Used 2018 Ford Explorer Sport for sale 

The 2018 Explorer comes in 5 trims and three engine options. Four-wheel-drive is available on all trims as an option. The starting price is $31,990 for the base explorer that gets you base spec 3.5 L naturally aspirated V6, fabric seats, and old school SYNC infotainment. The top of the line has a hefty price tag of $53,940 and has Lincoln rivaling luxury with an interior draped in wooden panels and plush-feeling leather.

The trim which we recommend

We would recommend you the XLT trim if you're concerned about the budget. But the Limited trim will fetch you the best value for money among the trim levels.

The 2018 Ford Explorer offers a choice of 3 engines. The base 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 makes 290 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque. The second option is a 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-four-cylinder engine which makes 280 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque and then comes a 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V6 engine making 365 hp and 350 lb-ft. All of the engines are mated to a 6-Speed Automatic transmission. The power is directed to either the front wheels or all the wheels depending on the trim you select. The base motor is punchy and adequate as compared to the EcoBoost motor and can easily drive around the city and cruise smoothly out on the highways as well.

The Ford Explorer and the Hyundai Santa Fe make the most amount of power, both producing 290 hp. Then comes the Honda Pilot making 280 hp and following this comes the Mazda CX-9 which makes 227hp.

Acceleration and performance of the 2018 Ford Explorer

In its base specification with a 3.5 L V6 engine, the Ford Explorer can do the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.8 seconds, the standing quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds, and will then continue to do its top speed of 134 mph. As these are 3row SUVs these figures do not matter as you are not going to drag race these SUVs, but it is still good to know.

The fastest in the 0 to 60 sprint and the standing quarter-mile is the Honda Pilot setting times off 6.2 seconds and 14.8 seconds respectively. Following this is the Ford Explorer with times of 6.8 seconds in the 0 to 60 sprint and a quarter-mile time of 15.3 seconds. Then going to Mazda CX-9 and the Hyundai Santa Fe with times of 7.2 and 7.3 seconds respectively in the 0 to 60 sprint, and 15.5 and 15.8 seconds respectively in the standing quarter-mile.

Ride and handling of the 2018 Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer's suspensions are adept at the job of transporting all your family in comfort. They offer cushioned ride quality even on 'not so friendly' terrain, which is familiar territory for the Explorer. High-speed ride quality is composed too with no nervous body movement, a necessary trait on those long highway drives to the outback. Engaging handling and fun to drive characteristics sit low on the Explorer`s list of priorities though. Effortless, safe, and family-friendly characteristics are high on the list, a good thing for a family crossover.

Braking performance of the 2018 Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer comes with disc brakes on all four wheels. The rotors are sized at 12.8 inches and this includes all four wheels. The brakes are also good enough to bring the 4,901 pound SUV a stop from 60 mph in 127 feet. The same size of brakes is available on all the trims.

The Honda Pilot has the shortest stopping distance of the above SUVs with a distance of 123 feet. Following this is the Ford Explorer setting a distance of 127-feet, the Mazda CX-9 with a distance of 129 feet, and then the Hyundai Santa Fe with a stopping distance of 139 feet.

The towing capacity of the 2018 Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer tow capacity is 5000 pounds when properly equipped. By properly equipped, we mean you must have the base 3.5 L naturally aspirated V6 or the 3.5 L EcoBoost V6 and you must get the optional Trailer Tow Class 3 package.

The Trailer Tow Class 3 package includes a class 3 frame-mounted hitch, four and seven terminal trailer connectors, and an engine oil cooler. The Explorer 2.3 L EcoBoost can tow up to 3500 pounds. The Ford Explorer when in its base configuration can tow up to 5,000 pounds, along with the Honda Pilot and the Hyundai Santa Fe. The Mazda CX-9 can only tow up to 3000 pounds.

The fuel economy of the 2018 Explorer changes according to its powertrain option. The base 3.5 liter V6 engine games 17/24/20 in the city/highway/combined respectively. The 2.3 liter EcoBoost engine games 19/27/22 and the 3.5 L twin-turbo V6 give 16/22/19 in the city/highway/combined respectively. Ford equips the Explorer with an 18.6-gallon fuel tank irrespective of the engine/trim you get. 

The maximum combined driving range is provided by the Mazda CX-9 with a range of 448 miles. Then comes the Honda pilot with a combined range of 409 miles, the Ford Explorer with a combined range of 372 miles, and then comes the Hyundai Santa Fe with a combined range of 357 miles.

The explorer can seat seven people with rear bench seats or 6 people with the optional captain’s chairs (standard in some trims). The first and second row is spacious while the third row is a little tight for adults. However, third-row access is compromised with bench seats. The seats also come with the option of memory, power-adjustable, heated, and cooling function but come standard in higher trims.

Dual-zone automatic climate control is available from XLT onwards and the optional SYNC 3 takes care of the infotainment. You get a leather-wrapped steering wheel in XLT and higher trims. From limited trim onwards, ambient lighting comes equipped for when you would require it.

The Ford Explorer offers the most legroom in the front row and third row, the second most legroom in the middle row, where it loses out to the Hyundai Santa Fe. The Honda Pilot is only marginally behind it when it comes to the third-row legroom and can seat up to 8 people in the cabin more than the Explorer even when the passenger volume is the same. Some of the noticeable interior features in the 2018 Ford Explorer are:

• Tilting and telescopic steering column
• Heated steering wheel
• Memory driver's seat
• Power driver's seat
• Heated Front Seats
• Cooled Front seats
• Optional captain’s chairs for the second row

Cargo Capacity of the 2018 Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer can hold up to 21 cu-ft. worth of luggage in its trunk with all the rows upright. With the last row folded down, it can hold up to 58 cu-ft. of luggage and cargo and with the second and last row folded down it can accommodate 99 cu-ft. worth of cargo. 

In terms of space, the Ford Explorer has a larger cargo capacity than all its competition - the Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, and Hyundai Santa Fe. This is in all three categories with the seats up, the third row folded, and the second along with the third row folded. 

Infotainment features in the 2018 Ford Explorer

The Base Ford Explorer and the Explorer XLT trims now get the dated SYNC infotainment system with a 4.2-inch touchscreen. SiriusXM Satellite Radio is optional. For the new SYNC-3 with an 8-inch touchscreen, you have to upgrade to the Limited trim. SYNC-3 is responsive and has a crisp display and intuitive UI.

The Explorer gets pleasantly old-school physical buttons for most of the controls - a respite as others are increasingly moving all the controls to the touch screen. Audiophiles are catered to with 12 speaker Sony audio systems from Limited trim onwards. Some of the infotainment features in the 2018 Ford Explorer are:

• Speed-Sensitive Volume Control
• Auxiliary Audio Input and USB With External Media Control
• Satellite Radio Service
• USB Connection
• Sony Premium Brand Speakers including a Subwoofer
• Smart Device Integration

The 2018 Explorer has an overall boxy silhouette among the more swoopy and curvy competitors. Tall stance, bold lines, LED lights and hood badging makes it look similar to the land rover discovery. For those preferring to look at more details, the sports and platinum trim gets a loud chrome-tipped quad exhaust (all other trims get dual exhaust). 

Now you do get the standard lineup of Ford’s paint however, depending on the trims, the wheels change. 18” wheels are standard on the lower trims, you do get the option of 20” polished aluminum alloy wheels. The Sport trim gets 20” machined aluminum wheels with painted pockets while a dark-themed 20” wheel is optional.

In terms of dimensions, the Ford Explorer is on par with the rest of its competition. The track is wider than the others too. However, the main distinguishing part of the Ford Explorer from the others is the curb weight. The Ford Explorer is nearly 300 pounds heavier than the next heaviest car - Mazda CX-9. Some of the noticeable exterior features in the 2018 Ford Explorer are:

• LED taillights
• LED headlights
• Twin Exhaust
• Quad Exhaust
• Heated Rear View Mirror
• Auto-Dimming rearview mirror

The new Ford Explorer gets a 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. However, it does not get Top Safety Pick from IISH scoring "marginal" in the driver-side small overlap crash. It scores well on all other fronts. Also, there is the Safe and Smart package which can be opted for. Some of the safety features are 

• Advancetrac w/Roll Stability Control Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control (RSC)
• Terrain Management System ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Adaptive cruise control, 
• Forward-collision warning, 
• Blind-spot warning, 
• Rear cross-traffic alert, 
• Lane-keeping assist

Honda Pilot Vs Ford Explorer

Both the SUVs are well-matched in terms of engine, power, towing capacity, space, and performance. However, the Ford Explorer does offer a bit more comfort as it seats people with more space, the Honda Pilot being able to seat more people in the same space, giving the Explorer a slight advantage over the Pilot. 

Hyundai Santa Fe Vs Ford Explorer

The Hyundai Santa Fe has a spacious and comfortable first and second row, is loaded with features and all these are presented in a good-looking exterior, it costs significantly less than the explorer when evenly equipped. However, the explorer has far more luggage space and has a more spacious interior.

Mazda CX-9 Vs Ford Explorer

The CX-9 continues the Mazda reputation of offering engaging and entertaining driving characteristics. The handsome exterior and good-looking interior will appeal to you. However, The Explorer is better in terms of performance and space, making it a practical choice compared to the Mazda CX-9. 

The 2018 Ford Explorer offers multiple engine options across the trim levels, with multiple options to satisfy your needs. The Explorer is better than its rivals in terms of performance and space. Ford has a simple notion when it comes to features, the higher the trim level, the better the features, but still offers plenty of options that allow you to customize the three-row SUV to your needs.