400 Horsepower For Under $60,000Just because you have a family, doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to drive a sporty vehicle. Ford knows there are moms and dads out there who still want to drive a cool car, which is why it builds an ST version of its popular Explorer. The 2026 Ford Explorer ST packs the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine found in the Bronco and Ranger Raptor models. It produces a whopping 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque.Jared Levenson/AutoblogThe current Explorer is a rear-drive SUV, unlike most of its competitors, and the ST actually comes with RWD standard or optional all-wheel-drive going out via a 10-speed automatic transmission. In our test of the AWD model, it hit 60 mph in 5.24 seconds, making it one of the quickest family crossovers you can buy at this price point.Ford charges $54,905 for the Explorer ST (not including a $1,795 delivery fee), but there are some options available that drive up the cost. We'd spring for the $2,995 Sun and Sound Package (14-speaker B&O audio system, massage seats, and a panoramic glass roof), but pass on the $4,895 black painted roof. With $2,000 for AWD, you can get an ST for less than $60,000. The only three-row SUV with more power at a similar price is the Dodge Durango R/T 392 for $51,745. Optioned with similar features, the Durango 392 Premium costs $58,345.The Final ST ModelFord's ST line of vehicles has dwindled in recent years; only the Explorer remains in the North American market, while Europe gets the Puma ST. We'd certainly prefer a small hatchback with a manual transmission like the long-gone Focus and Fiesta ST, but for buyers who used to own one of those and have since had children, the Explorer ST might be the best logical replacement.Jared Levenson/AutoblogThere is nothing else quite like the Explorer ST at its price point. The Dodge Durango is the closest competitor with its available 6.4-liter V8 engine delivering 475 hp, but it lacks the comfort and refinement of the Ford. The Explorer ST looks pretty sporty with standard 21-inch and an available Sinister Package adding black accents.Lincoln FeaturesFord positions the ST as the top Explorer trim level, though other trims like the Platinum and Tremor are able to get similar comfort features and performance. Though the Platinum can no longer be ordered with the V6, it's available on the Tremor for just under $7,000. The Platinum has a more luxuriously-themed interior, but the ST is still very well-equipped.Jared Levenson/AutoblogHeated and ventilated suede front seats come standard, and the rear seats are heated. The aforementioned Sun & Sound Package upgrades the front seats with a massage function, a feature you'd expect to get on a Lincoln.Room For The FamilyThere are more spacious vehicles in the mid-size crossover segment, but the Explorer is not small with up to 85.8 cubic feet of space when the second- and third-row seats are folded. A power third-row is standard on the ST, letting owners raise or lower the seats with one button. Unfortunately, the second-row seats can not be dropped from the trunk, requiring a walk to the rear doors.Jared Levenson/AutoblogBuyers can get a bench seat, like the one equipped in our tester, but captain's chairs are available at no cost, limiting the total seating from seven to six passengers. The bench is still pretty comfortable with individual slide/recline adjustment for all three seats.
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