Behind the Wheel: 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum = luxury and technology

The 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum elevates driving with luxury and technology. Its interior boasts premium leather, heated/ventilated massaging seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, ensuring utmost comfort. A large touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital cluster, coupled with Ford's BlueCruise, deliver a cutting-edge experience. The Platinum's refined ride, aided by a well-tuned suspension and available all-wheel drive, provides stability. The Terrain Management System™ offers adaptable driving modes, including Eco, Sport, and Trail, enhancing versatility for any journey.

The 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum blends a sporty, sexy exterior design with luxurious comfort and advanced technology. Its interior boasts premium leather, heated/ventilated massaging seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. A large touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital cluster, plus Ford's BlueCruise, deliver a cutting-edge experience. A powerful engine drives its three rows, while a well-tuned suspension and available all-wheel drive ensure a refined, stable ride. The Terrain Management System™ offers adaptable driving modes, including Eco, Sport, and Trail, enhancing versatility for any journey.

Our drive in the Explorer Platinum to Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Miami revealed a surprisingly dynamic character. The potent 3.0L EcoBoost V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque with a smooth 10-speed automatic, provided confident and faster-than-expected acceleration for effortless merging and passing on I-95. Beyond raw speed, the Platinum exhibited unexpected agility and impressive stability, even during quick maneuvers and on imperfect roads, inspiring confidence. This planted feel made the coastal miles melt away. The refined yet responsive powertrain handled both highway cruising and urban congestion with composure. While achieving around 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, the overall driving experience felt elevated and surprisingly agile for a large SUV.

The Quiet Confidence of the 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum

There's a certain allure to a vehicle that effortlessly blends presence with poise. The 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum achieves just that, presenting a silhouette that is both athletic and undeniably sophisticated. It announces its arrival not with ostentation, but with a quietly confident stance, hinting at the power that lies beneath its sculpted lines – a robust engine ready to embrace the open road and capably manage the demands of three rows.

Stepping inside is akin to entering a curated sanctuary. Premium leather envelops the seating surfaces, inviting you to settle in. The front seats, thoughtfully designed with heating, ventilation, and a multicontour function featuring active motion massage, transform even longer journeys into a restorative experience. The touch of the heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel adds another layer of tactile luxury, a subtle reminder of the refined environment crafted for both driver and passengers.

I stole some private time in the third rod. I lowered the second row seats and had a nice little “pad” to chill, chat on the phone, and get updated on the news. Sweet.

The journey unfolds seamlessly, guided by intuitive technology. A generously sized touch screen becomes the command center, while the crisp visuals of the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provide essential information with clarity and style. For those moments when the highway beckons, Ford's BlueCruise offers a glimpse into the future of driving, lending a sense of effortless grace to longer stretches. Beneath it all, a well-tuned suspension whispers of composure, promising a refined ride, further enhanced by the availability of all-wheel drive for unwavering confidence in varying conditions. And for those with a spirit of adventure, the Terrain Management System™ stands ready, offering a selection of drive modes – from the efficiency of Eco to the spirited response of Sport and the surefootedness of Trail – adapting the Explorer Platinum to the nuances of the road ahead. It's an experience that speaks of thoughtful engineering and an understanding of true comfort, where capability meets quiet sophistication.

The 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum enters a dynamic market, positioned against contenders like the Chevrolet Traverse High Country, Kia Telluride SX Prestige, and Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy. With an expected starting price in the mid-$50,000s, the Platinum aims to deliver a compelling blend of premium features and robust performance. Ford's commitment to innovation is evident in the Explorer Platinum, showcasing their ongoing drive to create vehicles that resonate with modern drivers. They aren't shying away from equipping their offerings with high-end comfort, cutting-edge technology like BlueCruise, and a refined driving experience, all while striving for a competitive cost within its segment.

In a landscape where discerning buyers seek both sophistication and value, the Explorer Platinum makes a strong case for itself. It represents Ford's dedication to pushing boundaries and delivering vehicles that not only meet expectations but also surprise and delight. By focusing on a harmonious balance of luxurious appointments, advanced technological integration, and engaging driving dynamics, Ford continues to assert its presence as a manufacturer unafraid to challenge the status quo and provide compelling options in a fiercely competitive automotive arena.