Driven: 2025 Ford Explorer ST – Yes, A Three-Row SUV Can Be Fun

The 2025 Ford Explorer is a three-row SUV that is refreshed this year, blending rugged capability with family-friendly practicality. It’s a top SUV and was even named DrivingOnRoad Best Family Car of the Year. Its formula for success includes a dose of fun with the performance-focused ST trim. I recently spent some time behind the wheel of this sport-tuned version of the Explorer to see if a practical family hauler can also deliver on the performance front.

There’s something satisfying about the idea of a three-row SUV designed to haul the kids to school and practice while still delivering an engaging drive. The ST aims for that experience as part of a freshly facelifted lineup, and it’s a reminder that SUVs can still be fun even if it’s just on the way to school drop-off. The Explorer gets a glow-up for 2025 with updated looks, a tech-heavy interior, and a streamlined trim range. While the Platinum trim focuses on features and refinement, the ST stands apart with aggressive styling from the wheels to the grille.

Exterior Look: Demands Your Attention

The Explorer ST doesn’t mess around when it comes to curb appeal. It’s got a wide stance accentuated by standard 21-inch aluminum wheels. The blacked-out grille and quad exhaust tips hint at its performance heart, while standard LED headlights and taillights give it a modern look. My test vehicle was Agate Black and it looked downright menacing. This is not an SUV that will simply blend into the background; the dark color also does well to enhance the shape rather than making it appear dull as many ‘generic’ SUVs these days tend to do.

The ST trim has its own unique look with features you won’t find on the rest of the Explorer lineup. These include:

• Blacked-out grille with ST badging
• Quad exhaust tips
• Standard 21-inch aluminum wheels
• Body-color side cladding with a more aggressive cut
• ST-specific lower fascia

Interior & On-Board Technology: Sporty Meets Spacious

Inside, you’re greeted by a cabin that’s equal parts sporty and sophisticated. The ST gets unique leather seats with silver stitching and microsuede inserts. The interior across the whole lineup is vastly improved for 2025 with softer-touch surfaces and a cleaner layout that’s a noticeable step up from last year. Space is generous for the first and second row, but predictably snug in the third row, which is typical for the segment. Just don’t plan on forcing adults to sit back there for long hauls. Overall, interior room is good, but if you want a truly spacious three-row with a performance focus, then the Chevrolet Tahoe RST has more room and it seats seven.

The front seats are heavily bolstered yet surprisingly comfortable. There’s a sense of being held in place, with just enough snugness to keep you secure during spirited driving without feeling tight. While the rest of the lineup offers a bench seat for the second row, the ST is only available with captain’s chairs in the second row. They’re more comfortable, especially for adults, but that makes this trim exclusively a six-person option, while the rest of the lineup can get you up to seven.

Here’s what the ST adds visually inside:

• Leather seats with silver stitching and microsuede inserts
• ST logo embossed on front seatbacks
• Sporty flat-bottom steering wheel with ST badge
• Black headliner for a darker, edgier vibe
• Unique matte and gloss black trim accents

Infotainment: The Tech Features You Want

Infotainment includes a 13.2-inch touchscreen with the latest version of Ford Sync. It’s crisp and responsive with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system is standard with an available 14-speaker upgrade. Wireless charging is available and deserves mention for its design. Not only does it hold your device snug during spirited driving, it’s placed so that it’s easy to see, making it less likely that you’ll accidentally leave it behind and need to run back out to grab it.

Performance: Time For Fun

The Explorer ST gets a big dose of Ford Performance DNA, and that’s what makes this trim of the Explorer truly unique. Sure, it looks different, but it’s what’s under the hood that matters most. A 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine delivering 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque is the only engine available on the ST trim, but there is a less powerful engine on base trims in the lineup. Both are paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission for well-managed power delivery with standard rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional.

Performance Impressions

Our test car featured rear-wheel drive, and it was undeniably fun on twisting back roads. It feels far less like a family hauler than you’d expect for a three-row SUV. There’s plenty of power when you hit the gas and if you’re not careful you’ll be pulling away from stoplights far more aggressively than intended. In highway driving, there’s power to spare whether you’re joyfully getting up to speed in an instant or need a little extra oomph for maneuvering around slower vehicles. The ST is also the only trim in the lineup with paddle shifters, giving you added control and engagement.

Ride and Handling

The ST’s sport-tuned suspension is more responsive, but the trade-off is a firm ride. Winter’s potholes hit hard, so pay attention to less than perfect roads. It’s a fair compromise, however, for the sportier handling of the ST and the engagement it delivers.

Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driving tech is a solid performer that’s good overall. It does have a little bit of ping-ponging staying centered in the lane, however, and was just noticeable enough for our passengers to know when it was engaged. The lane change feature works beautifully with no jerkiness and the system handles speed adjustments smoothly with no unnecessary hard braking or acceleration.

Performance upgrades for the ST include:

• Sport-tuned suspension
• Paddle shifters
• Performance brakes with red calipers
• Summer performance tires
• Rear-wheel drive bias

Fuel Economy

You’ll trade some fuel economy for the ST’s performance punch with lower EPA-estimated figures, but it’s worth it for the smile it’ll put on your face. Here are the fuel economy figures as per the EPA (city/highway/combined):

• 2.3-liter 4-cylinder RWD: 20/29/24 mpg
• 2.3-liter 4-cylinder AWD: 20/27/23 mpg
• 3.0-liter V6 RWD/AWD: 18/25/21 mpg
• 3.0-liter V6 AWD (ST trim only): 18/25/20 mpg

According to Ford, the drop of 1 mpg for the combined figure on the all-wheel drive ST trim is due to the paddle shifters.

Verdict & Pricing: Is The Muscle Worth The Price?

The 2025 Explorer ST is a family SUV for grown-ups who still want to have a little fun. It delivers plenty of thrills while still having plenty of room for the kids and everyone’s stuff. Four available trims, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, and two engine options make for a wide range of pricing.

While the lineup starts at just under $40K, you’re looking at a starting price of $54,260 for the ST with another $2K for all-wheel drive. That’s still a good price that’s competitive for the segment, but it will strain more modest budgets. If you simply want the extra power of the V6, then you can get it for about $2K less than the comparable ST, making it a solid alternative. Still, the ST is a compelling option with a complete package of style, performance, and handling that make it a performance SUV that’s hard not to love.