The Ford Explorer statistics below cover U.S. manufacturer specifications for the 2025 and 2026 model years and IIHS testing reported for 2024. They describe dimensions, passenger and cargo space, towing capability, curb weight, crash-test measurements, pedestrian crash-prevention outcomes and the model years covered by specific ratings; they are not fleet averages or real-world owner outcomes.
Key Ford Explorer Statistics
The most useful Ford Explorer figures span space, towing and controlled safety testing:
- 43.0 inches of first-row legroom are listed for 2025 U.S. Active and ST-Line Explorers.
- 42.9 inches of first-row legroom are listed for 2025 U.S. ST and Platinum Explorers.
- 32.2 inches of third-row legroom are listed across the four specified 2025 U.S. trims.
- 16.3 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third row are listed for all four specified 2025 U.S. trims.
- 46.0 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the second row are listed for all four specified 2025 U.S. trims.
- 152.9 cubic feet of passenger volume are listed for the 2025 U.S. Active and ST-Line trims.
- 4,631 pounds of base curb weight are listed for the 2025 U.S. ST trim.
- 5,000 pounds of maximum trailer weight are listed for the 2026 U.S. Explorer when properly equipped.
- 40 square feet of maximum trailer frontal area is specified in the 2026 U.S. towing guide with the Trailer Tow Package.
- 500 pounds of maximum tongue load is listed for 2026 U.S. gas or hybrid Explorer configurations in the towing guide.
- Two EcoBoost engine displacements, 2.3L and 3.0L, are listed for the 2026 U.S. Explorer lineup.
- Rear-wheel drive is standard on all 2026 U.S. 2.3L EcoBoost models, with intelligent 4WD available on all of them.
- 21 centimeters of footrest intrusion were recorded in the 2024-rated CEN2006 small-overlap test of a 2020 U.S. Explorer XLT 4WD.
- 97 HIC-15 was recorded for the driver dummy in that 2024-rated CEN2006 small-overlap test.
- 27 millimeters of maximum driver torso deflection were recorded in the 2024-rated updated side test of a 2022 U.S. Explorer XLT 4WD.
- A 2024 Explorer avoided a collision at 12 mph in the IIHS crossing-child daytime pedestrian test.
- Impact speed was reduced by 22 mph in the IIHS 37-mph parallel-adult nighttime test with high beams.
- The 2024 IIHS small-overlap rating applies to 2020–26 Explorer models built after May 2020, subject to the vehicle’s certification label.
Contents
- Key Ford Explorer Statistics
- Ford Explorer Dimensions and Seating Statistics
- Ford Explorer Engine, Drivetrain and Towing Data
- Ford Explorer Passenger Space, Cargo and Weight Statistics
- Ford Explorer Crash-Test and Occupant-Protection Results
- Ford Explorer Pedestrian Crash-Prevention Statistics
- Ford Explorer Safety Ratings and Model-Year Coverage
Ford Explorer Dimensions and Seating Statistics
Ford’s 2025 technical specifications give trim-specific interior measurements for the U.S. Explorer. These are manufacturer specifications rather than measurements of real-world occupant fit.
| 2025 trim group | First-row legroom | First-row headroom | Second-row legroom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active and ST-Line | 43.0 in | 40.7 in | 39.0 in |
| ST | 42.9 in | 40.7 in | 38.3 in |
| Platinum | 42.9 in | 38.9 in | 38.3 in |
Source: 2025 Ford Explorer Technical Specifications.
The four listed trims share several third-row measurements. The 2025 Explorer lists 38.9 inches of third-row headroom, 32.2 inches of third-row legroom, 54.6 inches of third-row shoulder room and 40.9 inches of third-row hip room.
The trim differences are narrow in some dimensions but material in others. Active and ST-Line have the highest listed first-row legroom at 43.0 inches, while Platinum’s first-row headroom is 38.9 inches compared with 40.7 inches for Active, ST-Line and ST.
Ford Explorer Engine, Drivetrain and Towing Data
The 2026 U.S. Explorer lineup lists 2.3L and 3.0L EcoBoost engines. Engine availability varies by trim, so the displacement list should not be interpreted as a sales mix or adoption rate.
Ford lists 5,000 pounds of maximum towing for both the 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 and the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 when properly equipped. Ford also states that the actual capacity varies with cargo, configuration, accessories and passengers.
| 2026 towing measure | Ford-listed figure | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum trailer weight | 5,000 lb | Properly equipped U.S. Explorer |
| Maximum trailer frontal area | 40 sq ft | Trailer Tow Package combinations |
| Hitch receiver capacity | 5,000 lb | Gas or hybrid configurations; weight-carrying hitch |
| Maximum tongue load | 500 lb | Gas or hybrid configurations |
Sources: 2026 Ford Explorer SUV and 2026 Ford Explorer Towing Guide.
The towing guide cautions that hitch capacity can exceed a specific vehicle’s maximum loaded trailer weight. It also warns that exceeding the 40-square-foot frontal-area limit may significantly reduce performance, while vehicle-specific loaded limits still apply.
For drivetrain availability, Ford states that rear-wheel drive is standard on all 2.3L EcoBoost models and intelligent 4WD is available on all of them. Intelligent 4WD is standard on the 3.0L EcoBoost Tremor and available on the 3.0L ST.
Ford Explorer Passenger Space, Cargo and Weight Statistics
The 2025 specifications separate passenger volume, cargo volume and base curb weight. Those definitions matter: cargo figures use Ford’s stated seat-position definitions, and curb weight is not payload or gross vehicle weight.
| 2025 trim group | Passenger volume | Cargo behind first row | Cargo behind second row | Cargo behind third row |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active and ST-Line | 152.9 cu ft | 85.8 cu ft | 46.0 cu ft | 16.3 cu ft |
| ST | 151.8 cu ft | 85.3 cu ft | 46.0 cu ft | 16.3 cu ft |
| Platinum | 146.0 cu ft | 85.3 cu ft | 46.0 cu ft | 16.3 cu ft |
Source: 2025 Ford Explorer Technical Specifications.
All four listed trims have 46.0 cubic feet behind the second row and 16.3 cubic feet behind the third row. With the first row as the reference point, Active and ST-Line list 85.8 cubic feet, while ST and Platinum list 85.3 cubic feet.
The largest listed passenger-volume figure is 152.9 cubic feet for Active and ST-Line. ST lists 151.8 cubic feet, and Platinum lists 146.0 cubic feet, all for the 2025 U.S. model year.
Base curb weight also varies by trim. Active and ST-Line each list 4,303 pounds, ST lists 4,631 pounds, and Platinum lists 4,303 pounds; these are base curb-weight specifications, not limits for carrying people or cargo.
Ford Explorer Crash-Test and Occupant-Protection Results
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports controlled measurements for specified Explorer test vehicles and protocols. These figures are dummy and vehicle measurements, not population injury rates.
In the 2024 rating’s CEN2006 driver-side small-overlap test, a 2020 Explorer XLT 4WD recorded 3 centimeters of maximum lower hinge-pillar intrusion, 21 centimeters of footrest intrusion, 17 centimeters of left toepan intrusion and 15 centimeters of brake-pedal intrusion.
The same test recorded a driver-dummy HIC-15 of 97, driver neck tension of 0.8 kN and driver chest maximum compression of 23 mm. HIC-15 is an index, while the force and compression figures use the units reported by IIHS.
The original moderate-overlap VTF1914 test for the 2020 Explorer XLT 4WD recorded 4 centimeters of center footwell intrusion, a driver-dummy HIC-15 of 109 and 21 mm of driver chest compression. IIHS identifies this original protocol as applying to 2020–24 models.
The updated CEF2207 moderate-overlap test used a 2022 Explorer XLT 4WD and recorded 1 centimeter of footrest intrusion and 0 centimeters of brake-pedal intrusion. The updated protocol applies to 2022–26 models for the rating.
The updated CES2209 side test for the 2022 Explorer XLT 4WD recorded 24.5 centimeters of crush stopping short of the driver’s seat centerline, 27 mm of maximum driver torso deflection and 4.4 kN of combined driver pelvis force.
Source: 2024 Ford Explorer. IIHS uses a negative-intrusion convention for the side-test distance reported as stopping short of the seat centerline.
Ford Explorer Pedestrian Crash-Prevention Statistics
The 2024 IIHS pedestrian tests measure outcomes in controlled daytime and nighttime scenarios. They do not establish a real-world collision rate, and nighttime results specified below use high beams.
| IIHS scenario | Test speed | Reported outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing child, daytime | 12 mph | Collision avoided |
| Crossing child, daytime | 25 mph | Impact speed reduced by 21 mph |
| Crossing adult, nighttime, high beams | 12 mph | Collision avoided |
| Crossing adult, nighttime, high beams | 25 mph | Impact speed reduced by 17 mph |
| Parallel adult, nighttime, high beams | 25 mph | Collision avoided |
| Parallel adult, nighttime, high beams | 37 mph | Impact speed reduced by 22 mph |
Source: 2024 Ford Explorer.
The test pattern includes both avoided collisions and reduced impact speeds. In the crossing-child daytime test, the Explorer avoided a collision at 12 mph and reduced impact speed by 21 mph at 25 mph.
In the nighttime crossing-adult tests with high beams, it avoided a collision at 12 mph and reduced impact speed by 17 mph at 25 mph. In the parallel-adult nighttime tests with high beams, it avoided a collision at 25 mph and reduced impact speed by 22 mph at 37 mph.
Ford Explorer Safety Ratings and Model-Year Coverage
IIHS assigns applicability by test protocol and model-year range rather than by one universal Explorer result. The 2024 rating page says the individual vehicle’s certification label controls the relevant build timing where a cutoff is specified.
| IIHS rating or test | Coverage stated by IIHS |
|---|---|
| Small overlap | 2020–26 models built after May 2020 |
| Original moderate overlap | 2020–24 models |
| Updated moderate overlap | 2022–26 models |
| Updated side test | 2020–26 models |
Source: 2024 Ford Explorer.
This coverage distinction prevents unlike protocols from being collapsed into a single year range. The small-overlap result has a post-May-2020 build cutoff, the original moderate-overlap result covers 2020–24 models, and the updated moderate-overlap result covers 2022–26 models.
The updated side-test rating applies to 2020–26 Explorer models. These ranges describe IIHS rating applicability, not sales volumes, ownership counts or the proportion of vehicles on the road that received a particular configuration.