Your Comprehensive Trim Guide to the 2025 Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer for sale this year looks amazing, and it feels equally incredible to drive. If you’re in the market for the 2025 Explorer, you have the choice between four distinct, unique, and strikingly feature-packed trim levels: the Active, ST-Line, ST, and Platinum. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s get started with our comprehensive 2025 Ford Explorer trim guide.
Active
The Active is the base 2025 Ford Explorer trim and can be purchased with its MSRP of $39,755.[a] The Active is an aptly named trim, meaning it boasts features that help those who stay active, including everything you need for outdoor fun and exploring. A turbocharged 2.3L I-4 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission is the Active’s powertrain, equipped with a sturdy 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The powertrain also supports a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. Ford expects Explorer drivers will be looking to tow with their SUV, so the Active comes standard with the Class III Trailer Tow Package.
Nearly everything about the 2025 Ford Explorer screams luxury, from the standard power liftgate to the wide range of features in the cabin. Some of the standard features for the Active trim include a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and a four-way power-adjustable front passenger seat––an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat is available as an alternative. The 2025 Ford Explorer Active comes with heated front seats with ActiveX material, and a heated steering wheel is also available. Also standard is an excellent 13.2-inch infotainment center and 12.3-inch Digital Cluster combo––the infotainment center has support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a 5G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot.
The Active also comes standard with Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+, which means you get a few extras in addition to the features that come with the regular Ford Co-Pilot360. Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ gives the 2025 Explorer Active features like Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering, allowing for speed regulation via dynamic acceleration and deceleration, along with the ability to stop and go. With the regular safety package coming standard also, the 2025 Explorer Active comes with Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, BLIS with Cross-Traffic Alert for superb blind-spot coverage, a Lane-Keeping System, and more.
ST-Line
With the ST-Line and its MSRP of $44,515, you’re getting some more premium and luxurious features, along with a couple of exterior changes.[a] For example, 20-inch wheels come standard instead of the 18-inch wheels that come with the Active, along with black accents surrounding the vehicle. The ST-Line also has an optional black roof that blends well with any of the available ST-Line exterior colors, including Rapid Red, Star White, Agate Black, Vapor Blue, and Carbonized Gray. Most importantly, the ST-Line comes standard with Ford Co-Pilot Assist 2.0.
Ford Co-Pilot Assist 2.0’s biggest claim to fame is the inclusion of Ford BlueCruise. With Ford BlueCruise equipped, when you find yourself driving on the 130,000+ miles of compatible highway stretching from coast to coast, you can activate BlueCruise, take your foot off the pedals, and remove your hands from the steering wheel. Your only job is to remain aware of your surroundings and be ready to take over at a moment’s notice. When conditions are ideal, your vehicle will not only regulate speed but will also handle slight turns. It may not be fully autonomous driving in the science-fiction sense, but it’s the closest we’ve seen so far. When shopping for the ST-Line, you can opt for a one-year BlueCruise plan, and it’s more than worth a try.
We mentioned that the ST-Line is a more premium and luxurious trim than the Active, and this is seen through both standard and optional features. A great standard feature is the 12-speaker audio system with a dedicated subwoofer and best of all, it’s supplied by one of the most elite audio manufacturers to ever grace the automotive industry: Bang & Olufsen. The optional features for the ST-Line are greatly enhanced by the optional Premium Package.
The Premium Package is a large difference maker between practicality and luxury, with features like memory settings for the driver’s seat, along with heated seats and sunblinds for second-row passengers. A power tilt and telescoping steering column also comes with the Premium Package, along with rain-sensing wipers that turn on and off automatically, and there’s a 110V/150W AC power outlet. To top it all off, ambient lighting helps give the interior a stealthy and encapsulating glow.
ST
The 2025 Explorer ST starts at an MSRP of $55,505 and provides a leap forward in performance over the two previous trims, along with a handful of other enhancements––not to mention all of the features of the previously mentioned ST-Line.[a] The performance leap is thanks to the turbocharged 3.0L V6 engine that comes standard and is also paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The turbocharged 3.0L V6 engine provides 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, which is 33% more horsepower than the base engine and a 34% greater torque output.
Not only does the boost in horsepower and torque over the base engine give the Explorer ST an even stronger kick that many are likely looking for, but the sport-tuned suspension helps significantly with providing a genuinely fun driving experience. Braking is also greatly enhanced by performance brake calipers in the front and back, which are painted red for an even sportier look. The ST is a good-looking trim, with its 21-inch wheels giving it a more menacing aesthetic. The inside also looks suitably sporty, with brilliant red accent stitching on the seats.
The front-row seats in the ST are heated and ventilated, and they also have massage capabilities––luxury features like these help separate the ST from the other trims we’ve mentioned. A B&O sound system also comes standard with the ST, but it’s an improved system with two additional speakers––bringing the total to 14 speakers––that provides 980W of pure power. Also helping to bring the interior up to increasingly modern standards is a wireless charging pad for your Qi-compatible smartphone, whether that be an iPhone or one of thousands of Android devices.
Platinum
The Platinum is the top-end trim for the 2025 Explorer. If you want the full story of what the 2025 Explorer delivers, the Platinum is the way to go. Although it comes at a high cost, with its MSRP of $51,655, the experience you get is worth every dime.[a] The turbocharged 2.3L I-4 engine comes standard with the Platinum, but the turbocharged V6 engine is available. Part of what makes the Platinum a great trim on the surface is including all of the best features we’ve mentioned thus far, including the top-end sound system from the ST, Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0, the wireless charging pad for smartphones, and the heated and ventilated massaging seats, among others. However, the Platinum has a slew of additions that make it unique.
With the Platinum, your 2025 Explorer comes equipped with a twin-panel moonroof that helps make your interior always feel better lit by natural light, and everyone can enjoy the cool wind when driving down the back roads on a breezy Autumn day. The front seats inside of the Platinum are made with genuine leather and incorporate Miko inserts. Something separating the Platinum trim from the other three is the availability of the Lux Leather and Ultimate packages. These packages are bundled together if you spring for the latter, but what you get are front seats made entirely of genuine leather, with leather quilting on the seats and door panels that give it a more luxurious and cohesive vibe that you aren’t getting with any other Explorer trim.
Never a Dull Moment
The 2025 Explorer is a fun, powerful, and reliable SUV you and your family can easily drive for hundreds of thousands of miles, creating memories that’ll last a lifetime. Whether you buy the Active, ST-Line, ST, or Platinum, being a part of the Explorer community is a lifetime card-carrying experience shared by millions of like-minded adventurists and Ford enthusiasts that you’ll be glad you joined the ranks of. We’ll get you behind the wheel of the 2025 Explorer, and we hope this trim guide has served you well.
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