There’s a Tremor for everyone, as Ford realigns its off-road-focused SUV trims with its truck lineup.
The redesigned 2025 Ford Explorer streamlined the lower end of the lineup with its new Active trim, while bringing back familiar options like the luxurious Platinum and sporty ST. What didn’t initially make it into the new lineup, however, is an adventurous model like the former Timberline. It’d be a weird decision to keep an off-roader out of the mix, considering the hearty mix of Raptor models on sale today and new Tremor packages — the latter of which has made it onto the Explorer’s larger Expedition sibling. Now, though, Ford CEO Jim Farley teased the latest Explorer update, replacing the former off-road trim with a new Explorer Tremor.
While the photo is meant to avoid revealing too much information, the little bit of the car’s rear fascia we can see gives the game away. Apart from displaying a Tremor badge, we see the “Explorer” lettering across the center, clear as day, as well as a bit of the Explorer’s new taillight design. Since the Expedition also gained a Tremor badge and lost its Timberline trim as a result, it’s hardly surprising to see Ford make the same move for the Explorer.
We’ll have to wait a little bit longer to see exactly what changes the Explorer Tremor brings to the lineup, but it’d be fair to expect a similar (if not even more capable) off-road vibe to the outgoing Timberline. We can also use the Expedition as a bit of a cheat sheet, wherein the Tremor model received retuned suspension, beefed up ground clearance, General Grabber all-terrain tires, a Torsen limited-slip differential and orange accents, including appropriately painted recovery hooks.
The new Ford Explorer Tremor will debut later this year. When it does, it will likely keep the SUV’s standard 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine (as the Timberline had), kicking out 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. While it’s possible we could see the more potent 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 make an appearance instead — effectively offering buyers a street-focused ST, luxury-minded Platinum or dirt-ready Tremor, it’d make some sense for the Tremor to be a mid-range model with a high-$40,000s price point. That’s where the largest gap in the Explorer’s price band is for the moment, and that’s probably by design, so Ford could slot the Tremor between the ST-Line and the Platinum.
We obviously haven’t tested the latest off-road-focused Explorer yet, but we have checked out the ST (and you can take a closer look at it below):
