Summary

• With 311 currently listed for sale near Houston, TX and an average price of $14,522.00, 18.6% of 2017 Ford Explorers for sale on CarGurus are rated as good or great deals.

• Favorably reviewed: Owners rated the 2017 Ford Explorer 4.8 / 5 stars.

• 71.7% of 2017 Explorer models on CarGurus are accident free.

Why it stands out

The 2017 Ford Explorer stands out as a midsize SUV that had already moved well beyond its truck-based roots by this point. In the fifth generation, it was based on Ford’s D4 platform, which also underpinned the Ford Taurus, Ford Freestyle, Mercury Montego, Lincoln MKS, and Ford Flex. That setup made it behave more like a front-wheel drive sedan in most cases, with all-wheel drive available as a side benefit, and it helped turn the Explorer into a family-friendly crossover rather than a traditional SUV. Ford also refreshed the Explorer’s styling and in-car tech in 2017, giving this model year a more current feel.

For 2017, the Explorer could be had with a 290 horsepower 3.5-liter V6, and later fifth-generation Explorers also offered a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 twin-turbo. The generation also brought modern infotainment systems, including Ford’s SYNC system, and buyers could add heated and ventilated front seats and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. Safety equipment was a strong point too, with available BLIS blind spot information system with rear cross traffic alert, forward-collision warning with emergency braking, automatic high beams, Roll Stability Control, electronic stability control, adaptive cruise control, active parking assist, and rain-sensing wipers. That mix of power, features, and available driver aids helps explain why the 2017 Explorer appealed to shoppers looking for a well-equipped three-row SUV.

At the same time, the 2017 Explorer was not the class leader in every respect. The source notes that the fifth-generation model rarely ranked at the top of its class in any one area, and that it had a worse reliability record than its new-school rivals. It also says the generation’s fuel economy was grim in its early form, and that later years were the ones to seek out because they had the fewest problems and the most modern features. Even so, the 2017 model remains attractive for buyers who want a roomy, capable SUV with a broad feature set and a more polished driving character than earlier Explorers.

Other model years to consider

• 2023 Ford Explorer

  • Average price: $29,969.00
  • Good/great deal percentage: 31.7%
  • User rating: 4.75 / 5
  • Total listings: 435

• 2025 Ford Explorer

  • Average price: $38,596.00
  • Good/great deal percentage: 35.9%
  • User rating: 5 / 5
  • Total listings: 273

• 2019 Ford Explorer

  • Average price: $16,248.00
  • Good/great deal percentage: 21.5%
  • User rating: 4.6 / 5
  • Total listings: 414

This analysis is based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from August 6, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.