ford Explorer ST’s 400 thunderhorses and their combined 415 lb-ft of torque will throw you back in your seat. Also, as a track-built SUV, the ST is offered in Rear Wheel Drive, though AWD is an option too.
And to keep the sporty look on street or track, the ST sports 21-inch painted aluminum wheels and blacked-out trim details for a truly sporty family adventure.
READ MORE: 2025 Ford Explorer First Drive: This Empowering Family SUV Was Re-Styled for the Digital Age. Here’s What You Need to See
3. The Interior Matches the Fury Outside
A high-performance SUV like the 2025 Ford Explorer ST should fit the bill inside and out, right? And it sure does. The interior features first- and second-row seating fitted in black leather with suede inserts and red stitching, favorites for sport driving fans, thanks to the way suede keeps your butt planted in the seat and red keeps your pulse rate high. The third row, along with the door panels and dash, features the same look minus the suede.
The front and center row seats also have the ST logo inserted underneath the perforations just below the headrests. The front row boasts heated and ventilated seating for year-round comfort, while the second row seats keep their occupants warm during the cold months. The optional panoramic roof allows views of the blue sky rushing by one and all in the cabin.
READ MORE: The 2025 Ford Explorer Just Got a Subtle, Modern Makeover
4. You Can Leave the Driving to the Ford Explorer ST, Thanks to Blue Cruise
While it won’t wind its way around the road course at Virginia International Raceway or respect the bumps of Sebring on its own, the 2025 Ford Explorer ST can handle itself on the highway with Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free highway driving mode, allowing you to give your arms and hands a break after a long day at the track.
BlueCruise uses maps, cameras, and radar to monitor the road, conditions, and traffic, and is available on 97% of all limited-access highways in the United States and Canada. However, it does require the driver to keep eyes on the road; BlueCruise’s steering column-mounted driver monitoring system will know if you look away for too long, putting the control back into your hands.
READ MORE: Ford Blue Cruise 1.5 Does The Driving When You Don’t Want To
5. The Explorer’s Fun Easter Eggs Pay Homage to Its Legacy
Now and again, some automakers (Jeep, we’re looking at you) will leave neat little Easter eggs in their vehicles so that their owners and lucky occupants can stumble upon them. Ford decided to hide a few of their own in the 2025 Ford Explorer lineup, beginning with the Chicago skyline stamped into the sides of the dashboard, viewable upon opening the front doors.
This, of course, is a reference to the fact that the Explorer is built in Chicago. There’s another Easter egg on the lower right corner of the windshield: the outline of a 2025 Ford Explorer. There are more to be found, though I won’t give away those locations; that would spoil the hunt, after all.
READ MORE: The 2025 Ford Expedition Is Still All That, But Now, Even More
Now, For the Downsides: First, Fuel Economy Isn’t the Greatest
Alas, there were a couple of dings on this high-performance machine that may make a potential consumer think things over before pulling the trigger on purchasing or leasing a 2025 Ford Explorer ST. The first one is tied to its twin-turbo V6. If you were hoping for better fuel economy than, say, a Chevy Tahoe or a Toyota Sequoia, I’m afraid I have bad news.
Despite boasting an EPA-combined estimate of 20 mpg (18 city/25 highway), the best I could pull off was 16 mpg over almost 143 miles of driving during the week it was with me. At one point, my in-town driving brought things down to just 13 mpg—that’s about the same as the V8-powered Dodge Durango Hellcat or the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
And that twin-turbo needs premium fuel, too. The 20.2-gallon fuel tank may help you drive further on a tank of gas, but it’s going to hurt the budget at the gas station. Then again, if you’re buying the Explorer ST, you probably already know what you’re getting yourself into.
READ MORE: I Went to Ford’s Towing Bootcamp and Learned to Tow Like a Pro
Then, The 3rd Row is More of a Convenience Than a Daily-Use Row
Speaking of getting into things, the other ding with the 2025 Explorer ST (and all the other 2025 Ford Explorers, for that matter) is the third row: It is not a comfy place for tall(er) people. The legroom behind the second-row captain’s chairs is up to 32.2 inches, meaning if the 3rd row is in use, the middle seat may not be very comfortable for taller passengers, either.
The 3rd row is better off for the dog or shorter kids who don’t need the legroom. Or, drop the seats down for more cargo space; there’s 18.2 cubic-feet of space with the 60/40-split seat backs up, 47.9 cubic-feet of space with the third row put away. Just keep in mind that splitting the seats for cargo and passengers can be dangerous, as cargo can roll onto a passenger while the car is moving; we don’t recommend this configuration for that reason.
On the upside, though, at least anyone sitting in the 3rd row can enjoy charging their phones and tablets with the USB-C ports on either side, plus plenty of cool or warm air from the vents above. And if you really need the room for hauling friends and family around, the larger Ford Expedition is your hookup. Holler if you hear that.
If those complaints are not a deterrent, the 2025 Ford Explorer ST delivers a lot; I enjoyed hearing that twin-turbo V6 roar over the open road, the sporty feel behind the wheel and access to 400 horsepower. This high-performance SUV will definitely find its fans among those who long for Blue Oval domination on the track.
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