The Ford Explorer was one of the kickstarters of today’s SUV craze, and it has remained a major part of the automaker’s lineup since its introduction. Ford has made several revisions over the years, with the last significant overhaul happening in 2020 with the introduction of the sixth-generation SUV.
2026 Ford Explorer Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Ford Explorer
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Ford Explorer
The 2026 Ford Explorer gained a handful of updates, most notably the introduction of the new Tremor configuration. It offers a one-inch suspension lift, all-terrain tires, a Torsen limited-slip differential, and underbody skid plates. Those upgrades give the Explorer a bit of off-road capability, even if they won’t transform the three-row crossover into a trail-bashing monster like a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco.
Design
Ford didn’t radically change the Explorer’s appearance for 2026. It retains its large grille and sculpted sides, and the Tremor configuration adds bright orange accents in the grille, tow hooks, and wheels. Other trims bring black exterior accents, unique wheel designs, and more.
Powertrain
Powertrain options remain unchanged for 2026. The base configuration includes a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. A twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 is available, making 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Both engines pair with a ten-speed automatic transmission and either rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). The available twin-turbo engine makes the Explorer feel much livelier, thanks to its extra 100 horsepower, but both options return decent fuel economy, at up to 29 mpg on the highway with the four-cylinder and 25 mpg on the highway with the V6.
Interior
The Explorer can seat up to seven people with a second-row bench seat and six with the optional captain’s chairs. Cloth upholstery comes standard, but higher trims add synthetic or genuine leather, heated and ventilated front seats, and massaging front seats. The Tremor configuration gets unique interior accents and orange stitching,
Technology
Ford equips a 13.2-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, along with Amazon Alexa functionality, navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, SiriusXM radio, and more. Available tech includes upgraded Bang & Olufsen stereos, remote start, and ambient interior lighting.
Safety
The 2026 Explorer hasn’t been crash tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It comes standard with a long list of advanced driver-assistance features, however, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warnings, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, automatic high beams, safe exit warnings, rear parking sensors, pedestrian detection, and driver attention monitoring. Blue Cruise, front parking sensors, adaptive headlights, and intersection turning assist are available.
Pricing and Release Date
The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor is expected to go on sale in late 2025. As of the time of this writing, Ford hasn’t released pricing for the 2026 Explorer, but expect a slight bump over 2025’s pricing. The 2025 Explorer Activ started at $41,745, which includes a $1,695 destination fee. The top Explorer ST started at $56,465.
