Are you ready to upgrade your ride for the new year? Whether you're driving around Winter Haven or planning getaways across Florida, the 2025 Ford Explorer offers the perfect mix of power, comfort, and interior space. With four models to choose from the ST-Line and the Active, which are excellent options, but which one is right for you? See how the 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line and Active compare to help you choose the best Ford Explorer model for driving in Winter Haven and starting the year with an SUV built for every driver, every day.
Key Takeaways
- The 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line and Active are two models from the new lineup of four.
- The 2025 Explorer ST-Line is an upgrade from the base Active model, offering more standard features and packages, including Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 technology.
- The Ford Explorer ST-Line and Active both deliver excellent fuel efficiency and the best gas mileage.
How is the 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line different from the base model Active?
There are now four models in the longstanding, popular mid-size crossover SUV lineup, including the ST-Line and the base model Active. Both of these first two Ford Explorer models feature the 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 engine, heated front seats, and other advanced driver assist and safety features as part of the Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ and Assist 2.0 systems. However, there are still differences between the upgraded ST-Line and the base model Active.
Some of these differences include that the ST-Line is available in different set of exterior paint colors, offers more upgrades inside and out than the Active such as heated power adjustable mirrors, optional wireless charging pad, optional ambient interior lighting, more available 12V power outlets, heated seats in the first and second row, and a standard heated leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line offers more available packages, including the Premium Package, ST-Line Street Pack, and the available Ford BlueCruise hands-free highway driving technology, along with optional rain-sensing wipers and standard LED exterior lighting, including fog lamps, tail lamps, and signature accents.
How many miles per gallon does the 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line and Active get?
The 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line and Active come with the 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 engine, which provides excellent EPA fuel economy for a mid-size SUV with three rows that seat seven. Since both models are rear-wheel drive (RWD) with optional Intelligent 4WD, six selectable drive modes, and Hill Descent Control, you’re actually achieving some of the best gas mileage in the lineup, with a total driving range of 430 miles on a full tank. Expect great gas mileage on the highway and in stop-and-go city traffic, with around 29 MPG on the highway and 24 MPG in city driving conditions.
Should I choose the 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line or Active?
Choosing between the ST-Line and the base model Active when the 2025 Ford Explorer ranks among the best upper mid-size SUVs by J.D. Power is a challenge because both offer excellent value, features, and fuel economy for a three-row SUV. Your choice is going to come down to what you prefer when it comes to style, comfort, and convenience.
Choose the 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line for its bold style that makes a statement everywhere you go. From the upgraded B&O sound system by Bang & Olufsen with ten speakers and a subwoofer to the standard heated, power-adjustable seats in the front and second rows that highlight your SUV’s interior with vibrant red stitching, along with larger 20-inch or 21-inch wheels on all-season tires, the 2025 Ford Explorer ST-Line is an upgrade worth considering for added style, comfort, and convenience.
Choose the 2025 Ford Explorer Active, the lineup’s base model, part of a legacy of safety and reliability recognized multiple times by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as a Top Safety Pick+. From its fuel efficiency, smooth handling, and selectable drive modes to its heated front-row seats and available upgradable ActiveX materials for the seats, the 2025 Ford Explorer Active competes as an impressive base model with USB ports, wireless streaming with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the large 13.2-inch touchscreen and Ford Digital Experience.
New Year, New Explorer
The all-new 2025 Ford Explorer is impressive, and the lineup includes a model you’ll love, such as the ST-Line with its upgrades and the base Active model, which offers everything needed in a three-row mid-size crossover SUV. Visit Jarrett-Gordon Ford Winter Haven today to see how your family fits perfectly in the new Ford Explorer, and enjoy driving happily all year long knowing everything is better in a Ford.