2025 Ford Explorer Review: There’s A Lot To Like, But The Platinum Model Is Overkill

The Ford Explorer provides excellent grip in the snow. Punch the traction control button for a few seconds to turn off Ford’s AdvanceTrac system, and the Explorer’s rear-biased all-wheel drive setup will allow you to play with it like you would in a large German luxury sedan. There are very few mainstream midsize SUVs that provide this sort of tail-happy driving dynamic.

It’s just one of the many qualities that allows the current-generation Explorer – updated for the 2025 model year – to still rank among my personal top favorite SUVs in this class, a class loaded with highly capable contenders. But is it possible to be served too much Ford Explorer? With the rather expensive and highly superficial Platinum model which I had the privilege of living with during the holiday season, I believe it can.

2025 Ford Explorer Platinum Exterior: It Looks Good, Just Not In White

The Explorer you’re seeing in these photos is in fact the Explorer I was driving, just not at the same time as I was actually driving it. Since I had it during a series of tough blizzards up here in Canada, followed by extreme cold weather, which effectively glued the snow and road salt onto the car, it simply made it impossible for me to wash it. So I contacted a local photographer here in Montreal who shoots the press units that journalists drive for reviews. Since he shot the Explorer earlier last fall, that’s why those photos look all autumn-like in the background. In reality, this is what my Ford Explorer actually looked like:

Anyway, the Explorer is a good-looking SUV by any measure, especially after the 2025 facelift, which slightly massaged the front and rear fascias. It’s mostly the headlights and grille that change, appearing bolder, but also more mature and refined. I’ve always liked the general shape of these things, mostly due to the way the Explorer’s roof is slightly raked, similar to a Range Rover’s. The only real problem with this SUV is that it’s also the model of choice for police cruisers, so I would personally stay away from police-favorite colors, like white or black. People thought I was a cop, which got annoying fast. I would probably get my Explorer in Rapid Red or Carbonized Gray. While on the topic of paint, my Explorer had very inconsistent paint quality, with visible orange peel here and there.

Exterior Dimensions

2025 Ford Explorer: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Market

The main reason I say the Platinum trim is overkill mostly has to do with its value proposition versus the arguably more interesting, high-performance ST model, which sells for just $2,000 more in the U.S., but comes with additional chassis, suspension and brake tuning. The ST is also, I believe, a downright better-looking Explorer.

On both sides of the border, Ford will effectively sell the same four available trim levels. However, from a mechanical standpoint, the main difference between each market is that U.S.-bound Explorers can be had in a rear-wheel drive setup. In Canada, all Explorers, including the entry-level Active model, come standard with all-wheel drive. Colors, optional packages and wheels are essentially the same in both markets, except for perhaps some minor differences in packaging.

U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown (model tested in bold)

Driving Impressions And Performance: Drives Like A Large German Sedan

The reason the Explorer’s rear-biased architecture is such a big deal is that you normally only see this in luxury SUVs. Sure, Mazda recently hopped on the rear-wheel-drive bandwagon with the CX-90 and CX-70 SUVs, but Ford was really the first one to adopt this layout in the mainstream, unibody midsize SUV world. And boy does it make a world of difference to the way the Explorer drives.

There’s a planted and confidence-inspiring feeling in the way this large utility vehicle negotiates a corner, encouraging spirited driving. There’s also plenty of power on tap, which makes the Explorer that much more appealing than rivals such as the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander or Nissan Pathfinder. The Platinum model I was driving was powered by the optional, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6, essentially the same powertrain as in the sportier ST.

It’s mated to the same ten-speed automatic transmission, and it’s good for an impressive 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This allows the Explorer Platinum to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in about 5.5 seconds. That’s quicker than basically anything else in this class.

2025 Ford Explorer Platinum Technical Specifications

2025 Ford Explorer Platinum Fuel Consumption

Although powerful and quick off the line, the Explorer Platinum is not exactly frugal at the pump, at least, not when you compare it to some of its hybrid rivals. The EPA rates it at a combined fuel consumption average of 21 MPG, which is mid-pack. During my time with it in frigid cold, as well as moments of good-old snow-covered hooning, I averaged an even worse 19 MPG.

EPA And As Tested Fuel Consumption

Interior Design And Comfort: What Exactly Does The Platinum Model Give You?

The Platinum model’s interior is really where it let me down. If Ford is trying to market this as the Explorer’s most premium-feeling trim level, sadly, it just doesn’t measure up to competing alternatives like, say, Mazda’s Signature line or Hyundai’s Calligraphy. Sure, Ford tries to spice things up with leather-lining on the dashboard and door cards, as well as slightly more supportive leather seats. But it never really feels high-end, premium or necessarily more upscale. The entire time I had the Explorer Platinum in my possession, I simply couldn’t see where the extra $7,600 went over an ST-Line model.

Aside from that, the Explorer’s cabin does a bang-up job of adapting itself to the realities of family life. There’s a lot of storage in the front, either by way of the large center console or inside the doors. There’s an additional, dedicated storage area under the dashboard which can be closed shut, as well as a convenient tray arrangement underneath the central air vents for wireless phone charging, as well as another slot to toss vital objects like a wallet.

At the rear, the Explorer remains a spacious and easily accessible SUV whether you opt for the traditional three-seat layout, or, in my case, the captain’s chair setup. Third row access is adequate, with segment-competitive leg and headroom, although as is the case with most of its rivals, the Explorer’s rather tight and narrow third-row seating area should best be reserved for children.

All that being said, while highly functional, spacious and comfortable, the Explorer’s cabin – even in Platinum trim – is unfortunately plagued with serious cut-cutting in key areas. Cheap plastics are easily spotted and felt around the vehicle’s interior trim. The latch to open the front storage compartment in my test unit only worked half the time, and while driving, irritating and worrying cabin rattles simply didn’t live up to the Platinum model’s premium promise.

2025 Ford Explorer Platinum Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use: Ford Digital Experience Is All New, And Great!

One of the big changes for the 2025 Explorer is the new technology inside, as well as a standard 13.2-inch screen. There’s a new infotainment software, now called the Ford Digital Experience, allowing the user to access apps and services from Google and Amazon. Wireless Android Auto (in my case) connected quickly and seamlessly, all while giving me access to the screen’s full real-estate.

Ford clumps the HVAC controls inside the screen, which can prove frustrating when wearing a pair of gloves. But the controls are quick to react, with minimal lag, making them not all that irritating to operate. The good news is that there’s still a physical volume knob.

Cargo And Storage Space: Spacious, But Lagging A Bit Behind New Rivals

While the current Explorer was ahead of most rivals in terms of cargo space when it was launched back in 2020, it has since taken a back seat to recently updated models. For reference, when the Explorer’s seats are in place, it offers less cargo space than both the Honda Pilot (18.6 cu-ft/48.5 cu-ft/87 cu-ft) and the Toyota Grand Highlander (20.6 cu-ft/57.9 cu-ft/97.5 cu-ft), but when all seats are folded flat, Ford’s mid-sizer remains competitive against the Honda.

2025 Ford Explorer Platinum Cargo Space

The Explorer Is Still A Good Purchase, But Opt For The Cheaper Trim Levels

The 2025 Ford Explorer remains up there as one of the best in its class. It’s spacious, well-appointed, practical and handles like a big German sports sedan. And if you add the optional

V6 engine, you’re getting more horsepower and torque out of the box than most of its rivals at a similar price point. But I would personally stay clear of the Platinum model as it simply doesn’t justify the inflated price tag. An Active or an ST-Line should do the trick. Or if you’re really going to commit to all the bells and whistles, I’d say go straight to the ST. You’ll have more actual go-fast content as well as a meaner-looking machine.