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Late last summer, I got the chance to test drive a new 2025 Ford Explorer Limited, a loaded, luxury version of Ford’s popular midsize SUV. Everything was impressive about the vehicle, which is what I wrote.

But now we’re heading into the transition from 2024 to 2025 — the accurate year of the new Explorer upgrade — and I’ve gotten a chance to dig a little deeper into the Explorer realm. We know the Explorer began life when Ford decided to go into the utility truck segment, which didn’t even have the now-commonplace monicker “SUV.”

What we have to extract from the ST is the major difference between it and the more garden-variety Explorer. Not that I can visualize anyone taking any Explorer into the garden, but understanding the base model, which starts at $59,200, gives greater insight into the ST, which has an as-tested sticker of $61,290.

That’s not a large jump, but when you evaluate what you get for that extra price, it is a bargain, indeed.

The basic Explorer has a 2.3-liter 4-cylinder that has adequate power with a turbocharger, but feels a little disjointed, as though all its parts may not have been properly introduced.

When you move up to the ST — or the Limited, as well — you make a quantum leap in drivetrains, up to Ford’s hot 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6. That happens to be the same drivetrain, with Ford’s tight 10-speed automatic transmission sending large doses of power to all four wheels, that Ford uses to upgrade the Ranger, or Bronco up to the Raptor category.

So we can think of the Explorer ST as Ford’s hot-rod Explorer, which is appropriate with that sizzling engine. With 306 horsepower and 430 foot-pounds of torque, you rotate the console switch into “D” and hit the gas, and you are fairly flying.

Mainly, the Explorer seems to be more intended as a family hauler with the Bronco and Ranger Raptors as the factory hot-rods, because the Explorer ST is equipped with underside skid plates and 21-inch wheels for bolstered towing capacity. And with the built in tow hitch and its added maximum, it will take care of any camping or hauling trailers you might own.

From the outside, the Explorer ST also lives up to its billing, with a blacked-out grille that has a little red “ST” fastened to it, which is neat, because the test vehicle was Racer Red, which is a stunning red metallic that stands out from wherever you spot the Explorer. There are other fine colors in Ford’s palette, but I’ll take Racer Red.

Once inside, the step up isn’t bad, and the bucket seat is excellent, with support and firmness, and a tackiness because of the brushed fabric between the leather extremities that wants to cling to your body. That means no matter how aggressively you hurl the Explorer ST around turns or corners, you will stay in place.

The high-performance suspension parts aid in that objective, too. And the front two buckets are both heated and ventilated to be cool in the summer. In December in Duluth, Minnesota, you are not worried about cooling off your hind-quarters, of course.

Shift paddles also add to the sportiness of the Explorer ST, which might be considered a near-identical twin to the Platinum, which gets the same driveline but leans toward luxury touches over sportiness at every turn.

We were impressed to reach 30 miles per gallon in mostly city driving, averaging 26.1 on a tankful of regular fuel. On a freeway family cruise, I’m guessing you could approach 35.

The second-row seats are also buckets, and also are heated, which is a really nice feature. The third row, if you can squeeze adults back there, has a split rear bench arrangement, and the tilting second row seats allow something close to comfortable access.

All the usual contemporary safety features are in place, such as parking assist front and rear, and lane-departure alert. And there are also a number of really thoughtful features included.

Among those are a large, double-pane sunroof, a B & O audio upgrade, ambient lighting, and LED headlights and foglight that do turn darkness into light. Also, the revised interior features large gauge screens for adjustable information for the driver, and a large top of the center stack information screen that will help with your frustration as you try to install your cell phone coding to work properly.

As it is, the price increase of only a couple-hundred dollars is really nothing, when you consider the considerable upgrades in features that sticker provides. You can settle for the base Explorer, but why would you? The increased power alone, especially when combined with bolstered fuel economy, makes the Explorer ST the one to have.