Ford Explorer review

Driving position 

If you’ve driven a modern electric Ford before, working it out is a piece of cake. Even if you haven't, it’s simple.  

All you need to know is there’s no start button – instead, the car senses you in your seat and turns on or off automatically. It can be unnerving at first, but you soon get used to it. 

In our top-spec Premium trim, we have electrically adjustable seats, which are easy to position to your liking.  

We'd like them to go lower, but they can't because the batteries are placed under the floor. The VW ID.4, on which the explorer is based, also has the same issue, as do most other EVs. It’s not Ford-specific. 

We also found the steering wheel didn’t adjust to our desired position. It could come out a little further. That may just be us being picky, but it’s important to be comfortable for a longer drive. 

On the steering wheel, Ford still retains the fiddly touch-capacitive buttons, which don’t always work first time. Please revert back to physical buttons like Volkswagen has, Ford. 

But either way, front and rear visibility is good, and you sit relatively high up on the road, so you can see everything around you. 

This is helped by its slim A-pillars, which help you see better at junctions, and a big rear window. No letterbox-sized windows here – we’re looking at you, Tesla Model Y. 

Tech and features 

Ford Explorer trims 

– Style 

– Select 

– Premium 

Ford has gone full-on modern with the Explorer’s interior, which can be seen by its large 14.6-inch portrait infotainment screen in the middle of the dash and smaller 5.3-inch digital driver’s display to the right. 

It works as you’d expect it to – it’s smooth, has crisp graphics and that all-important wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. 

There are also a couple of USB-C ports and a wireless phone charger. 

Atop the dashboard is a large B&O sound bar (making up the full 10 speakers in the top-spec model), which directs the sound straight at you – your music will sound seriously good. 

But just like the steering wheel, Ford has left more annoying touch-sensitive controls for the volume and hazard lights. 

Electric motors and power 

Ford Explorer performance stats 

– Power: 170hp, 286hp or 340hp 

– 0-62mph: 5.3 to 8.7 seconds 

– Top speed: 112mph 

– Driven wheels: Rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive 

There are three different variants of the Ford Explorer when it comes to performance: RWD (170hp), RWD Extended Range (286hp) and AWD Extended Range (340hp). 

These also come with different 0-62mph times, not that it matters in a family SUV, but we can confidently say that our AWD Extended Range car is seriously rapid, with a 5.3-second sprint time. 

This has a lot to do with its all-wheel drive (AWD) setup, which means there’s an extra electric motor sat on the front axle to put more power down. 

We’ve also driven the rear-wheel drive version and definitely didn’t think it lacked power. All versions are very well-suited to all types of driving, though, go for the AWD if you need the extra grip. 

Handling and ride comfort 

One key area the new Ford Explorer has let us down is with regard to ride comfort. Like the ID.4 it’s based on, the Explorer’s suspension is firmly sprung, so we feel it rides closer to an ID. Buzz van than an SUV. 

The ride can feel quite crashy at times, and it can get unsettled more easily than, say, a Kia EV6 or Škoda Enyaq. 

Though it feels composed around tighter bends, and at slower speeds around town, it isn’t as noticeable.  

This may be in part due to its larger 20-inch alloy wheels on our Premium trim. The smaller 19s on the base model may make it slightly more supple. 

It’s best described as a sportier ride, so if that’s what you’re after, then great. If you need a bit more comfort, we’d suggest the Renault Scenic E-Tech or Hyundai IONIQ 5. 

Boot space 

Ford Explorer boot space: 

– Boot space: 470 litres 

– Incl. Rear seats folded: 1,460 litres 

– Front boot (froot): N/A 

The Ford Explorer isn’t going to win any awards for boot space, but it’s going to be plenty for most people. 

You get 470 litres and 1,460 litres when you fold down the rear seats. This means there’s enough space for several suitcases. Plus, there’s under-floor storage for the charging cables. 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t get a froot (front boot) like many of its rivals, so that’s something to consider. 

For comparison, the Škoda Enyaq gets 585 litres, and its Volkswagen ID.4 cousin has 543 litres. 

Rear seats 

Space in the back seats is on par with most other electric SUVs of its size. If you’ve sat in the back of, say, a Kia EV6, you’ll be familiar with what to expect. 

Overall headroom is good, even with the panoramic sunroof. These usually reduce space, but in the Explorer, it actually creates more ceiling height. 

Taller passengers may struggle in the knee department, however. They’re better off sitting in the front if possible. 

This is partly due to the length of the cabin, but also the floor, which is raised slightly to accommodate the under-floor batteries. 

Storage solutions 

Ford’s been very clever with the storage in the Explorer. It’s not missed a single trick. 

For starters, it gets something called the ‘Mega Console’, which is Ford speak for the storage underneath the central armrest. But it’s seriously huge – 17 litres to be exact. 

And you can remove the cupholders for a wider space to put longer items.  

Then, the pièce de résistance is behind the infotainment screen. That’s right, there’s a hidden storage compartment behind it that mechanically locks when the car is locked, keeping all your possessions safe. How nifty. 

Ford Explorer dimensions 

– Height: 1,600mm 

– Width: 1,870mm 

– Length: 4,460mm 

– : Up to 2,167kg 

Safety 

Following its Euro NCAP safety test in 2024, the Ford Explorer scored a full five stars, just like the ID.4 did, which checks out because they’re effectively the same car. 

This is thanks to onboard safety features such as active park assist, lane-keep and lane change assist, driver alerts and enhanced airbags. 

Ford Explorer: electric range, battery and charging 

– Range: 221 to 374 miles 

– Battery size: 52 to 79kWh 

– Max charging speed: 185kW 

– Charge port location: Rear driver's side 

– Charge time (AC): 0-100% in eight hours using a 7kW charger (79kWh battery) 

– Charge time (DC): 10-80% in 26 minutes (79kWh battery) 

– Efficiency: Up to 3.6 to 4.5mi/kWh 

– Charging cost: From £3.64 

The Explorer comes with the choice of two batteries: 52kWh and 79kWh. The smaller battery can be found in Select trims, so you’d need to spend a bit more for the larger battery, like in the Premium AWD Extended Range car we tested. 

On the lower end, you can get 221 miles on a single charge, but go for the RWD version and it’ll manage up to 374 miles with the smaller wheels. 

Premium trim cars with the bigger 20-inch wheels, though, drop to 354 miles. Then, the full-on 340hp AWD car gets 329 miles of range. You have to choose between performance and efficiency here. 

In normal day-to-day driving over 400 miles, we averaged 3.0mi/kWh, which is far below the car’s predicted 3.6-4.5mi/kWh. But we’ll cut it some slack because it was snowing for part of our journeys and we spent a lot of time at motorway speeds. 

All models can charge at a rate up to 185kW, giving you 10-80% battery in just 26 minutes. Then, you’re looking at around eight hours for a full 0-100% charge using a 7kW home charger – perfect while you’re asleep. 

Reliability 

Electric cars, on the whole, are far more dependable than their internal combustion engine equivalents.  

This is because there are fewer moving parts than in a traditional engine, so there’s less of a chance things will go wrong. 

And in the case of the Explorer, it gets a three-year/60,000-mile warranty from new. Sure, it lags behind Kia’s seven years, but most do.