The Explorer ST is the quick version of Ford’s long-running three-row SUV, and one of three unrelated cars Ford currently sells under the Explorer name. This one is the North American original: rear-drive-based, built in Chicago, and sized at 5,049 mm long on a 3,025 mm wheelbase. The European Explorer is a compact electric crossover on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, and a third Explorer is sold in China. Only the name travels between them.
Power comes from the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6, rated at 400 hp and 563 Nm through a 10-speed automatic with all-wheel drive as standard. That rating assumes premium fuel of 91 octane or higher; the engine tolerates 87 octane and gives up roughly 15 hp when fed it, which is why both 400 and 385 appear in circulation for the same engine. The ST adds a sport-tuned suspension over lesser trims, and the Explorer range tows up to 5,000 lb with the Class III package.
For the 2027 model year Ford added the Sinister package, a $1,695 appearance option that darkens the ST badging, fits amber daytime running lights and adds 21-inch gloss-black wheels. Its notable detail is what it does not require: unlike most factory blackout treatments, Sinister is not restricted to black paint and can be ordered against any standard Explorer ST colour. Nothing under the skin changes.
Inside, the ST seats six or seven across three rows depending on whether the second row is ordered with captain’s chairs or a bench, and cargo space reaches 85.8 cubic feet with the rear rows folded. The 2027 Explorer range opens at $40,260 and the ST starts at $55,455.
