Hello everyone! Today we will be going through a buyers guide for the 2025 Ford Explorer ST! Enjoy!
Standard Equipment
Let’s look at what standard equipment the 2025 ST trim includes:
- Engine – 3.0L EcoBoost®
- Black — Grille Mesh Insert — Lower Bodyside Cladding — Sideview Mirror Cap (Gloss) — Skid Plate Elements, Front and Rear
- Wheels – 21”x9” Magnetite-Painted
- ActiveX™ with Miko® Inserts, Accent Stitching and ST Logo Front Heated and Ventilated Multicontour Seats with Active Motion® (Front Only)
- Second Row Heated Seats
- Third Row PowerFold® (folds flat)
- Steering Wheel, Heated – Sport Style with ST Logo
- BlueCruise Equipped (90-Day Trial
- Audio — B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen®, 980 Watt, 14 Speakers including Subwoofer
- Sport-Tuned Suspension
- Wireless Charging Pad
Optional Equipment
AWD
Ford’s branded “Intelligent 4wd”, essentially AWD, is an option I highly recommend all potential owners get.
Moonroof
Pretty self-explanatory.
Black Painted Roof
A $5k option, is the black painted roof. That is very expensive. If you like the look, I still wouldn’t order it because an vinyl wrap is only about $700 on average, which is quite cheaper then the painted option from Ford.
2025 vs 2020-24
The 2025 Explorer was an refresh on the 6th-generation Explorer that was introduced for the 2020 model year. For the ST trim here are the differences between the 2025’s and the earlier 2020-24.
Engine
Mechanically, other then a new electronic wastegate, mostly everything carried over from prior years. The electronic wastegate is an welcome upgrade to note. The vacuum controlled wastegate of the earlier years posed a boost control problem as you started pushing the stock frame turbos (upgraded turbine wheels). Unfortunately since the 2025 ExST’s are not tunable, this upgrade may never be realized to it’s potential.
Exterior
The 2025-Explorer’s were a refresh on the 6-generation Ford Explorer platform. The 2025’s brought an updated front end and taillights and tailgate in the rear. The rear bumper, and everything in-between the A-pillar and C-pillar stayed the same, albeit the mirrors. The Street Pack (21×9” wheels and upgraded red painted brakes) also became standard equipment.
Interior
This is where many people find the 2025’s most improved over the 2020-24 Explorer’s. The 2025’s switched to an Google-based infotainment system. It brought changes such as better overall operating quality and usability, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other interior changes include wireless charger moved to underneath the touchscreen on the updated dashboard. The upholstery was also changed to faux leather vinyl, branded ActiveX. This is my biggest change I am disappointed in, a $60k+ vehicle should have real leather. The multi-contour (messaging) seats also made their return as standard equipment.
Pricing
MSRP of the 2025 Explorer ST are usually around $61k-$64k, but most people are able to get quite a bit off of that price. Currently, at time of writing, Ford is offering employee pricing (A-Plan) to all customers. This is usually around 8% off MSRP, so out-the-door prices are usually whatever the MSRP is, give or take a couple hundred bucks. However, most people are able to get even more off then that. I’ve seen out-the-door prices (tax, title, license) average around $55k-$58k.
Problems
The only problem that arose during early build 2025 model year builds, was the check engine light. It was a simple recall that was just a reprogram.
1-Bolt Rear Subframe
Unfortunately, Ford still stuck with the 1-bolt rearend across all Explorer trims. That means the 1-bolt snapping problem looms. Ford updated programming of the PCM tune to pull power when launching or punching the throttle from a standstill. The updated programming did not effect 0-60 or quarter-mile times, but it probably just effects 60′ times slightly.
Changes Between Builds
There are a few notable differences between “job” builds in the 2025 model year.
-Job 1: Built between 5/13/2024 to 11/26/2025: Standard messaging seats
-Job 2: Built between 11/27/2024 to 3/17/2025; Removal of power telescoping steering column, no second row shades, Sun and Sound package created (messaging seats part of optional package now), No ST on back of key fob,
-Job 3: 3/17/2025 to present; spare tire now optional
ST vs the other trims
ST-Line
The ST-Line is all the looks, none of the go. It is basically a dressed up XLT. Ways to differentiate it from a real ST is the “ST-Line” badging on the fenders, blacked out 4wd symbols on the tailgate of equipped with AWD, only the Ford symbol on the unique grille, and dual exhaust tips instead of the quad exhaust tips on the ST. Keep in mind the ST-Line is available with the Street Pack so it can look very similar to the ST’s.
Platinum and King Ranch
The Platinum share the same drivetrain as the ST, albeit with a lower final drive ratio. Otherwise everything else is just cosmetics, except for the Platinum’s better headlights, actual leather upholstery, and different suspension bits.
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Explorer ST Enthusiasts 