I'm considering purchasing an ST. Haven't actually sat in one yet but I'm not new to the Ford world. It has been my experience that the Ford interiors sometimes leave little to be desired in regards to materials and fit. The biggest complaints about the ST seem to be the interior materials and fit. Is it really that bad or is it more of a vehicle by vehicle basis? I currently own a 2021 Ram 1500 Laramie with the Hemi engine and really like the truck but I don't really need it and if I can repalce it with something that "might" get better mpg and have more power it's a win for me. The interior is the best I have ever had in a truck and it is whisper quiet going down the road. I am going to look at a few this weekend but just wanted to get some thoughts from people who actually own one before I do
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Is the interior REALLY that bad??
- Thread starter l1tech
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Definitely a vehicle by vehicle basis and subjective opinion. You pay for the performance of the ST and not the interior "luxuries." A lot of plastic, creaks and small nuance mis-fitment. I went from a luxury SUV that was way more refined from a interior perspective and it drove me a little nuts at first paying almost $60k for an SUV with so much plastic. Ride quality is still great and a lot of options for its class. All in all, very happy with the purchase and a matter of personal opinion at the end of the day.
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It all comes down to personal preference and how much nitpicking. People tend to compare these to high class models but at the same time.. Chrysler products seem to always have "better" interiors and Ive never sat in a Telluride or Palisade but I guess both of those have nicer interiors as well.
I am biased to the Fords but won't hesitate to say the Explorer interior is definitely lacking a little however for the performance and suspension.. I don't mind the interior at all. I find the seats to be extremely comfortable, I don't have any squeaks or rattles unless cans in cupholders, the road noise is pretty maintained when I do have everything shut and knock on wood, my cooled seats actually work quite well!
When you're going 30mph and build the boost and then go.. you tend to forget about some of the knocks on the interior.
I am biased to the Fords but won't hesitate to say the Explorer interior is definitely lacking a little however for the performance and suspension.. I don't mind the interior at all. I find the seats to be extremely comfortable, I don't have any squeaks or rattles unless cans in cupholders, the road noise is pretty maintained when I do have everything shut and knock on wood, my cooled seats actually work quite well!
When you're going 30mph and build the boost and then go.. you tend to forget about some of the knocks on the interior.
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Performed an interior cleaning on both the our 2022 ST and my 2019 Ram and boy did I notice the difference.
The carpeting in the ST is very poorly made and installed. All of the seams kept popping out and seemed to be too short where they are tucked under the plastic panels. The fitment of the panels are not that great either.
The exterior fender trim pieces are also warped in a way that they don't line up together at the seams and all of the gaps are not uniform.
I'm only giving you feedback on what my experience is because you asked. The bottom line is would I purchase another one based on this, YES. Like others have said, once you are in the drivers seat and get the overall experience those things fade away.
Don't try to put it up against your Ram because it doesn't measure up. Just buy and enjoy it.
The carpeting in the ST is very poorly made and installed. All of the seams kept popping out and seemed to be too short where they are tucked under the plastic panels. The fitment of the panels are not that great either.
The exterior fender trim pieces are also warped in a way that they don't line up together at the seams and all of the gaps are not uniform.
I'm only giving you feedback on what my experience is because you asked. The bottom line is would I purchase another one based on this, YES. Like others have said, once you are in the drivers seat and get the overall experience those things fade away.
Don't try to put it up against your Ram because it doesn't measure up. Just buy and enjoy it.
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If the Explorer King Ranch with the 3.0 V6 were available in 2019 I would have preferred that interior over the ST interior. The exterior of the ST in almost any color looks more attractive than most SUV's in its class! Every time I look back at my parked ST, I get a smile on my face! On the other hand, whenever I go over bumps I cringe over the interior creaks and rattles from every direction!
Not making excuses for the auto industry, but we also need to remember they are trying to pump vehicles out as fast as possible. So things are going to get overlooked and be done poorly... Unfortunately that's the climate we're in (and its more than just the auto industry). Again, quality control should be catching and addressing some of these issues.
I read about all these problems and I can't say that I didn't have one issue, but it was easily cured. I had a seat that would click when cornering. There was a service notification on the 2020s and the fix was literally attaching heater hose to the rail under the seat using a hose clamp. Pretty cheesy, huh? They had changed the design on the underside of the seat on the 2021's but the same fix worked. Took me about 10 minutes. Beyond that my fit and finish is fine and I'm picky. I will say that I think Ford could find a way to better finish the ends of their carpet.
OP
Thread Starter
#13
Thread Starter
#13
So I just got done test driving an ST and also a Platinum. Hate to say it but I can't deal with the interior. The 2 biggest issues for me were the cardboard dash and the door panels. Neither one had any squeaks or rattles and everything fit together well but I just wouldn't be able to deal with the quality of materials. Thanks to everyone who offered up their opinions, I appreciate it.
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Well at least you did your research. But I gotta say that the ST offers something no other vehicles does at its price point. I think the general consensus is that it’s a great bang for your buck when it comes to power and overall very feature packed and pretty good quality.
you’re going to have to pay a good bit more for better interior with this kind of power.
good luck!
you’re going to have to pay a good bit more for better interior with this kind of power.
good luck!
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Im happu with the interior. Yes there is plastic trim inside, but that makes for a customizable opportunity. I dont have any creaks or rattles in mine at all, and i just hit 40k in my 21' the seat is fits me perfectly and is very comfortable for short trips or long trips. (I live in montana where a 3 hour drive is a short trip). I have all weathertech on the floor.
I often think Ford was able to price the ST so well because they gave it a worst in class interior. But the ST is really the only trim with the real price advantage, the other trims don't offer that same bang for the buck. I think the ST value is derived from taking a lot of police interceptor parts.
The sad part is the edge ST and last gen explorer sport have/had nicer interiors than explorer st does. That interior refresh can't come soon enough.
The sad part is the edge ST and last gen explorer sport have/had nicer interiors than explorer st does. That interior refresh can't come soon enough.
I'd rather have all the features I got in 2020 than a newer ST with a lot of decontenting especially the current model year. Hope the refresh is worth a trade-in and also the deleted features come back. I'm seriously thinking of keeping my 2020 ST and purchasing a 7-8 year ESP warranty. Apparently it's a wash though when you trade you get top-dollar for your trade but have to pay full sticker. So also worth considering a trade-in at the right time.
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