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Picked up my 2025 Ford Explore ST last week

Mr-Stang

New Member
Messages
8
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
New Jersey
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
#1
I picked up my 2025 Explorer ST last week, having had the previous 2021 Explorer ST.
I was surprised by what is no longer available, here's a short list, let me know if you have any questions:

No longer available:
Hands-Free, Foot-Activated Liftgate
Active Park Assist
ST Projection Lamps (really miss this one)
Door Sill lighting
Leather Seats
Standard USB-A plugs (All USB-C Now, which is a good thing)
Dash configurations when you switch modes
(Previously when you switched to say Sport Mode everything went red and the dash focused on sport related dials)
The PRNL & Mode Dials will keep spinning until you stop (Annoying)
Second-row Console

Not crazy about:
Seating material
Floor mats are cheap
No longer comes with tray storage inside armrest
No longer includes all covers for hidden trunk storage
Android based System is frustrating and distracting.
Limited amount of physical buttons to manage functions.
STILL NO RADIO Control other than volume from the steering wheel.

Dealer had no instruction available for BlueCruise
LJS
 

hbalek

Active Member
Messages
944
Reactions
529
Points
232
Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#2
I picked up my 2025 Explorer ST last week, having had the previous 2021 Explorer ST.
I was surprised by what is no longer available, here's a short list, let me know if you have any questions:

No longer available:
Hands-Free, Foot-Activated Liftgate
Active Park Assist
ST Projection Lamps (really miss this one)
Door Sill lighting
Leather Seats
Standard USB-A plugs (All USB-C Now, which is a good thing)
Dash configurations when you switch modes
(Previously when you switched to say Sport Mode everything went red and the dash focused on sport related dials)
The PRNL & Mode Dials will keep spinning until you stop (Annoying)
Second-row Console

Not crazy about:
Seating material
Floor mats are cheap
No longer comes with tray storage inside armrest
No longer includes all covers for hidden trunk storage
Android based System is frustrating and distracting.
Limited amount of physical buttons to manage functions.
STILL NO RADIO Control other than volume from the steering wheel.

Dealer had no instruction available for BlueCruise
LJS
A lot of these are deal-breakers for me! I love the hands-free liftgate and active park assist. The projection lamps are things I am still enamored with after 5 years and people who don't even care about such things notice and give me compliments on them. I have driven an Escape and a Bronco Sport recently and the spinning gear selector thing is really annoying on those vehicles. The drive mode dial always spun around as well as the volume knob on my 2020. So as much as the new interior looks and feels nicer than the previous version sounds like a lot of substantive items are gone forever!
 

Messages
82
Reactions
31
Points
17
Location
New York, NY, USA
#3
Have the OG 2020 ST, and while yea the interior has some QC issues, still got the 2 bolt rear, no valve issues, and i think the pre-25 front fascia and rear looks better. But i do like the 25 wheels..

I don't think I would trade mine unless I got a great deal.
 

2020FordRaptor

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,411
Reactions
675
Points
162
Location
Nevada
Vehicle
'20 Raptor, '22 Explorer ST, '14 GT500, '03 F150
#4
Have the OG 2020 ST, and while yea the interior has some QC issues, still got the 2 bolt rear, no valve issues, and i think the pre-25 front fascia and rear looks better. But i do like the 25 wheels..

I don't think I would trade mine unless I got a great deal.
I think a lot of 25 owners would trade you straight across for yours.
 

mkngrm

New Member
U.S. Marine Veteran
Messages
2
Reactions
1
Points
2
Location
PA
Vehicle
'25 Explorer ST
#5
I picked up my 2025 Explorer ST last week, having had the previous 2021 Explorer ST.
I was surprised by what is no longer available, here's a short list, let me know if you have any questions:

No longer available:
Hands-Free, Foot-Activated Liftgate
Active Park Assist
ST Projection Lamps (really miss this one)
Door Sill lighting
Leather Seats
Standard USB-A plugs (All USB-C Now, which is a good thing)
Dash configurations when you switch modes
(Previously when you switched to say Sport Mode everything went red and the dash focused on sport related dials)
The PRNL & Mode Dials will keep spinning until you stop (Annoying)
Second-row Console

Not crazy about:
Seating material
Floor mats are cheap
No longer comes with tray storage inside armrest
No longer includes all covers for hidden trunk storage
Android based System is frustrating and distracting.
Limited amount of physical buttons to manage functions.
STILL NO RADIO Control other than volume from the steering wheel.

Dealer had no instruction available for BlueCruise
LJS
Are you sure your trunk compartment covers aren't somewhere else in the car or maybe taken out by the dealer? I have all 3 covers on mine that I just picked up.
 

23 Explorer ST

Member
Firefighter/EMT
Messages
262
Reactions
145
Points
37
Location
NC
Vehicle
2023 Ford Explorer ST
#6
I’ve test drove a 2025 ST last week, I’m NOT impressed at all.
From the price for the none leather seats to the big screen radio and the lack of control buttons on the dash.

Only thing I did like was where the phone charger was moved too.

Sure the big screen is nice to have but from everything I’ve been reading on this forum and elsewhere about the radio and its features is that google sucks!

The wheels on the 25 is not my cup of tea.
It’s a shame they don’t offer a choice.

I’ll stick with my 23 ST which to me is a lot nicer than the 2025’s interior and exterior. IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

OP
M
Messages
8
Reactions
3
Points
2
Location
New Jersey
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
Thread Starter #7
Are you sure your trunk compartment covers aren't somewhere else in the car or maybe taken out by the dealer? I have all 3 covers on mine that I just picked up.
That's exactly what I was thinking, so I took them from my old explorer when I returned it.
 

Messages
20
Reactions
8
Points
2
Location
California
Vehicle
2025 Ford Explorer ST
#8
My 2025 has all the covers for the trunk space so not sure what ya mean by that, maybe they did not give ya everything if ya bought it new? My floor mats were very cheap black carpet ones but did say explorer on them, however I bought a full set of Weathertech mats the good ones with the rolled edges and so far they are working great!, Not sure what you mean about the ST projection lamps unless you mean the ones on the side mirrors that project on the ground if so my 2025 has those, as for headlights I have no problem with how they are and are way brighter than my old car so i can't complain about them. Also there is a few (maybe one? I have not went looking) USB-A which is in the Front of center console next to the power port there is one USB-A and then a ISB-C and the lighter style power port. Door sill lighting, not quite sure what ya mean as this is my first explorer but again my 2025 has ambient lighting and its on the doors etc.. Maybe yours is turned off in the infotainment center section? Everything else I can agree with, although the seats are not bad and they warm up faster than the leather ones without the heater on that I noticed now that it has started to get a little colder. How long the material will last that I have no clue on. Here are the 9 things (thought I had 10 things but I miscounted lol) I don't like about my 2025 however I still love it as a whole so far (only have had it like 4 weeks now)

9 things I do not like or wish they would have changed.
1. the button panel for the start stop etc...is all one big panel they are not individual buttons so the whole panel moves a bit when you hit the buttons on there. It also has a really tiny hazard button.
2. there is not light on the E-brake switch even my old 2015 Jeep Cherokee had a little light on it, so ya have to look at the dash to see if it is on or off.
3. the only gauges ya get in the dash are trans temp and coolant temp, no oil temp or pressure, no battery voltage (which is surprising seeing how much they added to the infotainment center) or any other gauges just Trans Temp and Coolant Temp.
4. The buttons for your garage door opener on the sun visor has no lights at all and its black so you can't even see them at night (again my 2015 Jeep had the buttons light up).
5. Dash display does not change at all when you switch to different drive modes, it would have been nice to see some of the stuff change when in a different mode but all you get is a little symbol at the bottom letting you know what mode your in.
6. You can not change the tach or the speed portions of the dash all you can do is add a few different pages but you can only have 7 pages, but it only changes the middle section. and you cycle thru them. and there are only like 8 or so to choose from.
7. Interior ambient lighting you can only choose like 5 or six colors that not too bad but in this day and age of RGB you should be able to blend colors and make them whatever ya want. I use the light blue as it looks more blue than the dark blue option which looks a little purple to me.
8. Phone charger does not have any way to be turned off . Mine has been intermittently working but that might be be because of my iPhone 16 pro and the camera bump, but it also sometimes does not show in the notification area of the infotainment screen when it is working. My ford dealer said they know about this but there is no fix yet. and last but not least
9. When switching drive modes you have to spin the drive mode wheel to the right for the drive modes on the right hand side of the dash, but then instead of it continuing to spin it for the other modes ya have to spin it to the left to get to the drive modes on the left side of the dash instead of just continuing to spin the dial in one direction which is a little counter intuitive, but this is a minor complaint as ya don't really change drive modes all that much.

Other than these little quirks I really like mine and have a blast driving it and love the power as I don't even notice hills and such anymore as it always has plenty of power when ya need it or want it. I also have the 4WD version.
 



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