Is the new Explorer body-on-frame?
In brief, no—the current Ford Explorer is not body-on-frame; it remains a unibody SUV built on Ford's CD6 platform, prioritizing ride comfort and efficiency with available off-road-inspired trims.
Understanding this distinction matters for how the vehicle behaves in daily driving, in towing situations, and when considering off-road capability. This article breaks down what body-on-frame and unibody designs mean, how the Explorer fits into that landscape, and what Ford has communicated about its architecture.
Architectural definitions
What "body-on-frame" means
Body-on-frame SUVs rely on a separate ladder-like frame that serves as the vehicle’s backbone, to which the body is bolted. This arrangement is common in traditional trucks and rugged off-roaders and tends to provide strong towing capacity and durability in extreme conditions, but can result in a stiffer ride and higher weight.
Before listing the common traits, here is a concise overview of what you typically see with body-on-frame design:
- Rigid ladder frame under the body
- Body attached to the frame with bolts or rivets
- Often rear-wheel drive or selectable 4WD with solid axles
- Heavier and usually less fuel-efficient
- Optimized for towing and heavy-duty off-road work
In summary, the body-on-frame approach emphasizes structural toughness for demanding tasks, at the expense of ride comfort and efficiency on regular roads.
What a unibody SUV like the Explorer offers
Unibody design blends the body and frame into a single rigid shell. This typically yields lower weight, smoother rides, better crash safety, and improved efficiency. Off-road capability is achieved through tuned suspensions, electronic systems, and dedicated drive modes rather than a separate frame.
Key traits of unibody SUVs like the Explorer include:
- Integrated body and chassis (no separate ladder frame)
- Independent front and rear suspension in most configurations
- Lower weight, better fuel efficiency, and smoother ride
- Enhanced crash protection and noise isolation
- Off-road capability enhanced by electronics and dedicated trims
Overall, unibody architectures are the modern standard for family-oriented SUVs, balancing daily usability with capable performance on light to moderate off-road terrain.
The Explorer specifically
Ford has marketed the Explorer as a unibody, three-row crossover since its 2011 redesign. The current generation continues to use a unibody platform (CD6) and shares underpinning with other Ford crossovers. There is no official modern version of the Explorer built on a body-on-frame chassis. Off-road capability is provided through trim-focused engineering tweaks—such as higher ground clearance and terrain-management systems—within the unibody framework.
Summary
The latest Explorer is not body-on-frame. It remains a unibody SUV built on Ford's CD6 platform, delivering a blend of comfort, efficiency, and practical capability across its trim range. For buyers seeking true body-on-frame ruggedness, Ford’s current lineup emphasizes other models designed around that architecture, while the Explorer continues to push for everyday usability with capable off-road options inside a unibody design.
