The issue this review misses is that the Explorer ST can be purchased at a big discount. I got mine for $52 with the street pack, tech package and moonroof, it listed at $60k. this car drives great and the interior and electronics work well. the engine is terrific. there is nothing at $52k that compares to this vehicle. so if you ignore a little bit of plastic, you will have a lot more fun than a Kia. Oh yeah, the Kia dealer wanted a $5k premium for the top of the line car, ABOVE MSRP. It would have been more $ and it has a wimpy motor. A BMW similarly equipped is $20k more.
Yep! Same thing I thought. I got mine fully loaded for the same price because my cousin manages the dealership i went to. Got the family discount🤷♂️ best choice I ever made
I bought my 20’ explorer xlt loaded, msrp $49, paid $41k. It’s about what you can get the car at, not msrp. You all can sit there and say the interior is horrible. Have you driven it? It’s the best driving suv out there, the interior isnt bad actually, the seats are great and not has more room inside than any of the other competition. Kia and Hyundai are not dealing on their cars, giving way below trade values as well. So, if you want a comparably priced Kia, you won’t get early as many options and the ride quality is terrible.
Not sure what you consider a "terrible ride," but the massive demand for the Telluride and Palisade versus the discounts dealers are already offering on Explorers just to move them off the lot suggests not many consumers agree with you.
@@stephenhendricks103 There are 0 discounts on this SUV. I know I actually just test drove one of these beautiful Explorer STs today, among other vehicles of a lesser caliber including that Honda he seems to think is better? Definitely not interested in a Kia! Been there before!
@@eadam2582 ST's in the Puget Sound area are being discounted by about $6000 under MSRP. Want to try again on the "facts" issue? www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/Ford/Explorer/Bellevue+WA-98004?makeCodeList=FORD&searchRadius=100&modelCodeList=EXPLOR&zip=98004&marketExtension=include&trimCodeList=EXPLOR%7CST&isNewSearch=true&sortBy=relevance&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0
Stephen Hendricks They don’t discount them just to move them off the lot. Explorers have been the best selling three row SUVs for decades and it continues this way. It’s about the MSRP price structure and how much markup they built into the MSRP giving dealers leeway to sell them at any price they want. So get your facts straight.
I sat in an ST and saw all the quality issues and I completely ignored it. Until one day, I test drove one and it is now on the top of my list to buy. Additionally, $60k is MSRP. Most dealers now are having a hard time selling so they're already knocking out $6-7k at this point. I'll offer the dealer $10k off MSRP and will make it more reasonable. Yes, the Telluride is appealing...if you can find one.....
rabayl01 I’ve wondered how the dealerships are able to stock and sell so many of these. A dealer close to home has 114 ST’s. I’m starting to think getting a good deal might be easier than I thought. This car is on top of my list but I’d first of all love to test drive one.
It's true that finding a top trim Telluride can be a challenge. KIA initially estimated and more importantly planned to produce and sell 41,000 Tellurides in the first calendar year. After 10 months, they sold over 58,000, almost all at MSRP or above. There are reasons for that: quality, materials, and features. And there are reasons that Ford dealers are heavily discounting Explorers. They hate seeing vehicles sitting on their lots and incurring flooring charges.
@@turnerdrywallrestoration8077 definitely test drive it! It's a good compromise over the better options since Fun to drive is my top priority. Also, everyone hated the infotainment screen, but after seeing it in person, I actually liked it.
rabayl01 Good to know, thanks! Has everyone forgot how awful American car interiors have been for decades. The past 10 years have been a dramatic improvement. And this explorer isn’t the only car to have a screen “glued” to the dashboard. I look forward to driving one and seeing it in person. Fun to drive is very important to me too. Telluride’s look nice but I can’t imagine they’re fun at all.
Dealers in my area are already doing $10k off of MSRP of $60k. We'll see discounts up to $15k off by the summer. You should expect to see prices for a $60k ST right around $45k.
I see all of these reviewers that don't really understand the exhaust. it isnt pointing down to keep them clean its pointing down because the last generation had on issue there there was exhaust leaking into the cabin and that was their solution to a problem
I dont know what this guy is talking about. I just test drove an Explorer ST today as a matter fact. The interior is beautiful and everything is soft to the touch except what would not necessarily need to be soft like shifter area of the console. The rest of the SUV is insane, the exterior, technology and the drivetrain. I did not like I fell in love with it. I am definitely buying one, it in my opinion worth every penny! I test drove the Honda and Jeep Grand Cherokee among other SUVs, I personally dont think they were even in the same category. This might explain why even at $60,000 they are even surpassing Ford's sales expectations.
I sat in this...then a Highlander, telluride, followed by Palisade. I quickly forgot about the explorer. Bought a 21 palisade calligraphy. Loving every minute of it. And the amazing warranty...etc etc
I have a 2018 Sport, love it and knew the ST was inevitable. When it was announced for 2020 I was both excited and nervous because I didn't know if I'd love it or hate it (after the shit show that was the Edge ST). For me it ended up being "meh". For every step forward I think they took 2 steps backwards IMO. It's not as garbage as the edge but I was still hoping for more. Maybe an Explorer RS? Expanded comment: (for those considering a used previous generation sport) I love the fact the explorer has returned to a RWD platform that said it is kind of irrelevant in the ST. Both feel about the same, any semblance of it feeling like a RWD platform is lost swiftly because power is quickly pumped to the front wheels at launch. The only major difference is the opposite is true for the previous gen, power is pumped to the front and within half a second to the rear so aside from the initial jump acceleration feels identical and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it or too caught up on it being RWD. The major benefit of RWD is towing on the non-4WD variants. RWD does also offer an improved CoG and longer wheelbase which is nice as well but not quite enough for me to make the jump. I am not crazy about some aspects of the interior on my Sport, mainly the gaps and was expecting a serious improvement on the ST's interior. While I do dig the squared 90° layout of the dash (feels more truck like) the gaps actually got worse in the ST... It's unbelievable to me that Ford couldn't dial it in and make everything feel tighter and like one big puzzel that comes together. I could forgive my sport a bit since this Gen has been around since 2011 and while some improvements were made over the years I just figured perhaps it would cost to much to improve this mid gen but with an entirely gen WTF? It was an infuriating experience to sit in the ST and see this when Kia can crush it on an interior... Kia... Next, I was pumped when I saw the ST was doing 400hp, I was thinking finally the 3.5 is going to the second gen... Nope. For the record I LOVE the 3.5 Ecoboost it is just such a capable engine, the same engine was used in the expedition and F-150 and the second gen of this engine used in the Raptor and a heavily modified version in the Ford GT. I incorrectly assumed it would have an updated 3.5 which is capable of making way more than 400 ponies but no it has a 3.0 which if people did their research is just the least popular mustang engine bored out to 3.0 from 2.7 with some other tweaks to improve it's durability. I'd say don't even get me started on this but it's too late. Everything makes sense now, it's a cost cutting measure. They have these engines already in bulk, these engines are designed for a RWD platform so it makes me feel like going RWD had less to do with returning to a truck platform and more to do with making use of repurposed engines. Listen I know some people love those 2.7 stangs and that engine but I'm not one of them. I see the logical reasons for using this engine, weight reduction and better fuel economy but this is a "performance" car so who cares. Should have stuck with the 3.5 and upgraded it to 450hp, maybe then it would be worth 60k. Okay, taking a step back this reviewer is right about the rear angle of the previous gen being a bit inflated, they definitely made the ST a bit leaner from the back but at the same time I dislike the new tail lights and miss the black accent that goes across the entire back. I also hate the accent LED lights in the front. Which sucks because I love the fog lights being tough looking right angles. I've always hated just straight horizontal LEDs for accent/running lighting. It feels lazy. I look at Range Rovers intricate lighting and the BMW X5 and while Fords paled in comparison it looked good running the top back trim of the headlight enclosure but nope. Before the LED generated presence, even now when a last gen explorer is behind you you know... But now it's just a line like every other vehicle that said "hey this is the thing everyone is doing here's a generic LED"... This is where I end my comment, I definitely went off on a rant and while I acknowledge some improvements for every positive thing something was done to cancel it out leaving me with a meh feeling. I'll be waiting for either a refresh or a bronco raptor. Edit: after reviewing this comment I stand by it but want to add one thing. I feel like the ST was designed by a bunch of millennials (which I am one of) that had a lot of really good ideas but at the same time didn't have older more experienced oversight just to clean things up and refine them which I feel is more evident from the botched launch of the explorer.
@@ALEX-sh3tx Lol, nothing I said was a lie, a bit biased perhaps, and definitely underwhelming. I was not comparing the ST to a Limited. That is absolutely insane. The driving experience between a Limited and Sport is night and day, I test drove the limited first and I was not impressed. I believe in 2014 the only engine option for the limited was a 3.5 V6 that put out maybe 290HP. I'm not shitting on the limited but it was just an underwhelming vehicle. I drove the Sport on a whim and immediately loved it, I could knit pick about interior quirks I disliked but overall the driving experience was amazing. I imagine test driving the ST was a similar experience for you. I can't imagine going from a limited to ST and being underwhelmed and in your specific case I think you made a great transition. My issue is simply that for Sport owners the ST is underwhelming, to an astonishing level. The improvements are there but at the same time subverted for me, which is largely my opinion. I personally think if you are going to slap the Ford Performance name on something the upgrades should be major but essentially all they did was phase out the sport line and a small incremental upgrade which I should accept is what's happening since it's what they did with every Sport model now but I dunno I am just overly optimistic. The explorer got a bit lucky because the ST didn't launch during a refresh so some of the changes were relatively major but that's only because the changes to the entire platform were major, going to RWD and such but from a purely comparitive performance standpoint the difference between how a Sport and ST drives is very little. The Sport accelerates to 60mph factory at 5.8 seconds, the ST in 5.2. a nice increase but is it that big of a deal? Additionally there are ECU tunes that bring that time down on Sports to 4.8 seconds (Google them and check TH-cam). If a pure software change can increase performance why didnt hardware changes drastically improve performance? I was honestly expecting a 4.5 second 0-60 from the explorer ST. The only other thing I can say is that everything outside of my opinion I said was fact. The explorer ST is using a modified 2.7 Ecoboost mustang engine and the 3.5 Ecoboost (not the crappy variant in your limited) is objectively a better engine platform or they wouldn't have produced a 2nd gen and used it in GT's and Raptors... Edit: I will add, since you said you owned a Sport, which I missed, is that one thing I didn't do in my test drive of the ST is highway driving, obviously. I could imagine due to the platform change it feels predominantly RWD as the Sport does keep power on the front when highway cruising. I'm glad you felt the ST was a major upgrade, I wanted that feeling but as I said I didn't get that. Ultimately I standby my comments.
@@vooltexdev7060 Good, it was written over 3 years ago. I was surprised to see this response from 4 weeks ago in my notifications. The first part summed it up, the long part was just a deep dive. I wouldn't say defensive as much as it was just disappointment-- my expectations for the ST trim were just too high at the time.
Yeah it's number one for breaking down it's got eight recalls on it and mine's standed me twice and I've been fighting for 6 months it's been sitting at the dealer for over 60 days now
@@douglasadams8961 The thing I don't like about Savage is he tends to mostly share opinions instead of facts. Everyone has their own opinion, so that doesn't add much to a review.
Wow, you are really complaining about the gas mileage? You say that the ST model gets a combined of 20 mp gallon yet suggest that you should buy the four-cylinder model that gets a combined of 23 mi per gallon. I think I will have more fun with the ST model and get the extra 3 miles per gallon, that's so minuscule to even think about buying the four cylinder just to save an extra two or three miles per gallon.
This car is probably the most fun and capable suv in that price range. If you want that much ponies in any other company easily 80k+. Example, Gle, X5, Q7, Grand Cherokee, xc90,
No it's not worth the price. Horrible build quality and a craptastic plastic interior make it a no. That lazy touch screen placement should have never been given the green light.
I sat in an ST at my local dealership--and I wouldn't call it plastic. Not a true soft-touch, but softer than what any plastic you would find, would be. The guy was trying to get me out the door for $55K, but I told him I was just looking. Not sure what the reviewer thought was so 'plastic' about it.
@@strob1023 Exactly. Let’s be honest here, I’m not buying a single vehicle unless I’ve got it fully loaded. Period. If I’m spending 10’s of thousands of dollars on a vehicle, I’m getting my money’s worth. The whole appeal of the Explorer ST is the 400hp, mixed with being fully loaded, ALL for 60k flat. Compare that exact same stats to any other SUV doing the EXACT same thing…. Not even the same lol
@@luthariii7827 just don't let dealers bullshit you with that whole their aren't any available BS, they tried that with me I ended up getting mines for 58k fully loaded deliverered to my house
@@strob1023 Yeah, I always make sure dealers understand Im not there for BS the moment I walk in. I instantly start asking stuff like inventory, markups, their commission, etc. Stuff that puts them in a tougher spot than myself makes for a better deal in the end.
02:00, Almost 24 years ago technically. And that was Firestone tires separating, on top of a high center of gravity and SUVs being mainstream were just hitting their stride. Sad times for sure, but Ford didn't build the tires.
What about that hedious classroom board stuff in the middle vertically in the middle of the dashboard called the info- system which you will be in front of all the time while driving?? It looks horrendous and as if it was an afterthought😱
I've owned a 2019 (redesigned) Chev Traverse Premier and a 2020 Ford Explorer ST. I've also driven a 2020 Kia Telluride -- which just looks cheap -- and Hyundai Palisade (better esthetic but still lacking balls). Hyundai and Kia are gutless, and offer hardly anything more with interior than the former 2 and with terrible resale value down the road. Traverse has a decent engine, amazing room inside and slick enough interior. The ST blows all of them out of the water with performance and superior to Hyundai & Kia with exterior styling. Explorer also offers fantastic seats and can even achieve 500HP/580 lb.ft. torque with a simple tuner that only costs $600USD vs the paltry 280HP of Kia and Hyundai? I would take Traverse or Explorer ANY day over the other two and that is coming from experience with all 4.
Horrid interior, which is a pity because it comes at a time where this class is going upmarket on interiors on higher trims. The CX-9 Signature, Telluride/Palisade, Subaru Ascent Touring, and likely the forthcoming JGC(if the current Overland/Summit models are indicators) are all near luxury. Yes, the Explorer ST is definitely a good and capable hauler. But the interior at $60k is a complete blunder, especially considering that same Ford lot will likely have a mid-trim Aviator with this engine for the same money and a vastly improved interior(and styling).
I doubt that a consumer can purchase an Explorer ST or Platinum version for "the same money" as a mid-trim (Reserve) Aviator, especially when the top trim Explorers are already being discounted to the mid $50K price point by dealers in my area (Seattle). But your point that the value proposition of the Aviator, even without a substantial discount, looks far better than the best the Explorer can offer. If a consumer is willing to spend $55K for a loaded Explorer, it's difficult to see why one wouldn't pay up to $8000 more for a clearly superior Aviator. Not to mention the 800 lb gorillas in the room, a top trim Palisade or Telluride for thousands of dollars less.
@@stephenhendricks103 even a $8000 upcharge for the Aviator is worth it. Far better execution. The reliability of both has been reportedly atrocious, but if it were me on the "buying" end of thr spectrum, the Aviator it's more premium trappings is worth it. The average Reserve Aviator MSRPs for mid to high 60s, not far off of the pace of the $64k loaded Explorer ST. If it were Explorer Limited vs Telluride, then Telluride all day long. But the ST and Platinum have far superior powertrains, and to some, the price is worth it. But the packaging efficiency, cleverness of ergonomics, and boldness of the Telluride are definitely enticing.
@@hellkitty1014 I think you're a bit high on the MSRP of the ST. According to the Ford "build and price" site, a loaded version of the ST comes in at just over $60K, essentially the same as the Platinum version of the Explorer with similar equipment. As far as the Aviator is concerned, its MSRP depends on options but a reasonable set of options comes in at around $65K. As for whether it's "worth it" to purchase an Aviator at or near MSRP versus a discounted Explorer at, say, $55K depends on one's economic resources and willingness to incur debt. But I'd have to say that if $55K plus TTL is one's absolute ceiling and not a penny more there are other vehicles for less money that offer a better value proposition.
Great review as always.........but I wish ford would do better with their Interiors, it's great to have a vehicle for every price point and for everyone but at least make them premium for the st and platinum models..... and also the prices are way too high for what you get like in the mid-level models like XLT
... Half-baked comes to mind. Ford continues to fleece their customers and will need to rely on huge discounts/incentives to move units. Luxury price w/rent car interior. I'll shop elsewhere to make my dollar go further. If you have to speak w/more than one person at the dealership, they are doing it wrong.
Had me until you complained about interiors then mention the highlander and Subaru that don't include models that compete with the st. Nothing Subaru makes feels anything but dated or cheap. The Toyota has the same issue. Honda 3.5 is boring. Compare it to a Dodge Durango srt and the cost of the st earns redemption points for what it lacks.
Crap. I owned a Ford Explorer sport and ended up blowing 3 turbos and the engine before the 3 year lease was up. And i changed the oil every 3k miles. Stick with a normally aspirated big engine like the Dodge Durango. American car manufacturers havent gotten the reliability down yet for turbos and small engines.
Ford Marketing Manager needs to find a way to bring the price with in an affordable ranges imagine if you could get the s t for at least 45 or 50 this thing would kill in sales and destroy the competition at the same time.
... Correct, as the 60k msrp has, at least, 35-40% profit built in; giving plenty of room to negotiate "down" to 50k. Friends/family, 20% off, $8k+ incentives are standard fare now when selling trucks to get ppl to bite and give the illusion of a "good deal"
@@K03sport👍 if only if they would listen to their fan base hey look at GM their first mid-engine Corvette and it's around the price are close to the price of a GT350 that's a total slap in the face to every Mid Engine car out there now I do expect the price to change over the years but at least GM is going to sell this thing like hotcakes
And dont believe the fuel mileage. Youll burn just as much gas with a Ford Eco as you would with a large V8. My Dodge Durango SRT got better gas mileage than my Ford Explorer sport.
NOOOOO LA COMPREN: Porque??? Compre la explorer ST el 13 de septiembre de 2019 Fui de los primeros en comprarla en SAN DIEGO CA en 1 año la he llevado 12 veces al dealer problemas de frenos camara trasera se pone azul delay en el audio (lo compre con pantallas y tienes 3 segundos de DELAY, como creen que se mira cualquier video...) el asiento se rompio el ventilador que enfria los asientos se rompio/daño pero lo mas importante NO PUEDEN ARREGLAR EL PROBLEMA DE LA CAMARA y ahora se rompio el "Brazo" de la parte izquierrda ENFRENTE y suena como carroza con caballo y me dicen que tendran mi parte hasta dentro de 1 mes....... Lo bueno: Si la teconologia funcionara al 100 esta padrisima la suv.... el motor corre PADRISIMA... pero por todo lo que he tenido de problemas no la recomiendo en lo absoluto
![HIWWHEE | OHM [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OJJLtTLqLag/mqdefault.jpg)
The issue this review misses is that the Explorer ST can be purchased at a big discount. I got mine for $52 with the street pack, tech package and moonroof, it listed at $60k. this car drives great and the interior and electronics work well. the engine is terrific. there is nothing at $52k that compares to this vehicle. so if you ignore a little bit of plastic, you will have a lot more fun than a Kia. Oh yeah, the Kia dealer wanted a $5k premium for the top of the line car, ABOVE MSRP. It would have been more $ and it has a wimpy motor. A BMW similarly equipped is $20k more.
denver north so you basically got the Fully loaded version at $52k that’s awesome!
Got my ST for 53k
Yep! Same thing I thought. I got mine fully loaded for the same price because my cousin manages the dealership i went to. Got the family discount🤷♂️ best choice I ever made
seen them go 4 43k used 19-25k miles
Damn. Should’ve bought one last year. No room for negotiation currently.
Bought one during covid 19 had 6 miles on it, 2020 explorer ST with the high performance package for 50k flat, thank you apocalypse.
where, i want the same deal
@@readytoridehouston academy Ford Laurel MD
@@nonofurbiz4434 lmao damn sounds like you got alot of hate, if you're broke just say so.
@@nonofurbiz4434 even though you seem like a tool, I do hope your vehicle gets fixed and your range rover lasts as long as your hate does.
This car is beautiful. My mom just got one and it’s amazing
@@nonofurbiz4434 really? What are the issues?
I bought my 20’ explorer xlt loaded, msrp $49, paid $41k. It’s about what you can get the car at, not msrp. You all can sit there and say the interior is horrible. Have you driven it? It’s the best driving suv out there, the interior isnt bad actually, the seats are great and not has more room inside than any of the other competition. Kia and Hyundai are not dealing on their cars, giving way below trade values as well. So, if you want a comparably priced Kia, you won’t get early as many options and the ride quality is terrible.
Not sure what you consider a "terrible ride," but the massive demand for the Telluride and Palisade versus the discounts dealers are already offering on Explorers just to move them off the lot suggests not many consumers agree with you.
@@stephenhendricks103 Please let's not make up our own "facts".
@@stephenhendricks103 There are 0 discounts on this SUV. I know I actually just test drove one of these beautiful Explorer STs today, among other vehicles of a lesser caliber including that Honda he seems to think is better? Definitely not interested in a Kia! Been there before!
@@eadam2582 ST's in the Puget Sound area are being discounted by about $6000 under MSRP. Want to try again on the "facts" issue?
www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/Ford/Explorer/Bellevue+WA-98004?makeCodeList=FORD&searchRadius=100&modelCodeList=EXPLOR&zip=98004&marketExtension=include&trimCodeList=EXPLOR%7CST&isNewSearch=true&sortBy=relevance&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0
Stephen Hendricks They don’t discount them just to move them off the lot. Explorers have been the best selling three row SUVs for decades and it continues this way. It’s about the MSRP price structure and how much markup they built into the MSRP giving dealers leeway to sell them at any price they want. So get your facts straight.
I sat in an ST and saw all the quality issues and I completely ignored it. Until one day, I test drove one and it is now on the top of my list to buy. Additionally, $60k is MSRP. Most dealers now are having a hard time selling so they're already knocking out $6-7k at this point. I'll offer the dealer $10k off MSRP and will make it more reasonable. Yes, the Telluride is appealing...if you can find one.....
rabayl01 I’ve wondered how the dealerships are able to stock and sell so many of these. A dealer close to home has 114 ST’s. I’m starting to think getting a good deal might be easier than I thought. This car is on top of my list but I’d first of all love to test drive one.
It's true that finding a top trim Telluride can be a challenge. KIA initially estimated and more importantly planned to produce and sell 41,000 Tellurides in the first calendar year. After 10 months, they sold over 58,000, almost all at MSRP or above. There are reasons for that: quality, materials, and features. And there are reasons that Ford dealers are heavily discounting Explorers. They hate seeing vehicles sitting on their lots and incurring flooring charges.
@@turnerdrywallrestoration8077 definitely test drive it! It's a good compromise over the better options since Fun to drive is my top priority. Also, everyone hated the infotainment screen, but after seeing it in person, I actually liked it.
rabayl01 Good to know, thanks! Has everyone forgot how awful American car interiors have been for decades. The past 10 years have been a dramatic improvement. And this explorer isn’t the only car to have a screen “glued” to the dashboard. I look forward to driving one and seeing it in person. Fun to drive is very important to me too. Telluride’s look nice but I can’t imagine they’re fun at all.
Dealers in my area are already doing $10k off of MSRP of $60k.
Dealers in my area are already doing $10k off of MSRP of $60k. We'll see discounts up to $15k off by the summer. You should expect to see prices for a $60k ST right around $45k.
Post up the dealers with 10k off msrp on an St.
Great, honest review as always, Clifford!
I see all of these reviewers that don't really understand the exhaust. it isnt pointing down to keep them clean its pointing down because the last generation had on issue there there was exhaust leaking into the cabin and that was their solution to a problem
I dont know what this guy is talking about. I just test drove an Explorer ST today as a matter fact. The interior is beautiful and everything is soft to the touch except what would not necessarily need to be soft like shifter area of the console. The rest of the SUV is insane, the exterior, technology and the drivetrain. I did not like I fell in love with it. I am definitely buying one, it in my opinion worth every penny! I test drove the Honda and Jeep Grand Cherokee among other SUVs, I personally dont think they were even in the same category. This might explain why even at $60,000 they are even surpassing Ford's sales expectations.
I agree, I ordered a 60K ST in red and I was able to get it for 53K.
The interior is terrible, what are you on? Hard touch cheap plastics litter the entire interior, and the fit and finish is a Joke.
Got my Explorer ST for $60k CAD ($45k USD) last week. Has all of the usual upgrades; performance and tech packages. Americans get ripped off!
I sat in this...then a Highlander, telluride, followed by Palisade. I quickly forgot about the explorer. Bought a 21 palisade calligraphy. Loving every minute of it. And the amazing warranty...etc etc
I have a 2018 Sport, love it and knew the ST was inevitable. When it was announced for 2020 I was both excited and nervous because I didn't know if I'd love it or hate it (after the shit show that was the Edge ST). For me it ended up being "meh". For every step forward I think they took 2 steps backwards IMO. It's not as garbage as the edge but I was still hoping for more. Maybe an Explorer RS?
Expanded comment: (for those considering a used previous generation sport)
I love the fact the explorer has returned to a RWD platform that said it is kind of irrelevant in the ST. Both feel about the same, any semblance of it feeling like a RWD platform is lost swiftly because power is quickly pumped to the front wheels at launch. The only major difference is the opposite is true for the previous gen, power is pumped to the front and within half a second to the rear so aside from the initial jump acceleration feels identical and anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it or too caught up on it being RWD. The major benefit of RWD is towing on the non-4WD variants. RWD does also offer an improved CoG and longer wheelbase which is nice as well but not quite enough for me to make the jump. I am not crazy about some aspects of the interior on my Sport, mainly the gaps and was expecting a serious improvement on the ST's interior. While I do dig the squared 90° layout of the dash (feels more truck like) the gaps actually got worse in the ST... It's unbelievable to me that Ford couldn't dial it in and make everything feel tighter and like one big puzzel that comes together. I could forgive my sport a bit since this Gen has been around since 2011 and while some improvements were made over the years I just figured perhaps it would cost to much to improve this mid gen but with an entirely gen WTF? It was an infuriating experience to sit in the ST and see this when Kia can crush it on an interior... Kia... Next, I was pumped when I saw the ST was doing 400hp, I was thinking finally the 3.5 is going to the second gen... Nope. For the record I LOVE the 3.5 Ecoboost it is just such a capable engine, the same engine was used in the expedition and F-150 and the second gen of this engine used in the Raptor and a heavily modified version in the Ford GT. I incorrectly assumed it would have an updated 3.5 which is capable of making way more than 400 ponies but no it has a 3.0 which if people did their research is just the least popular mustang engine bored out to 3.0 from 2.7 with some other tweaks to improve it's durability. I'd say don't even get me started on this but it's too late. Everything makes sense now, it's a cost cutting measure. They have these engines already in bulk, these engines are designed for a RWD platform so it makes me feel like going RWD had less to do with returning to a truck platform and more to do with making use of repurposed engines. Listen I know some people love those 2.7 stangs and that engine but I'm not one of them. I see the logical reasons for using this engine, weight reduction and better fuel economy but this is a "performance" car so who cares. Should have stuck with the 3.5 and upgraded it to 450hp, maybe then it would be worth 60k. Okay, taking a step back this reviewer is right about the rear angle of the previous gen being a bit inflated, they definitely made the ST a bit leaner from the back but at the same time I dislike the new tail lights and miss the black accent that goes across the entire back. I also hate the accent LED lights in the front. Which sucks because I love the fog lights being tough looking right angles. I've always hated just straight horizontal LEDs for accent/running lighting. It feels lazy. I look at Range Rovers intricate lighting and the BMW X5 and while Fords paled in comparison it looked good running the top back trim of the headlight enclosure but nope. Before the LED generated presence, even now when a last gen explorer is behind you you know... But now it's just a line like every other vehicle that said "hey this is the thing everyone is doing here's a generic LED"... This is where I end my comment, I definitely went off on a rant and while I acknowledge some improvements for every positive thing something was done to cancel it out leaving me with a meh feeling. I'll be waiting for either a refresh or a bronco raptor.
Edit: after reviewing this comment I stand by it but want to add one thing. I feel like the ST was designed by a bunch of millennials (which I am one of) that had a lot of really good ideas but at the same time didn't have older more experienced oversight just to clean things up and refine them which I feel is more evident from the botched launch of the explorer.
I had a 2014 Explorer Limited 4WD, 2018 Explorer Sport and now own a red 2020 Explorer ST. You are completely wrong about everything plz don't lie.
@@ALEX-sh3tx Lol, nothing I said was a lie, a bit biased perhaps, and definitely underwhelming. I was not comparing the ST to a Limited. That is absolutely insane. The driving experience between a Limited and Sport is night and day, I test drove the limited first and I was not impressed. I believe in 2014 the only engine option for the limited was a 3.5 V6 that put out maybe 290HP. I'm not shitting on the limited but it was just an underwhelming vehicle. I drove the Sport on a whim and immediately loved it, I could knit pick about interior quirks I disliked but overall the driving experience was amazing. I imagine test driving the ST was a similar experience for you. I can't imagine going from a limited to ST and being underwhelmed and in your specific case I think you made a great transition. My issue is simply that for Sport owners the ST is underwhelming, to an astonishing level. The improvements are there but at the same time subverted for me, which is largely my opinion. I personally think if you are going to slap the Ford Performance name on something the upgrades should be major but essentially all they did was phase out the sport line and a small incremental upgrade which I should accept is what's happening since it's what they did with every Sport model now but I dunno I am just overly optimistic. The explorer got a bit lucky because the ST didn't launch during a refresh so some of the changes were relatively major but that's only because the changes to the entire platform were major, going to RWD and such but from a purely comparitive performance standpoint the difference between how a Sport and ST drives is very little. The Sport accelerates to 60mph factory at 5.8 seconds, the ST in 5.2. a nice increase but is it that big of a deal? Additionally there are ECU tunes that bring that time down on Sports to 4.8 seconds (Google them and check TH-cam). If a pure software change can increase performance why didnt hardware changes drastically improve performance? I was honestly expecting a 4.5 second 0-60 from the explorer ST. The only other thing I can say is that everything outside of my opinion I said was fact. The explorer ST is using a modified 2.7 Ecoboost mustang engine and the 3.5 Ecoboost (not the crappy variant in your limited) is objectively a better engine platform or they wouldn't have produced a 2nd gen and used it in GT's and Raptors...
Edit:
I will add, since you said you owned a Sport, which I missed, is that one thing I didn't do in my test drive of the ST is highway driving, obviously. I could imagine due to the platform change it feels predominantly RWD as the Sport does keep power on the front when highway cruising. I'm glad you felt the ST was a major upgrade, I wanted that feeling but as I said I didn't get that. Ultimately I standby my comments.
@@Capicu. Holy fuck, very defensive and I'm not going to read all of that.
@@vooltexdev7060 Good, it was written over 3 years ago. I was surprised to see this response from 4 weeks ago in my notifications. The first part summed it up, the long part was just a deep dive. I wouldn't say defensive as much as it was just disappointment-- my expectations for the ST trim were just too high at the time.
The Explorer ST next to ANY of those other mentioned “similar” SUV options is like pitting an Olympian vs. a Special Olympian.
Absolutely, there's a reason its #1 in its class
Yes, it's called "fleet sales."
Yeah it's number one for breaking down it's got eight recalls on it and mine's standed me twice and I've been fighting for 6 months it's been sitting at the dealer for over 60 days now
As an owner of the 2020 ST, I have to say, your review was pretty close to true and fair. One of the few. Thanks for that.
savagegeese Platinum review was brutal. I agree wait a good 2 model years.
Ivan Vojt Nice way to give Mister Goose, Mark (savagegeese) a mention. He deserves FAR more subscribers than he has. 👍🏻
I just wouldn't buy it at all. Ford won't fix this. Savage is amazing and accurate
@@swanblake I've seen a few of his reviews and wan't too impressed. Alex On Autos and Joe Raiti are the real good reviewers.
Alex on autos is the most informative and best. Savage is also damn good.
@@douglasadams8961 The thing I don't like about Savage is he tends to mostly share opinions instead of facts. Everyone has their own opinion, so that doesn't add much to a review.
Wow, you are really complaining about the gas mileage? You say that the ST model gets a combined of 20 mp gallon yet suggest that you should buy the four-cylinder model that gets a combined of 23 mi per gallon. I think I will have more fun with the ST model and get the extra 3 miles per gallon, that's so minuscule to even think about buying the four cylinder just to save an extra two or three miles per gallon.
This car is probably the most fun and capable suv in that price range. If you want that much ponies in any other company easily 80k+. Example, Gle, X5, Q7, Grand Cherokee, xc90,
Was hyped for this but I guess it’s something else.
Comparing the ST to a Highlander proves you kinda missed the point.
Just get one lightly used for half price nothing changed from 2020-2024 really much better bang for the buck.
Love my ST.
No it's not worth the price. Horrible build quality and a craptastic plastic interior make it a no. That lazy touch screen placement should have never been given the green light.
I sat in an ST at my local dealership--and I wouldn't call it plastic. Not a true soft-touch, but softer than what any plastic you would find, would be. The guy was trying to get me out the door for $55K, but I told him I was just looking. Not sure what the reviewer thought was so 'plastic' about it.
Appreciate the honesty
Its not a luxury car, if you want luxury get the Lincoln.
For $60K, you can get an Audi Q7 or BMW X5.
@@charles0414 that's bullshit go to a BMW or audi dealer and with 60k u get entry level models
@@strob1023 Exactly. Let’s be honest here, I’m not buying a single vehicle unless I’ve got it fully loaded. Period. If I’m spending 10’s of thousands of dollars on a vehicle, I’m getting my money’s worth. The whole appeal of the Explorer ST is the 400hp, mixed with being fully loaded, ALL for 60k flat. Compare that exact same stats to any other SUV doing the EXACT same thing…. Not even the same lol
@@luthariii7827 just don't let dealers bullshit you with that whole their aren't any available BS, they tried that with me I ended up getting mines for 58k fully loaded deliverered to my house
@@strob1023 Yeah, I always make sure dealers understand Im not there for BS the moment I walk in. I instantly start asking stuff like inventory, markups, their commission, etc. Stuff that puts them in a tougher spot than myself makes for a better deal in the end.
No. I bought a used 2018 hard loaded with 7.4k miles. Saved exactly 20 grand off of it's msrp new.
02:00, Almost 24 years ago technically. And that was Firestone tires separating, on top of a high center of gravity and SUVs being mainstream were just hitting their stride. Sad times for sure, but Ford didn't build the tires.
The 2.3 is the most practical and the workhorse engine, the best engine available and most premium choice is the ecoboost V6
You can easily get it for 10k below sticker price if you know what you’re doing at a dealership.
Help me then
Damn good on you for being honest.
What about that hedious classroom board stuff in the middle vertically in the middle of the dashboard called the info- system which you will be in front of all the time while driving??
It looks horrendous and as if it was an afterthought😱
I've owned a 2019 (redesigned) Chev Traverse Premier and a 2020 Ford Explorer ST. I've also driven a 2020 Kia Telluride -- which just looks cheap -- and Hyundai Palisade (better esthetic but still lacking balls). Hyundai and Kia are gutless, and offer hardly anything more with interior than the former 2 and with terrible resale value down the road. Traverse has a decent engine, amazing room inside and slick enough interior. The ST blows all of them out of the water with performance and superior to Hyundai & Kia with exterior styling. Explorer also offers fantastic seats and can even achieve 500HP/580 lb.ft. torque with a simple tuner that only costs $600USD vs the paltry 280HP of Kia and Hyundai? I would take Traverse or Explorer ANY day over the other two and that is coming from experience with all 4.
Horrid interior, which is a pity because it comes at a time where this class is going upmarket on interiors on higher trims. The CX-9 Signature, Telluride/Palisade, Subaru Ascent Touring, and likely the forthcoming JGC(if the current Overland/Summit models are indicators) are all near luxury. Yes, the Explorer ST is definitely a good and capable hauler. But the interior at $60k is a complete blunder, especially considering that same Ford lot will likely have a mid-trim Aviator with this engine for the same money and a vastly improved interior(and styling).
I doubt that a consumer can purchase an Explorer ST or Platinum version for "the same money" as a mid-trim (Reserve) Aviator, especially when the top trim Explorers are already being discounted to the mid $50K price point by dealers in my area (Seattle). But your point that the value proposition of the Aviator, even without a substantial discount, looks far better than the best the Explorer can offer. If a consumer is willing to spend $55K for a loaded Explorer, it's difficult to see why one wouldn't pay up to $8000 more for a clearly superior Aviator. Not to mention the 800 lb gorillas in the room, a top trim Palisade or Telluride for thousands of dollars less.
@@stephenhendricks103 even a $8000 upcharge for the Aviator is worth it. Far better execution. The reliability of both has been reportedly atrocious, but if it were me on the "buying" end of thr spectrum, the Aviator it's more premium trappings is worth it. The average Reserve Aviator MSRPs for mid to high 60s, not far off of the pace of the $64k loaded Explorer ST.
If it were Explorer Limited vs Telluride, then Telluride all day long. But the ST and Platinum have far superior powertrains, and to some, the price is worth it. But the packaging efficiency, cleverness of ergonomics, and boldness of the Telluride are definitely enticing.
@@hellkitty1014 I think you're a bit high on the MSRP of the ST. According to the Ford "build and price" site, a loaded version of the ST comes in at just over $60K, essentially the same as the Platinum version of the Explorer with similar equipment. As far as the Aviator is concerned, its MSRP depends on options but a reasonable set of options comes in at around $65K. As for whether it's "worth it" to purchase an Aviator at or near MSRP versus a discounted Explorer at, say, $55K depends on one's economic resources and willingness to incur debt. But I'd have to say that if $55K plus TTL is one's absolute ceiling and not a penny more there are other vehicles for less money that offer a better value proposition.
Explorer has the best seats and probably resale value, once the South Korean flaws star showing up
Great review as always.........but I wish ford would do better with their Interiors, it's great to have a vehicle for every price point and for everyone but at least make them premium for the st and platinum models..... and also the prices are way too high for what you get like in the mid-level models like XLT
The XLT AWD is a good buy❤
... Half-baked comes to mind. Ford continues to fleece their customers and will need to rely on huge discounts/incentives to move units. Luxury price w/rent car interior. I'll shop elsewhere to make my dollar go further. If you have to speak w/more than one person at the dealership, they are doing it wrong.
Got a new Expedition Max Platinum...but these were nice too
I love the stance of this SUV, the exterior design and the powertrain but 60+K is kind of wild and this vertical touchscreen is ......nevermind.
It's like this SUV is not finished. Better wait for a mid cycle refresh.
Had me until you complained about interiors then mention the highlander and Subaru that don't include models that compete with the st. Nothing Subaru makes feels anything but dated or cheap. The Toyota has the same issue. Honda 3.5 is boring.
Compare it to a Dodge Durango srt and the cost of the st earns redemption points for what it lacks.
No vehicle is worth its price!
The Toyota dealerships in my area suck 🤨
The issue is none of the other can do what this one does. Transverse front driver vs rwd? Ok then.
Is it comfortable in the bad streets?
Is it worth its price
حاتم الدغش if you’re on bad streets, your wheels will be missing.
Crap. I owned a Ford Explorer sport and ended up blowing 3 turbos and the engine before the 3 year lease was up. And i changed the oil every 3k miles. Stick with a normally aspirated big engine like the Dodge Durango. American car manufacturers havent gotten the reliability down yet for turbos and small engines.
Ford Marketing Manager needs to find a way to bring the price with in an affordable ranges imagine if you could get the s t for at least 45 or 50 this thing would kill in sales and destroy the competition at the same time.
... Correct, as the 60k msrp has, at least, 35-40% profit built in; giving plenty of room to negotiate "down" to 50k. Friends/family, 20% off, $8k+ incentives are standard fare now when selling trucks to get ppl to bite and give the illusion of a "good deal"
@@K03sport👍 if only if they would listen to their fan base hey look at GM their first mid-engine Corvette and it's around the price are close to the price of a GT350 that's a total slap in the face to every Mid Engine car out there now I do expect the price to change over the years but at least GM is going to sell this thing like hotcakes
Ford has already surpassed their sales expectations they set for the ST version of the Explorer.
And I didn't pay 60K for my ST. I paid 53k
There are always incentives on vehicles in the bread & butter category.
Do they offer a v8 option?
Ford Focus more on V6 ecoboost, pretty much V8 Power with a V6 engine. to give you better gas mileage..
60k that's bs
And dont believe the fuel mileage. Youll burn just as much gas with a Ford Eco as you would with a large V8. My Dodge Durango SRT got better gas mileage than my Ford Explorer sport.
SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. BHAHAHAHA. 😂😂😂
Daniel Gross minus 8k in rebates
Easily get this for 50K w/rebates and incentives.
No one pays MSRP. You can jew them down 5k before rebates
What’s wrong with the price? A nicely equipped x3 or GLC is around that price and those are compact crossovers
John Slocum really? You just had to make a racist comment?
Paying for engine and transmission.
That price is too much for that car
Exactly, interior! Major disappointment. I will be considering Hyundai Palisade
I hear the interior quality is really bad and cheap.
I have a 2020 ST and the interior is great. No issues with quality at all.
@@ALEX-sh3tx I've sat in them at my dealer and they feel really nice to me. Some areas may be plastic, but that stuff stands up to a lot of abuse.
Tremenda Nave
NOOOOO LA COMPREN:
Porque???
Compre la explorer ST el 13 de septiembre de 2019 Fui de los primeros en comprarla en SAN DIEGO CA
en 1 año la he llevado 12 veces al dealer
problemas de frenos
camara trasera se pone azul
delay en el audio (lo compre con pantallas y tienes 3 segundos de DELAY, como creen que se mira cualquier video...)
el asiento se rompio
el ventilador que enfria los asientos se rompio/daño
pero lo mas importante NO PUEDEN ARREGLAR EL PROBLEMA DE LA CAMARA
y ahora se rompio el "Brazo" de la parte izquierrda ENFRENTE y suena como carroza con caballo y me dicen que tendran mi parte hasta dentro de 1 mes.......
Lo bueno:
Si la teconologia funcionara al 100 esta padrisima la suv....
el motor corre PADRISIMA...
pero por todo lo que he tenido de problemas no la recomiendo en lo absoluto
its not luxery suv you buy this for the motor thats it
its great
If you want luxury in the Explorer, you have to go with the platinum or king Ranch buddy
20 years later still getting recalls too 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
$60,000 for what is essentially a $35,000 SUV. That's ludicrous.
Go buy a Volvo...I'll keep my ST
It is a beautifull car but i would still buy a Lexus
Typical trash Ford interior
Dude wtf w the hair
It is worse than Tellride in every respect in base form. It is priced wrong
And built incorrectly. Most got shipped to Michigan to reassemble
False. I would the explorer over the *telluride* any day, just because it is RWD biased. Also the Kia a hard sight to look at.
Telluride is gawd awful butt ugly! I would take the explorer over the KIA (killed in action) any day of the week, on Sunday too.
Tellurides look like $**t, they drive even worse.