2024 Ford Explorer ST Models, Release Date, Price – The 2024 Ford Explorer is a three-row SUV with room to grow. It is designed for families, or better yet, a crowd—with a plethora of stuff. It takes on a bevy of family fantasy vehicles, including the Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, and Chevrolet Traverse. That is on our honor sheet for a new automobile that is currently on sale. Minor flaws within the Explorer prevent it from ascending further.
Redesign
Following a price reduction across the board for the 2024 Ford Explorer, the SUV now offers a less expensive Enthusiast ST performance model, a less expensive Platinum trim with rear-wheel drive only, and for the first time, the hybrid engine is available on the top Platinum grade. Additionally, Ford debuted a new off-road-oriented Timberline trim level. Ford’s Explorer lineup includes the basic, XLT, Enthusiast ST, Limited, ST, and Platinum trims.
The majority of Explorers on the market will be equipped with a 2.3-liter turbo-4 engine producing 300 horsepower and mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Although the rear-wheel drive is standard, many Explorers will be outfitted with all-wheel drive. According to the EPA, Explorer Limited and Platinum can be bought with a hybrid powertrain that includes a 3.3-liter V-6 engine with an electric motor and a hybrid battery pack to make 318 horsepower and get up to 28 mpg in the city and on the highway.
Interior
Ford’s Explorer has evolved from its boxy, “Jurassic Park” appearance to a longer, broader, but still family-friendly, form. It’s nearly as large as competitors from Honda, Kia, and Subaru, but lacks the third-row comfort offered by those three-row rivals. The Explorer earns an 8 for comfort, owing to its ample space for five or more passengers, ample baggage capacity, and a roomy front row. The second-row seats are OK, although they are cumbersome to shift. Heated seats are included on Explorer XLT versions this year, which are the most popular. The driver’s seat is electrically adjustable in ten directions, while the passenger’s seat is only changeable in four directions.
Although the chairs are low, outward visibility is excellent. The seats embrace us in the correct places, whether they’re upholstered in rugged fabric or upscale leather. A three-person bench is normal in the second row, although captain’s chairs are available (and preferred by us). They’re similarly comfy, and three people of average size can squeeze over the bench if necessary. The seats move forward and backward a few inches to give third-row passengers more legroom, but we found that they are hard to fold down, and adults will have to check their dignity at the door if they need to get on the way back.
Engine
The standard engine is a 2.3-liter turbo-4 taken from the Ford Mustang, among other cars. It produces 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque in the Explorer and sends power to the rear or all four wheels via a 10-speed automated transmission. It’s more than enough power for around-town errands and highway speeds; it’s more than enough to satisfy us in the majority of scenarios. The Explorer Enthusiast ST, ST, and Platinum trim levels all include a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 that produces 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, or 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, respectively. While the ST model comes standard with all-wheel drive, the Platinum variant is available with rear-wheel drive; we’d want the ST to be offered only with rear-drive.
The Explorer Hybrid, available in Limited and Platinum trim levels, excels at efficiency, at least in terms of large family haulers. It combines a 3.3-liter V-6 engine with an electric motor and hybrid batteries to produce 318 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque. The most fuel-efficient Explorer Hybrid is rear-wheel drive only (EPA-rated at 28 miles per gallon combined), although all-wheel drive is available for a little extra fuel economy (25 mpg combined). While the hybrid powertrain is the most efficient, it also has the least refined performance. The engine judders between 15 and 40 mph at low speeds. Off the line, the hybrid seems the quickest, but it performs best when pressed hard, largely the reverse of how hybrid vehicles are driven.
Release Date and Price
Late last year, Ford released a basic Explorer, the cheapest Explorer at approximately $34,000 for a rear-wheel-drive model. All-wheel drive adds around $2,000 to the price, depending on the trim level (it is standard on ST levels), and the most expensive Explorer Platinum may cost more than $62,000.