2027 Five trims · Huntley, IL
The 2027 Ford Explorer.Built here.
Five trims from $38,465 to $53,660, assembled at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant about 70 miles from this lot. Three of the five cost less than they did last year.
- 300–400 hp
- Two EcoBoost engines
- 6 or 7
- Seats, three rows on every trim
- 5,000 lb
- Towing, every trim
From $38,465 plus $1,795 destination · Ford’s MSRPs, read Aug. 27, 2026
- Assembled in ChicagoFord’s Chicago Assembly Plant, about 70 miles away
- Three rows on every trimSecond-row captain’s chairs standard throughout
- 5,000 lb towingFord rates all five trims the same
- From $38,465Active, plus $1,795 destination
Five trims, one body, and only one real fork in the road
Unlike the Bronco range, every Explorer is the same three-row SUV underneath — same length, same wheelbase, same 5,000 lb tow rating. What changes as you climb is the engine, the wheels, how the seats are finished and whether the car will drive itself down I-90. Here is where the money actually goes.
Active to ST-Line is $5,735
The step from $38,465 to $44,200 buys 20-inch wheels instead of 18s, a 360-degree camera, the ten-speaker B&O system and the option of BlueCruise. Same 300 hp engine, same 7.6 inches of ground clearance, same everything mechanical.
Tremor is the only one that changes the hardware
$49,200 brings Intelligent 4WD as standard, a Torsen limited-slip rear axle, off-road suspension, underbody deflector plates, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. It is also the only Explorer you cannot order with a seventh seat.
Platinum and Tremor are $1,460 apart
$50,660 against $49,200 — for two completely different cars. Platinum spends the money on massaging front seats, a Vista Roof, adaptive headlamps, and BlueCruise included rather than optional. Tremor spends it on the ability to leave the pavement.
ST is the only one where the V6 is standard
$53,660, and the 3.0L twin-turbo V6 comes with it rather than as an option. Sport suspension, performance brakes, 21-inch wheels, quad exhaust. On Tremor and Platinum the same engine is an extra-cost box you tick.
- See What Is on the LotLive Explorer inventory in Huntley — both model years
- Need a Third Row for Less?The Escape seats five but costs far less to run — worth a look before you commit
- Need to Tow More Than the Explorer?The Expedition is rated at 9,600 lb with four-wheel drive against the Explorer’s 5,000 lb, and offers a longer body
The 2027 costs less than the 2026 on three of its five trims
Ford is selling both years right now and we have both here. That is unusual, and the pricing is more unusual still — a new model year normally costs more. ST-Line, Platinum and ST are all cheaper for 2027; the Tremor is $235 more. The Active is the one to be careful with: Ford listed a stripped Active 100A alongside a fuller Active for 2026 and shows only one Active for 2027, so the two years are not strictly comparable on that trim. Ask us to price the exact configuration rather than trusting the gap.
| Trim | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active 100A | $38,465 | Not shown | See note below |
| Active | $40,585 | $38,465 | Lineup restructured |
| ST-Line | $45,155 | $44,200 | −$955 |
| Tremor | $48,965 | $49,200 | +$235 |
| Platinum | $50,965 | $50,660 | −$305 |
| ST | $54,905 | $53,660 | −$1,245 |
Both columns are Ford’s own published starting MSRPs, read from ford.com on Aug. 27, 2026, and exclude taxes, title, license, and the dealer documentary fee. Ford’s destination and delivery charge is $1,795 and is the same on both model years, so it does not change which of the two is cheaper — add it to every figure in the table. Ford adjusts pricing during the model year. A lower MSRP is not the same as a lower transaction price — incentives differ between model years and are usually larger on the outgoing one, so ask us to price both before you decide.
What Ford actually changed
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PlatinumThe V6 is finally available on Platinum
For 2027 the Platinum can be ordered with the 3.0L twin-turbo V6, which brings quilted leather seating surfaces and an exclusive wheel with it. Previously the top comfort trim and the big engine were mutually exclusive.
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Every trimFord Security Package across the range
All five 2027 trims can now have the Ford Security Package, included for a year from the warranty start date or bought outright once. It is the single change that applies to every car on the lot rather than one trim.
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TremorSun & Sound Package on the V6 Tremor
A V6 Tremor can now add the Sun & Sound Package — the upgraded B&O system, massaging front seats, and a power moonroof. It closes most of the comfort gap between the off-road trim and the luxury one.
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STThe Sinister Package
A dark appearance package for the ST with an exclusive wheel and amber accent lighting. Separately, Active, ST-Line, Platinum, and ST can all be ordered with the Slick Roof Conversion, which deletes the standard roof rails.
Changes as described by Ford for the 2027 model year, read from ford.com on Aug. 27, 2026. Avalanche Gray joins the palette for 2027, and Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat returns after last being offered on the 2019 Explorer. Space White Metallic has been dropped.
Two engines — and one of them has two power ratings
-
2.3L EcoBoostThe one most Explorers have
A 300 hp turbocharged four, standard on Active, ST-Line, Tremor, and Platinum. It is the economical choice by a clear margin and it still tows the full 5,000 lb — Ford rates every trim the same regardless of engine.
- Power300 hp
- Transmission10-speed automatic
- EPA combined24 RWD · 23 with 4WD
- In a Tremor21 combined
-
3.0L EcoBoost V6Standard on ST, optional on two others
A twin-turbocharged V6, standard on the ST and available on Tremor and Platinum. Ford rates it 400 hp, but its own disclaimer says a car built with the 50-State Emissions System is rated 385 hp as a Tremor or ST and 383 hp as a Platinum. Three figures, one engine — worth confirming on the specific car rather than the banner.
- Power400 hp · 383–385 with 50-state emissions
- Transmission10-speed automatic
- EPA combined21 RWD · 20 with 4WD
- In a Tremor19 combined
-
No hybrid
There is no hybrid Explorer
The 2027 lineup is two gasoline engines and nothing else. Neither Ford’s 2027 pages nor the EPA’s 2026 list carries a hybrid Explorer. Edmunds names this among its cons for the model, and if fuel cost is the deciding factor you should hear it now rather than later.
- Best combined figure24 MPG
- Thirstiest19, Tremor with the V6
- FuelRegular unleaded
- Hybrid or plug-inNot offered
EPA-estimated ratings. The EPA has not yet published figures for the 2027 Explorer, so the numbers above are the 2026 ratings for the same engines and transmissions, quoted as 2026 ratings. Actual mileage varies with driving habits, weather, load, and vehicle condition.
Every Explorer we sell is built about 70 miles from this lot
Ford builds the Explorer at Chicago Assembly on the city’s Southeast Side. You do not have to take our word for it: pick any Explorer in our inventory, take the VIN, and run it through the federal government’s free VIN decoder at vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov. It returns the plant. We ran it on a 2027 Active sitting here — VIN 1FMUK8DH5VGA08325 — and it comes back Chicago Assembly, Chicago, Illinois. That is not a sales point so much as a fact worth knowing. It is the only vehicle in our new showroom assembled in this state.
- 5,000Pounds of towing, on every trim
- 85.8Cubic feet of cargo with the rows folded
- 13.2Inch center display, standard throughout
What separates the five trims
Prices, drive type, ground clearance, seating, cargo, towing, and wheels are Ford’s own per-trim figures from its 2027 Vehicle Details panel, read on Aug. 27, 2026. Economy rows are 2026 EPA ratings for the same engines — the EPA has not yet rated the 2027. Equipment rows are Ford’s own Standard and Optional lists, taken from each trim’s individual page on ford.com — the same content that reaches the window sticker. A filled mark means standard, a hollow mark means available at extra cost, and a dash means Ford does not offer it on that trim. Where Ford bundles something into a named package, we have marked it available: massaging seats are Ford’s “Multicontour Seats with Active Motion”, and BlueCruise is sold as an equipment-plus-plan package. Ford revises trim content during the model year, so we will confirm any line on a specific vehicle before you order.
Every 2027 Explorer trim, lowest price first
-
Explorer Active
Rear-drive · 2.3L
- From
- $38,465
Key features
- 300 hp 2.3L EcoBoost, 10-speed automatic
- Heated front seats, 10-way power driver’s seat
- 13.2-inch display, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto
- 18-inch wheels · Intelligent 4WD available
-
Explorer ST-Line
Rear-drive · 2.3L
- From
- $44,200
Key features
- 20-inch Ebony machined wheels, blackout lamp treatment
- 360-degree camera, B&O 10-speaker system
- Red-stitched cloth seats, heated leather-wrapped wheel
- BlueCruise available
-
Explorer Tremor
Intelligent 4WD standard · 2.3L or V6
- From
- $49,200
Key features
- Torsen limited-slip rear axle, off-road suspension
- 8.7 in ground clearance, front and rear deflector plates
- 18-inch all-terrain wheels, Selectable Off-Road mode
- Six seats only — no second-row bench
-
Explorer Platinum
Rear-drive · 2.3L or V6
- From
- $50,660
Key features
- Heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats
- BlueCruise equipped, 1-year plan included
- B&O 980W 14-speaker, PowerFold third row
- Adaptive headlamps, Vista Roof available
-
Explorer ST
Rear-drive · 3.0L V6 standard
- From
- $53,660
Key features
- 3.0L twin-turbo V6 — 400 hp, or 385 with 50-state emissions
- Sport-tuned suspension, performance brakes
- 21-inch Magnetite wheels, quad-tipped exhaust
- BlueCruise equipped · Sinister Package available
Starting MSRPs are Ford’s own published base prices for the 2027 Explorer, read from ford.com on Aug. 27, 2026, and exclude taxes, title, license, and the dealer documentary fee. Ford’s destination and delivery charge for the Explorer is $1,795, read from Ford’s published destination and delivery charges on 1 September 2026, and applies to both the 2026 and the 2027 — so an Active is $40,260 and an ST $55,455 before tax. Ford can change it at any time and says its dealers are the best source of current information, so treat it as the published figure rather than a quote. Ford adjusts pricing during the model year — confirm the current figure with us before you commit to anything.
Seven colors, and Ruby Red is back after eight years
Ford last offered Ruby Red on the 2019 Explorer. Space White Metallic has been dropped for 2027, and Oxford White is fleet-only, which is why you will not see it on a retail order sheet.
| Color | Cost |
|---|---|
| Agate Black Metallic | No cost |
| Avalanche Gray | No cost |
| Carbonized Gray Metallic | No cost |
| Star White Metallic Tri-coat | Extra cost |
| Vapor Blue Metallic | Extra cost |
| Marsh Gray | Extra cost |
| Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat | Extra cost — returns for 2027 |
Exterior colors as published by Ford on its 2027 Explorer pages, read Sept. 4, 2026. Ford does not publish the surcharge for its extra-cost colors, so we have not invented one — ask us for the figure on a specific vehicle. Availability changes during the model year and not every color reaches every trim.
The federal rating, and why it says 2025 on it
NHTSA has not yet crash-tested a 2026 or 2027 Explorer. It has tested the 2025 — the same generation, the same structure — and those are the figures below. We are showing them as what they are rather than implying they belong to the newer car.
5 stars overall
NHTSA’s overall vehicle score for the 2025 Explorer is five stars, in both rear-drive and four-wheel-drive form.
5 stars frontal and side
Five stars for frontal crash, five for side crash, and five for the side pole test — driver and passenger alike.
4 stars rollover
Four stars, with a calculated rollover risk of about 15 percent. That is normal for a tall three-row SUV and it is the one score that is not a five.
Driver-assist recorded as standard
NHTSA records electronic stability control, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning as standard equipment on the 2025 Explorer.
Ratings published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 2025 Ford Explorer, retrieved Aug. 27, 2026. NHTSA had not published ratings for the 2026 or 2027 Explorer at that date. Ratings apply to the tested configuration and are not a prediction of any individual crash outcome.
2027 Ford Explorer · full specifications
| Specification | 2027 Ford Explorer |
|---|---|
| Powertrain | |
| Standard engine | 2.3L EcoBoost turbo four, 300 hp — Active, ST-Line, Tremor, Platinum |
| Available engine | 3.0L twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, 400 hp — standard on ST. Ford rates a car built with the 50-State Emissions System at 385 hp (Tremor, ST) or 383 hp (Platinum) |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic |
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive · Intelligent 4WD available · standard on Tremor |
| Economy (2026 EPA ratings, same engines) | |
| 2.3L rear-drive | 20 city / 29 highway / 24 combined |
| 2.3L with 4WD | 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined |
| 3.0L V6 rear-drive | 18 city / 25 highway / 21 combined |
| 3.0L V6 with 4WD | 18 city / 25 highway / 20 combined |
| Tremor, 2.3L | 19 city / 23 highway / 21 combined |
| Tremor, 3.0L V6 | 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined |
| Fuel | Regular unleaded |
| Capability | |
| Maximum towing | 5,000 lb on every trim |
| Ground clearance | 7.6 in · 7.8 in ST · 8.3 in Platinum · 8.7 in Tremor |
| Seating | 6 with second-row captain’s chairs · 7 with the optional bench, all trims except Tremor |
| Third row | Standard on every trim · PowerFold standard on Platinum and ST |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 198.7 in |
| Width | 89.3 in with mirrors · 78.9 in without |
| Height | 69.6 in Active and ST-Line · 69.8 in ST · 70.2 in Platinum · 70.8 in Tremor |
| Wheelbase | 119.1 in |
| Head room, front / middle / rear | 40.7 in / 40.5 in / 38.9 in |
| Leg room, front / middle / rear | 43 in / 37.5 in / 31.8 in Active and ST-Line · 42.9 in / 37 in / 31.8 in Tremor, Platinum and ST |
| Passenger volume | 150.3 cu ft Active and ST-Line · 149.5 Tremor and ST · 143.8 Platinum |
| Cargo | |
| Behind the third row | 16.3 cu ft, all seats up |
| Maximum | 85.8 cu ft Active and ST-Line · 85.3 cu ft Tremor, Platinum, and ST |
Figures are Ford and EPA published data. Specification varies by trim and options — we will confirm the numbers on any individual vehicle before you commit to it.
What an Explorer is actually for in McHenry and Kane County
This is the school-run-and-Saturday car. Three rows, a 5,000 lb tow rating that covers a small boat or a pair of jet skis, and enough ground clearance to get down an unplowed side street in January without drama. Most Explorers around here will spend their lives between Randall Road, I-90, and a soccer field. Two things follow from that. First, the Tremor is probably not the trim you need. Its extra 1.1 inches of ground clearance costs $5,000 over an ST-Line and takes away the seventh seat, and there is no rock crawling within a two-hour drive. Intelligent 4WD is available on every other trim and handles a northern Illinois winter perfectly well. Second, BlueCruise is worth more here than the spec sheet suggests. If your commute includes a stretch of I-90 or I-290, hands-free highway driving is the feature you will use every day. It is available on ST-Line and Tremor and included on Platinum and ST — and it is the clearest reason to step up from an Active.
Hands off the wheel on I-90, legally
BlueCruise lets you take your hands off the wheel on mapped divided highways while a camera watches your eyes to make sure you are still watching the road. On the 2027 Explorer it adds Automatic Lane Change, which handles overtakes without you touching the turn signal. Platinum and ST come equipped with it and include a one-year plan plus a 90-day trial. ST-Line and Tremor can be ordered with it. It is the one piece of equipment on this car that is genuinely hard to judge from a brochure, so drive one on the highway before you decide whether it is worth the step up.
Where the Explorer is not the best choice
Edmunds rates the Explorer 7.2 out of 10. Its published cons are “Less second- and third-row space than many rival SUVs” and “No hybrid option for improved mpg”, and it is specific about the third row: “The third row is too close to the floor, so your legs are lifted well off the seat bottom.” Ford’s own numbers agree — 31.8 inches of third-row leg room, against 43 up front. If three adults need to sit back there regularly, sit in it in the lot before you buy, and look at a Ford Expedition too. The missing hybrid is the other real gap. Rivals in this class offer one and the Explorer does not, so 24 MPG combined is the best figure available and a V6 Tremor is rated 19. TFLcar ran a V6 Tremor 900 miles and averaged 18.7 MPG, which says the official numbers are honest rather than optimistic — but they are still the numbers. Choose the Explorer if you want three rows with a normal-sized car around them, if BlueCruise on the highway appeals, or if you like the idea of a car built an hour and a half down the road. Choose something else if the third row is the point rather than a bonus, or if fuel cost is the thing you will be counting.
What buying here is like
Questions people ask about the Ford Explorer
Where is the Ford Explorer built?
At Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant on the city’s Southeast Side, about 70 miles from us. You can check it yourself on any Explorer: take the VIN and run it through the federal VIN decoder at vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov, which returns the assembly plant. It is the only vehicle in our new showroom assembled in Illinois.
Should I buy the 2026 or the 2027 Explorer?
We have both on the lot. On sticker price the 2027 is the cheaper car on three of the five trims — the ST is $1,245 less, the ST-Line $955 less and the Platinum $305 less. The Tremor is $235 more. The Active is not a clean comparison: Ford published both an Active 100A and a fuller Active for 2026 but shows a single Active for 2027, so ask us to compare the actual build rather than the headline. Incentives are usually larger on the outgoing model year though, so the transaction price can land the other way. Ask us to price both side by side.
How many people does a 2027 Ford Explorer seat?
Six or seven. Second-row captain’s chairs are standard on every trim, which makes it a six-seater. A second-row bench that adds a seventh seat is available on every trim except the Tremor. All five trims have a third row.
How much can a 2027 Ford Explorer tow?
Up to 5,000 lb, and Ford rates all five trims the same — Active, ST-Line, Tremor, Platinum, and ST. That is unusual; on most model ranges the tow rating varies by trim and engine. Towing capacity still depends on how a specific vehicle is equipped, so ask us to confirm on the one you are looking at.
What MPG does a 2027 Ford Explorer get?
The EPA has not rated the 2027 yet. The same engines in the 2026 are rated 20 city, 29 highway, and 24 combined for the rear-drive 2.3L — the best in the range — dropping to 23 combined with four-wheel drive. The V6 is 21 combined rear-drive and 20 with 4WD. A Tremor is 21 with the four and 19 with the V6. TFLcar averaged 18.7 MPG over 900 miles in a V6 Tremor, which tracks the official figure closely.
Is the Ford Explorer 385 or 400 horsepower?
Neither on its own — Ford publishes three figures for the same engine, and the reason is emissions equipment rather than the state as such. Ford’s headline number is 400 hp. Ford’s own disclaimer then says that a vehicle built with the 50-State Emissions System is rated 385 hp as a Tremor or ST and 383 hp as a Platinum, because that system adds a gasoline particulate filter. Ford’s FAQ compresses this to “385 hp or 400 hp, depending on the state where the vehicle is purchased”. It has nothing to do with fuel grade. Ask us to confirm the rating on the specific vehicle before you sign anything — it is on the window sticker. The 2.3L is 300 hp everywhere.
Is there a hybrid Ford Explorer?
Not for 2027. The lineup is the 2.3L EcoBoost four and the 3.0L EcoBoost V6, both gasoline. No hybrid Explorer appears on Ford’s 2027 pages or in the EPA’s 2026 list. Edmunds names the missing hybrid among its cons for the model. If you want a hybrid Ford SUV, the Escape offers one.
What is the difference between the Explorer Tremor and the other trims?
The Tremor is the only Explorer whose hardware changes. It has Intelligent 4WD as standard rather than optional, a Torsen limited-slip rear axle, off-road-tuned suspension, front and rear deflector plates and 8.7 inches of ground clearance against 7.6 on an Active. It is also the only trim you cannot order with a seventh seat — it is capped at six occupants.
How safe is the Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has not yet rated the 2026 or 2027. It rated the 2025 Explorer — the same generation — at five stars overall, with five stars for frontal crash, side crash, and the side pole test, and four stars for rollover with a calculated risk of about 15 percent. NHTSA also records stability control, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning as standard.
Which Explorer trims have BlueCruise?
Platinum and ST come equipped with BlueCruise and include a one-year plan plus a 90-day trial. ST-Line and Tremor can be ordered with it. For 2027 it gains Automatic Lane Change, which handles overtakes without you touching the turn signal. If your commute uses I-90 it is the clearest reason to step past the Active.
How much does a 2027 Ford Explorer cost?
Ford’s published starting prices run from $38,465 for the Active to $53,660 for the ST: ST-Line $44,200, Tremor $49,200, Platinum $50,660. All exclude Ford’s $1,795 destination and delivery charge, plus taxes, title, license, and the documentary fee, and Ford adjusts pricing through the model year — call us for the current figure on a specific vehicle.
Ask us something the page did not cover
Call (847) 669-6060 with the questions this page could not settle from Ford’s own documents — what the extra-cost paint adds, and what each option package costs on the trim you want.
Come and sit in the third row before you decide
We are on Automall Drive, just off Route 47 at I-90 — an easy run from Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, Crystal Lake, Elgin, and Woodstock. No appointment needed to look.