Do Ford Explorers have an aluminum body?
No. Ford Explorers do not use an aluminum body; their structure is built primarily from steel—specifically high-strength steel—in a unibody design. Ford’s aluminum-intensive construction has been highlighted in the F-150, but the Explorer remains steel-focused.
Material profile: Explorer versus Ford’s aluminum-focused models
To understand how the Explorer compares with some of Ford’s other models, it helps to look at the primary body materials and construction approach used across the lineup.
- Primary body material: high-strength steel forms the major portion of the Explorer’s unibody construction.
- Structural design: Explorer uses a unibody (monocoque) platform, not a traditional body-on-frame design.
- Aluminum usage: there are no mass-market aluminum body panels in the Explorer’s construction; aluminum is not used as the main body material.
- Material strategy: Ford emphasizes safety and rigidity through advanced steels (including high-strength and boron steels) rather than extensive aluminum in the Explorer.
In short, the Explorer’s body is steel-based, aligning with Ford’s approach to durability and weight management in the SUV segment, rather than the aluminum-oriented strategy seen in the F-150.
What this means for buyers
For consumers prioritizing weight savings or aluminum-heavy construction, the Explorer does not fit that criterion. If aluminum-bodied construction is a key criterion, Ford’s F-150 remains the flagship model that showcases that material approach, whereas the Explorer sticks with steel as its primary structural material.
Context and caveats
Automakers continually evolve materials across generations. While the Explorer has not adopted an aluminum body, Ford has incorporated advanced steels and other weight-saving technologies to improve efficiency and stiffness within the Explorer’s unibody architecture.
Summary: The Ford Explorer does not have an aluminum body. Its construction relies on steel, particularly high-strength steel, within a unibody design. Aluminum-heavy construction remains a hallmark of Ford’s F-150, not the Explorer.
