Ford Explorer 2023: Prices, specs and release date

Richard Aucock, Contributor
Wed, 12 Apr 2023

• New Ford Explorer is an electric family-sized crossover SUV
• First of an all-new range of Fords with ‘German engineering and American style’
• Derived from the Volkswagen ID.4 platform, specs and range to be confirmed
• Ordering opens later in 2023

The Ford Explorer signals the start of a new era for what has long been Britain’s favourite car brand. An all-electric SUV, the new Ford Explorer is a crisply-styled rival to electric cars such as the Tesla Model Y, the popular Skoda Enyaq iV and the Volkswagen ID.4.

Indeed, the new Ford Explorer is actually derived from the same Volkswagen Group platform as the VW ID.4, but (almost) everything you can see is bespoke to Ford. It’s also built at Ford’s factory in Cologne, Germany.

With the Ford Explorer, a new all-electric era starts for Ford – one that bosses say combines German engineering with striking all-American style. It is the first in a series of new EVs from Ford, and the debut of the Ford Explorer signals the complete reinvention of the brand in Europe.

2023 Ford Explorer prices and release date

The new Ford Explorer will be built in Germany, at the Cologne factory that the Ford Fiesta will soon vacate once it ceases production. Prices have not been confirmed yet, but are likely to start from just under £40,000, in line with rivals that include the Volkswagen ID.4. 

The new Ford Explorer will be priced to undercut the existing Ford Mustang Mach-e, which is priced from around £51,000. However, it will sit above the Ford Kuga PHEV plug-in hybrid, which costs from around £37,500.

First deliveries of the new Ford Explorer are expected before the end of 2023.

2023 Ford Explorer styling, interior and technology

The new Ford Explorer aims to deliver a rugged, expressive look that’s in tune with the firm’s American roots. It references the tough, blocky US-spec Ford Explorer in its bold and more aggressive appearance, which contrasts with the sleek Volkswagen ID.4.

The front of the Ford Explorer sees a traditional grille replaced by a bold ‘shield’ design that designers have dubbed a ‘coast-to-coast’ panel. It features a large Ford blue oval and distinctive ‘Explorer’ lettering above. The headlights contain moody black internals and a crisp LED daytime running light.

The new Ford Explorer has large wheels as standard, with rugged black cladding for the exaggerated wheelarches. It has sporty rear haunches, and semi-transparent C-pillar glass that references the US-market Explorer. Enhancing its SUV look is a ‘floating’ roof, an effect created by fully black pillars front to rear.

At the back, compact LED tail lamps are connected by another full-width black panel with ‘Explorer’ lettering. The new Ford Explorer has surprisingly short rear overhangs, helping keep overall length to less than 4,500mm. It’s surprisingly compact and should be easy to park.

The new Ford Explorer has an exclusive range of curated colours, including new Arctic Blue and the intriguingly-named Blue My Mind.

Inside the new Ford Explorer, designers have aimed for a premium feel, with plenty of soft-touch surfaces. It is a digital-first interior, with a portrait-style 15-inch ‘Sync Move’ touchscreen as its centrepiece. Uniquely, this is adjustable through a 30-degree range, while the movable screen also conceals a space Ford calls ‘My Private Locker’. It’s large enough to hide two large smartphones.

The Sync Move technology within the Explorer’s central touchscreen is the latest-generation system from Ford. Standout features include full edge-to-edge mapping for fully immersive satellite navigation.

Interior space within the new Ford Explorer has been a real priority. There's a 17-litre ‘MegaConsole’ between the front seats, large enough to hold a 15-inch laptop computer or several 1.5-litre water bottles. The car also has a 450-litre boot – significantly larger than regular family hatchbacks such as the Ford Focus. A power-assisted tailgate is standard.

The new Ford Explorer has sporty sculpted front seats with integrated headrests. They’re heated as standard, and a massaging driver’s seat is also standard across the range. Electric operation with a driver’s memory function is included, too. There will be two model grades at launch: Explorer Select and Explorer Premium. The latter boasts Sensico artificial leather upholstery.

All new Ford Explorers come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus wireless smartphone charging. Dual-zone climate control is standard across the range, as is keyless entry, while options include a full-length panoramic glass roof. A novel soundbar speaker on top of the dashboard is standard – and enhanced on the Explorer Premium with 10-colour ambient lighting.

Ahead of the driver, the new Explorer has a 5.0-inch digital display, similar to that in the Ford Mustang Mach-e. The wraparound cockpit contrasts with the more open-plan interiors of rivals. Ford has minimised carry-over Volkswagen switchgear to small details such as the electric window switches on the doors, and the rotary gearshifter on the steering column.

2023 Ford Explorer engines, performance and fuel economy

The electric Ford Explorer will offer both rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel-drive setups. The powertrain options broadly mirror the Volkswagen ID.4. The standard 170PS single-motor model is combined with a 52kWh battery. Ford is targeting a 218-mile EV range. This model will come with 130kW DC rapid charging capability.

The more powerful rear-wheel-drive Ford Explorer has a 285PS motor paired with a 77kWh battery. This has a target driving range of around 335 miles, while 170kW rapid charging technology will serve up refills from 10 to 80 percent capacity in just 25 minutes.

There will also be a high-performance dual-motor flagship with all-wheel drive. This will have a combined power output of 340PS when paired with the 77kWh battery, and will still have a driving range of more than 300 miles. Expect 0-62mph acceleration in six seconds or less.

New driver assistance technology in the 2023 Ford Explorer includes assisted lane change, which allows lane changes at the click of the indicator stalk. Clear Exit Assist can also provide warnings of cyclists approaching from behind before occupants open their doors.

Ask HJ

Why has my car insurance increased so much this year?

My Toyota Yaris Cross insurance is due for renewal in May and I have received the reminder and although there have been no changes it has risen by £80? I have read that electric cars are being written off rather than repairing, is it the same with hybrid cars and is this the reason for the hike?

The price of pretty much everything has increased in recent months, but in terms of car insurance, renewal quotes typically do not represent the best value. Insurers play on the fact that many of their customers will accept the renewal price to avoid the effort of finding a new insurer, so they will frequently offer a renewal figure that is higher than the previous year. The way to avoid this is to shop around. You can use price comparison sites to get quotes from a number of insurers in a relatively short space of time, and we're pretty confident you will be able to beat your renewal quote. If you want to stay with your current insurer you can call them to say you've found a better deal, and they may offer to meet that price in order to keep your business. There is some evidence to suggest that electric cars are being written-off more readily due to the cost of replacing battery packs, but the replacement cost for hybrid battery packs is considerably less, so we would not expect this to be the cause of your premium increasing.

Answered by David Ross

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