Used ST's

Hi guys, so now that the ST is getting up there in age (almost 3 years old lol), more used ones are starting to come to the market. I'm not in a rush but definitely will be looking for an ST for my next car. From all the research I've done, looks like 20 model year is the one to get? Even though people say you want to avoid the first year of a refresh since they're the ones with the most bugs that get ironed out as that model year comes to the end of its life cycle but for some reason, the 20s seemed to have the most options that were lost in the upcoming years. Correct me if I'm wrong but some of the features that the 20s had which didn't make to the 21's or 22's include:
1) smaller size gas tank (20G in the 20 and 18G or so afterwards?)
2) massage seats?
3) the big 2 bolt vs 1 debate lol
4) Anything else?

These are the options for the 20s

Premium Technology Package: Multicontour front seats with Active Motion,® 10.1" LCD Capacitive Portrait Touchscreen in center stack, and B&O Sound System with 14 speakers and HD Radio™ Technology
ST High-Performance Pack: 21" aluminum wheels, 275/45R21 BSW all-season tires, and red-painted performance brake calipers
ST Street Pack: 21" aluminum wheels, 275/45R21 BSW all-season tires, and red-painted performance brake calipers 2nd-row 40/20/40 split fold-flat seat with E-Z Entry and recline4 Black roof-rack crossbars Dual-Headrest Rear Seat Entertainment System5 P255/55R20 all-season Michelin® Selfseal® tires4 Twin-panel moonroof Wheel lock kit

Looks like 21 or 22 don't have the Premium Technology Package?
I'm getting these off brochures so maybe they might be off
2020 All-New 2020 Explorer (dealereprocess.org)
2021 Explorer® 2021 Ford (jazelc.com)

Anything else for people who've owned these that would steer you to 20 vs 21/22? Any advice on what definitely to avoid? Also i plan on getting the 7 seat bench configuration but see many with the captains chair. Can the middle bench on the 7 seat config easily be installed with one that comes with captains chair or is it a completely different setup and you would need the bench seats? Looks like the captains chairs are far apart to squeeze the middle bench but I'm just guessing.

I'll try to address some of your questions. Hopefully with some accuracy.

My '21 has a 20 gallon tank. I think all the STs have 20.

Massage seats were available on all STs until the COVID production issues, sometime in 2022. I have them in my 21.

I believe all the 20s and some very early 21s have the 4 bolt setup. Not sure if anyone has ever pinned down an exact transition date. The rest of the 21s and 22s have 3 bolts. (Until the latest batch, which seem to have 4 again.)

The 20s had a heated front windshield as either an option or as standard equipment. I don't remember which.

The Premium Tech Pack was available on all STs. I have this on my 21.

The Street & Performance Packages were also available for all production years.

I can't speak to the gas tank, but the massage seats were part of the premium tech on 20 and 21 (I have '21 with tech package and have the massage seats). My understanding is that they stopped those in the '22's. It's just an option with the tech package. So you can find 20-21's with our without the massage seats if it wasn't optioned with them.

Don't get hung up on the subframe bolt issue. The insanely small margin for an issue isn't worth worrying about. Focus on color and options since the bodies were so similar between 20 and 21. I got lucky with low mileage '21 because I wouldn't pay dealer mark-up for a new '22.

Damn forgot about the heated windshield. Didn't even know it was a thing till I bought mine and with mine being garage kept it wouldn't have been an issue either way.

My 2022 has massage seats and 20.2 gallon fuel tank.

All model explorers with the 3.0L V6 have the 20 gallon tank. Only the ones with the four cylinder or the hybrid engines get the 18 gallon.

My 2022 does have the premium technology package with massage seats. That is one of the things deleted midyear.

The heated windshield on the 2020 is only under the parked wiper blades.

Others here have looked into the bench vs captain and found the setup completely different.

Just FYI, Ford never produced a brochure for the 2022 Explorer. Now they have stopped producing brochures for any vehicle.

I will echo Kansas about the bench seat issue. The two setups ARE NOT convertible like they are for Tahoes/Suburbans.

everyone is pointing out the negatives of the latter years, but you also have to remember that us with 20s were subject to literally a dozen various module updates, the blue screen of death with the reverse cameras, plastic backed front captains instead of leather-backed, matte black trim instead of piano black, some paid for HP Pack brake pads but their dealer didn't install them, cracking downpipes, rattling flexpipes, and I'm sure more I can't think of.

All that being said. I wouldn't trade my 20 for a 21/22 if given the opportunity. Everything noted above has been resolved/fixed/replaced and I got all of the extra nicety equipment that Ford slowly bled away from the trim.

Thanks for the clarification on the gas tank size, for some reason i thought they became smaller after the 20's.....Are those the only 2 package options on the ST's? There also was the high performance one with just more aggressive brakes

So theres basically 3 options from what I see on the ST's. Premium technology package, street pack and high performance pack which is literally just more aggressive brake pads? Am i missing anything? Yea not too concerned about the bolts since i know there's recalls on them and I'm sure with the used ones, the dealerships will most likely do the recalls on them before selling.

Ah no on wonder i couldn't find anything for the 22s lol. Thanks for the bench vs captains setup difference, i guess that takes out the captain chair ones out of my search lol

This is exactly what i was talking about, as much as id want to avoid the 20's they seem to be the model to go for if you want all the features intact. Others missing pieces due to supply chain issues or whatever can be just as much a nuisance as stuff breaking on the 20s lol. Thanks for the tip, i think ill keep all my options open, definitely will only be going for the bench configuration but then, im in no rush so will take my sweet time.

PS. Anyone know where one can pull window stickers from? Just wanna see them as im looking up the STs to see all the options they have.

I believe just the tech package and the street package or high performance (these are one or the other). Tech gives you bigger screen thats vertical (very mixed reactions to it), massage seats, upgraded stereo etc.

The street package is the bigger black wheels and upgraded brakes (calipers and rotors) w/high performance adding the better pads.

My '22 has the Street package. Also with the '22, they removed the rear AC controls. My dealer said this is NOT put on by Ford when they get parts, you are provided a credit and thats it. I purchased the controls and installed myself in about 2 minutes.

Also the '22 has the hands free tailgate lift deleted as well. And the Wifi hotspot is gone too as they can not get chips, again, this is an inconvenience fee they pay you so they don't have to install or deal with it at a later date now. You do still have all the 4G communication systems with the phone app and communicating with the car, but just no WiFi hotspot capability. Which unless you have a car full of small kids, is a useless feature really for adults.

The only difference between the 2021 and early production 2022 is the deletion of the cup holder lights and the floor cup holder between the rear captain chairs. Fold out cup holders were added to the back side of the front console to replace that. Everything else is the same. I have the bench seat so that floor cup holder thing would never have affected me.

Good info, so regarding the wifi, is this some sort of a monthly paid feature? Yes i did see some people mention the hands free tailgate lift, did this start from the 20 MY or was it added in 21?

I thought the foot activated lift gate has been around longer than the ST? Could be mistaken.

It's simply not a binary issue with 20 v. 21/22. I don't think that's a good way to look at the situation. While it may be true that 2020 has the highest percentage of STs which fit your criteria, it's not accurate to say "all 21s don't fit my needs." There are 21s that have everything you quoted and it wouldn't be particularly hard to figure out from the spec sheet. Probably best to ignore the 22's but there would be a lot of 21's that work.

I know there are used STs out there but man I can't imagine trading in the ST at this point. Even independent of really liking the car, it would be financially hurtful to switch from a pre-pandemic boom priced ST to the current ADM-riddled marketplace. Best of luck!

There is nothing deleted on my 22 that I wish I had that the 20's came with other than the missing 4th bolt And with the addition of the AWR Racing Diff brace that fixes that:
- auto lift-gate I don't care about and there have been many issues with it working correctly anyway
- lighted cup holders - these have been known to get wet and short out
- rear walk through cup holder tray - cheap plastic and in the way. Retrofit if you want
- LED temp display on front control (Ok I kinda wish I had this but not enough to buy and swap out or sell my 22 for a 20). Might do the Mod at some point.
- BOV - can always buy a charge pipe and install one but why waste the money. The Truck and I don't need it
- glove box light and manual clip - theses can be added if you really want them
- rear diffuser - this can be added if you really want it
- heated front windshield - mine lives in a heated shop so not necessary. Although I wouldn't mind this option here in the north this time of year but not a dealbreaker. Yet to figure out if mine has the connections and do a forscan configuration

Mine came with massage seats and I added rear hvac controls because I didn't have the patience to wait for the local dealer. Not confident they will ever call me on the issue.

so freaking true... thinking about how i got mine for a few thousand under MSRP WITH 0% 72 mo financing from a dealership that was DEAD (April '20) and begging for anyone to come in.... it doesn't even seem like the same universe as today's conditions

Whatever year you get I think you will enjoy it. I would advise you to take the ST on an extended test drive and ask them if you may keep it overnight.

Agreed, not saying a lot of then are dealbreakers but then, having then all would be a nice to have. I definitely want the massage seats lol. Never owned a car with one so that would be awesome. Are the massage seats part of a specific package or standard?

It's part of the premium tech package (bigger vertical screen, sound system etc). If you see the tech package and that vertical screen (not including fall off in '22's) you'll have them.

I can personally attest that I thought these would be a gimmick. Sat in another members ST, loved them, and use many times a week on my long drive home. Roadtrips it keeps my but from going numb.

I didn't know I needed massaging seats until I bought the ST. Now I don't think I will own another vehicle without them.