What is the Ford Explorer base?
The base Ford Explorer is the entry-level trim in Ford’s three-row SUV lineup. It represents the most affordable way to buy into the Explorer family, typically pairing a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a solid set of standard safety and tech features, and offering optional all-wheel drive. This article breaks down what the base trim usually includes, how it differs from higher trims, and what buyers should expect across recent model years.
Defining the base Explorer
Understanding the base Explorer means looking at what Ford typically bundles into the entry-level model year after year. While exact equipment can shift with redesigns and market variations, the base trim is designed to deliver everyday practicality with a focus on value, three-row seating, and available modern driver-assistance tools. The core elements often highlighted are a capable turbocharged engine, a practical transmission, and a suite of features that make family use and daily driving easier.
Key characteristics commonly associated with the base Explorer in recent generations include the following:
- Engine: Turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine (around 300 horsepower in current generations)
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
- Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is typically available as an option
- Seating: Three rows, with seating for seven or eight depending on configuration
- Infotainment: Modern connectivity with Ford SYNC (often with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, larger screens offered in higher trims)
- Safety: Standard driver-assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and other elements within Ford’s Co-Pilot360 suite
In practice, the base model aims to deliver the Explorer’s most essential capabilities—space for passengers and cargo, reasonable towing power, and access to safety tech—without the higher-cost upgrades found in mid- and top-tier trims.
What comes standard versus optional in the base trim
To help buyers gauge value and possible upgrades, here is a snapshot of features typically included in the base Explorer and what you might upgrade to:
- Standard powertrain and performance: 2.3L EcoBoost engine and 10-speed automatic transmission
- Seating and comfort: Three-row layout with cloth seating and manual adjustments on the base; more premium seating options appear in higher trims
- Technology and connectivity: Ford SYNC infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; screen size varies by year
- Safety and driver assist: Ford Co-Pilot360 safety suite with essential features; more advanced or additional safety tech available on higher trims
- Wheels and drive: Standard front-wheel drive with optional all-wheel drive; wheel size and styling upgrade in higher trims
- Pricing note: Base prices typically start in the high $30,000s before destination charges, rising with options and factory upgrades
These elements illustrate how the base trim emphasizes value and practicality while leaving room to add preferred features through options or upgrades to higher trims.
Model-year and market variations
Ford updates the Explorer across redesigns and model years, so some features and naming conventions can shift. In many recent years, the base trim has remained the entry point with a focus on affordability and core functionality, while trims like XLT, Limited, ST, and Platinum add more luxury, technology, and performance capabilities. Buyers outside the United States or in different regions may see variations in standard equipment or naming conventions for the base model.
For example, some model years saw the base trim paired with a slightly different wheel design, interior materials, or infotainment configuration, and certain driver-assistance features became standard or optional at different times. Always verify the current model year’s specifications with a local dealership or Ford’s official site before purchasing.
How the base compares to higher Explorer trims
Compared with mid- and high-level trims, the base Explorer typically offers fewer luxury touches and some optional upgrades being bundled into higher-priced configurations. The main distinctions usually include:
- Powertrain and performance: The base engine is the entry-level EcoBoost, while higher trims may offer enhanced packages or sport-oriented variants (such as ST) with different performance characteristics.
- Interior and comfort: Higher trims add upgraded seating materials, power-adjustable front seats, and more refined cabin finishes.
- Technology and luxury: Infotainment upgrades, larger screens, premium audio, and advanced driver-assist features are more commonly bundled in higher trims.
- Wheels and exterior styling: Larger or more visually distinctive wheel designs and trim-specific styling cues appear on higher trims.
The base trim sets the foundation: practical, spacious, and capable, with opportunities to step up to more feature-rich configurations as budgets allow.
Summary
In Ford’s Explorer lineup, the base trim is the entry point that emphasizes value, practicality, and space. It typically pairs a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 10-speed automatic and offers essential safety tech, with all-wheel drive available as an option. Features and exact equipment can vary by model year and market, but the base remains the most affordable path to three-row SUV versatility. As with any new purchase, buyers should consult current model-year specs at a dealership or Ford’s official site to confirm what is included and what can be added.
