Honest opinion of 2025 ST. Buying a 24.

So...Just got back from test driving a 2025 ST. Spoiler alert....it was just meh!

Let me explain in context.

Im leasing a 2021 ST. Love it. It's loaded and have had only one real issue in 44K miles. I had the timing cams done at 40K. Otherwise it's been great.

Along comes the refreshed 2025 at the same time my 21 lease term ends so I naturally get to the dealer and put in my order for the 25 on March 3. The 25 goes into production on 6/3 where it sit today with no one able to tell me what the deal is and when it will be delivered. So, I've been passing up a 24 because of the missing masage seats (they truly are wonderful), but now some interesting incentives are making me possibly look at this option again. So my local dealer starts getting in the 25s and I went to see what all the hype was to see if I really wanted to wait and extend my lease for the fourth month or look back at a 24.

My impressions:

The wheels actually look REAL nice in person. My concern for these no more.

The rear looks more modern.

The front is pretty nice and much better in person also. The red one looks pretty phenomenal from the front in the sun. Not as nice as my Hot Pepper Red Bronco though, sorry!

The interior seats are quite different. Felt deeper and softer than my 21. The seating position I couldn't seem to get right though. Not sure why.

The interior layout I thought was going to impress me more. Was excited for the new tray and charging location. It was nice but not crazy nice.

The screen is nice and responsive and the horizontal layout is surely better. The dash screen is nice with the map view. Unfortunately, I just wasn't THAT impressed. It's not like a new Mercedes dash. It's better, but is it really all THAT? Not sure.

The first driving impression was that it sounded a lot different in the interior. Not sure why, but it was different.

Close your eyes though (not for too long though) and it juts feels the same as my 21. It's mechanically the same and feels it.

The transmission definitely shifts different but seems almost too smooth. It's seems to have lost a little rawness of the 21.

So parked car and needed one last comparison. Is the new 25 worth the money?

Here is the breakdown.

2025
No incentives unless you have a private offer.
36 month lease 15k miles with 1750 down = 1048/mth

2024
4750 incentives lease to lease
36 mth lease 15k miles 0 down = 680/mth

2021 buyout
Purchase for 28500 + taxes/fees etc at 6% = 597/mth for 60 mths

So the question then becomes is the 25 refresh worth the ~400/mth difference.


The answer for me was NO. I'll be picking up the 24 next week, letting my 25 go to the highest bidder at the dealer. Getting some equity out of the lease return (about $2200) further reducing the lease down to 640/mth. My salesman told me that this is the reason they have almost 10 25s on their lot right now. The sticker shock is forcing everyone to reconsider and go back to the 24 which look to be getting gobbled up around here pretty quickly.

Maybe this helps others. Maybe not. Just my experience and thoughts.

Thanks guys those are both really fair and honest reviews. I agree with a lot that was said. Can you guys comment on QC?....particularly fit and finish?

I had a leased 21 also and my lease was up back in May. I saw the 25's at the auto show and hated it so I started looking at 23's/4's. Found a good deal on a leftover 23 so I dumped my 21 and purchased a 23. A few things of note, the hands free liftgate is gone on the 23's and 24's, sure you can buy the correct module and plug it in and make the changes in forscan to get it to work, but in my case I tried just that but never got it working so I gave up. The parking brake update that ford implemented as a stopgap until they came up with a more permanent solution for the rear axle bolt failure, well it was just a software update on the 21's and 22's and can be turned off with a tune. On the 23's and 4's it is hard coded in and you can't get rid of it now. And the button on the top of the second row seats to fold them forward to access the third row is also gone, it is manual fold now. The massage seats are gone, but the regular seats are more comfortable I think. In retrospect, I wish I would have kept my 21.

On the good side, the 360 view is gone, you know how when you put the 21 in reverse it only shows on the top of the screen and only goes about 60% across and the other 40% shows the overhead 360 view, well on the 23's and 24's now the reverse camera goes all the ways across as the 360 view is gone. Also the park assist gimmick is permanently gone too. Most customers never used it and never wanted it so ford finally got smart and just got rid of it. The downside of losing the 360 camera view is the parking sensors are gone too.

I like the new interior of the 25, but the new sync 4 is a deal breaker for me. I will not pay a subscription to use the built in nav. The 20-24's had sync 3 and the use of nav was free for life. The 25 has sync 4 and the nav is only free for 3 months, then you have to pay the subscription or use waze or some other nav app on your phone thru sync. That's BS, I try to avoid using sync as much as possible. 95% of the features in sync I never use, it's useless garbage to me. All I ever use is satellite radio and once in a blue moon if I'm going somewhere unfamiliar, I'll use the nav

my honest opinion after 200 miles on a 25 is mixed. I am ending 8 years and 200k miles in a 2015 sport, which i loved from day 1. Spent the spring and summer considering and test driving 23's and 24's. Sat in the 25 at the Chicago auto show last winter and loved the new interior. Eventually decided on the 25 and waited patiently.
Fit & finish good.
Exterior: Styling of course is great. Love the bigger grille and fog lights, rear end is better.
Interior: Love the dash layout, love the seat finish. Don't need the massage option and wish they were more supportive like a track seat, but get why they cant do that. 3rd row seats even less comfortable then before but no big deal.
Wheels: I changed out the old sport wheel set on the 2015 years ago with something similar to the 2025, but now I am kinda thinking the 24 wheels look sportier. They definitely stand out compared to other hundred million explorers on the road, the new ones just don't.
Exhaust: Biggest differences from the 23/24 for me is the exhaust note is not as aggressive (biggest complaint with the 2015), both inside and out.
Acceleration / braking: The throttle and brake feel (in sport drive mode) seem to have drifted away from sporty to what i would expect more from the platinum, a little too luxury. Wanted to feel the 400hp and grippy brakes, just am not getting it.
Technology: I'm not super techy and coming from the 2015 its all stupid cool for me. Have some experience with our 22 MachE so its not totally new. Wish I could configure the dash screen more, like a digital version of the analog tach/speedo.
Overall: Probably comes across as a negative review but am overall VERY happy with it. Not sure most people would notice what i describe above with the acceleration/braking.

Wheels: I changed out the old sport wheel set on the 2015 years ago with something similar to the 2025, but now I am kinda thinking the 24 wheels look sportier. They definitely stand out compared to other hundred million explorers on the road, the new ones just don't.

my honest opinion after 200 miles on a 25 is mixed. I am ending 8 years and 200k miles in a 2015 sport, which i loved from day 1. Spent the spring and summer considering and test driving 23's and 24's. Sat in the 25 at the Chicago auto show last winter and loved the new interior. Eventually decided on the 25 and waited patiently.
Fit & finish good.
Exterior: Styling of course is great. Love the bigger grille and fog lights, rear end is better.
Interior: Love the dash layout, love the seat finish. Don't need the massage option and wish they were more supportive like a track seat, but get why they cant do that. 3rd row seats even less comfortable then before but no big deal.
Wheels: I changed out the old sport wheel set on the 2015 years ago with something similar to the 2025, but now I am kinda thinking the 24 wheels look sportier. They definitely stand out compared to other hundred million explorers on the road, the new ones just don't.
Exhaust: Biggest differences from the 23/24 for me is the exhaust note is not as aggressive (biggest complaint with the 2015), both inside and out.
Acceleration / braking: The throttle and brake feel (in sport drive mode) seem to have drifted away from sporty to what i would expect more from the platinum, a little too luxury. Wanted to feel the 400hp and grippy brakes, just am not getting it.
Technology: I'm not super techy and coming from the 2015 its all stupid cool for me. Have some experience with our 22 MachE so its not totally new. Wish I could configure the dash screen more, like a digital version of the analog tach/speedo.
Overall: Probably comes across as a negative review but am overall VERY happy with it. Not sure most people would notice what i describe above with the acceleration/braking.

To MIBuckeye and I Bleed Ford Blue, thank you. You both answered my questions and concerns regarding upgrading to a ‘25 ST. I’m like both of you in that my lease is up soon and I have been going back and forth over leasing a new ‘25, a new ‘24 or buying my ‘21. I think after reading your opinions that I will buy out my lease. The price increase on the ‘25 is just ridiculous and I am not fond of subscription based pricing for something that should be free. By the way, MIBuckeye, your new ST is almost a twin for mine. I just don’t have the panoramic roof and the roof racks. Thanks, guys!

On the good side, the 360 view is gone, you know how when you put the 21 in reverse it only shows on the top of the screen and only goes about 60% across and the other 40% shows the overhead 360 view, well on the 23's and 24's now the reverse camera goes all the ways across as the 360 view is gone. Also the park assist gimmick is permanently gone too. Most customers never used it and never wanted it so ford finally got smart and just got rid of it. The downside of losing the 360 camera view is the parking sensors are gone too.

I picked up at 25 last week after owning a 20 and 21. It took me a few days but I've noticed the seating difference too. I cannot configure the seat and steering wheel the same way I could in the prior models. My legs aren't extended as far as I'd like them to be, and I think it may be due to the steering wheel not extending as far as it did in the past models.