2025 Ford Explorer First Drive: This Empowering Family SUV Was Re-Styled for the Digital Age. Here’s What You Need to See

There were millions of us. We love the truck-like feel, the capability in snow and on unpaved roads and best of all, the high ground clearance that both makes visibility better and lifting and strapping little kids into car seats light years easier. As our kids grew and our pre-school caravans were replaced by carpools and road trips to the beach, we became even more enamored with our SUVs.

Which makes the the 6th generation Ford Explorer, with a starting price of just under $40,000 and an all-in price of just under $60K, all the more attractive. Not only does it still have all the space and capacity for car seats and passengers, but it has more great features, a new top trim, a simplified lineup and hands-free driving.

Read: 7 Best Luxury 3 Row SUVs

Probably the most delightful thing about the redesigned 2025 Ford Explorer is what you don’t have to think about: It comes equipped with a 4 cylinder turbo engine that generates 300 HP, a very good amount of power for an SUV this size. But the top two trims, Platinum and ST, dial up the power to a V6 that generates 400 HP. Even better.

Then, it comes standard with Ford Co-Pilot 360 driver assist and safety features, adaptive cruise control and leather or leatherette upholstery. It has a power lift gate, all-terrain drive modes and heated seats. And it gives you a choice of bench or captain’s chairs to seat 6 or 7 in all but the top-of-the-line ST version which only has captains chairs.

Powering much of the in-cabin experience is the new larger redesigned multimedia system with built-in Google. It has voice activated assistance through both Google and Alexa, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There are 8 USB ports, an optional wireless phone charge pad and video games on the center screen that bored teens, or curious adults, will enjoy (the car must be in park to access the games).

Read: Mazda CX-90 First Drive: More Power, More Luxury – Plus, a Plug-in Hybrid!

The cabin of the Ford Explorer is designed with lots of places to drop stuff: The center console has a covered cubby with USB ports, a phone cubby that holds two large phones side by side and can be powered by a wireless phone charger, and there are lots of cup h holders and bottle pockets.

There are cup holders and bottle pockets in the center row and small cubbies on either rear wall next to third row seats.

Read: 2024 GMC Acadia 3-Row SUV Gets It Right, With One (Possible) Exception 

This may be the thing I like second most about this SUV (after all the thoughtful conveniences): There are no compromises when it comes to kids car seats and passenger seating. That’s because there are 4 full sets of LATCHes, you can opt for a center row bench in all but the ST model, outboard center seats slide and tilt so you can push them forward with a kids car seat installed and there is ample room for a rear facing car seats, even behind tall front seat passengers.

I measured the seat behind me and found 32″ seat back to seat back. Behind the passenger seat, which was set for someone much taller, about 6’3″, I measured 27″ which is better for a forward facing seat. But either way, there is lots of room for flexibility in what is not an oversized SUV. The only caveat is that for families who need two rear facing car seats, the bench may be the better option if access to the 3rd row is needed. It’ll be tight, but doable.

Kids, or not, any rear seat passenger will appreciate the luxe feel. There are foldable arm rests on the captains chairs, two USB ports and bottle pockets in the door panels. Our Platinum model had quilted leather seating, sun shades for the side windows and a panoramic sunroof that added to the luxurious feel. Even more, though, I really liked the light gray upholstery in our test model which added a sophisticated feel.

But let’s talk about this light gray leather. First, the color is available on all trims, though in the Active trim it’s a leatherette that carries an extra $3,360 charge. But I particularly love that Ford is offering a color that isn’t black. After having black interiors and needing a flashlight to find a dropped pacifier, I switched to light color leather and never looked back. It can be cleaned. It changes your mood. It makes everyone look better. Yes, you see the dirt rather than sitting in it (see what I mean?). And it just looks better.

What you can’t see here is that these are massing seats. Yes, massaging. This may be the best-priced SUV with massaging seats, and maybe the only popular brand that includes them. I like to think that *someone* at Ford knows the back pain that comes with kids in car seats and thought you needed this (ok, maybe most people at Ford fits this description).

Our day started with a fun trip through central Michigan where we were able to pop the car into adaptive cruise and let Blue Cruise take over while we enjoyed our morning coffee. The 2025 model is the first to offer Blue Cruise hands-free driving and for anyone who road trips or frequently finds herself in bumper to bumper traffic, consider it a meditative measure for your stress. It’s worth the price, which is a flat $75 a month or $700 a year. All trims except Active come equipped with Blue Cruise.

Off the highway, the Explorer is comfortable and capable. Our drive also took us on some unpaved roads, through construction zones and finally, across some muddy trails. While the Explorer feels and handles like an SUV, it’s still very able in all modes (though I did really appreciate all wheel drive in the mud).

But probably the most fun we had behind the wheel was on the auto cross track. Ford set up a short course of tight S curves and a quick slalom in a parking lot so we could hear the tires squeal through each curve. Not only was the Explorer very capable, but I was also able to stop in quite a short distance. We didn’t put it thorough any great paces and yes, this is an SUV so its track capabilities are limited, but it was nice to get a taste of the ST model’s power and tighter suspension. Buyers who buy this one can experience more at Ford’s ST driving school at Ford Performance Racing School in Utah. A day of racing is complimentary with purchase.

For those whose thrills are less visceral, Ford has introduced the Easter Egg hunt to the Explorer. There is a silhouette of the 6th generation model on the windshield and other iconographic images around the cabin. I won’t give too much away other than to say, I’ll show you a few more in our video.

There is 16 cubic feet of space behind the 3rd row and 46 behind the second row, a good amount of space for a 3-row SUV. There is a small amount of storage under the cargo floor and all the seats fold flat, making it easier to slide large things into and out of the cargo area.

Ford updated the 2025 Explorer with a new front end and headlights, newish tail lights that add partial light bars to the existing lights, and greatly improved interior technology. Here’s what else there is to love about this SUV:

• Multiple drive modes for every driving condition
• Lots of color combinations and interior options
• Premium features in the top trims including heated, vented massaging front seats
• Air vents and USB ports for all seats
• Voice activated assistance—just say “hey Google” and the system is at your service
• Wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Two engine choices that offer 300 or 400 HP
• 5,000 lbs. of towing
• 4 full sets of car seat LATCHes

Ford didn’t fully redesign the Explorer for 2025; rather, they built on what people liked and needed in their SUVs, keeping the things that work and improving those that needed it. Here’s what you need to know:

• The Explorer is available in 4 trims: Active, which starts at $39,755; ST-Line, which starts at $44,500; Platinum, which starts at $51,600; and ST, which starts at $55,505
• All wheel drive is standard on ST and available for $3,000 on the other trims
• Active, ST-Line and Platinum come with the standard 4-cylinder Ecoboost engine which produces 300 HP
• The ST version comes standard with a V6 engine that produces 400 HP; the Platinum model can opt for this engine for an additional $4,615
• All models are powered by the same engines as the outgoing 2024 model
• Blue Cruise is available on all but Active models and after a 90 day trial costs $700 a year or $75 a month

The Ford Explorer continues to be the empowering, capable SUV we all fell in love with 30ish years ago, but now with better technology, hands-free driving and more pampering features.

And I love that Ford still thinks you need massaging front seats in a mid-priced, mid-sized SUV that is easy on the eyes and easy on the road. If you ask me, you do need massaging seats, as well as voice activated assistance, video games to entertain the bored and multiple places to stow your things and charge your devices. It’s the modern definition of empowerment.