The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor expands on the Blue Oval’s truck offerings, as well as the new Expedition.
From its inception, Ford has billed its midsize SUV as a go-anywhere vehicle (it’s in the name, after all). Fast forward to the refreshed sixth-generation model, and now the Blue Oval is bestowing its bestseller with the well-established “Tremor” nameplate for its off-road-focused trim. Effectively, this new Explorer Tremor carries the torch from the old Timberline, which Ford introduced with the 2022 model year and discontinued in 2024. The updated model may have a new name, but brings a similar range of improvements aimed at improving its dirt-worthiness over the standard models. Unlike the Timberline, however, the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor does get one big optional upgrade: the ST’s 400-horsepower, 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6.
Billed as the “most powerful and off-road capable” Explorer to-date, the Tremor starts off with a 1-inch increased ride height over other models. That’s a slight improvement on the Timberline’s 0.8 inches, while the new Explorer Tremor also packs a Torsen limited-slip differential to handle trickier trail conditions. New 18-inch wheels take on a familiar gloss black and orange look to the larger Expedition Tremor, while also coming wrapped in beefier Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 all-terrain tires, naturally.
The Explorer Tremor’s front and rear bumper designs coupled with the increased ground clearance offer better approach and departure angles, while front and rear skid plates provide underbody protection akin to other Tremor models as well as the now-defunct Timberline. Up front, you get a unique grille with integrated LED lights, though this time the lights and badge are framed in the signature Active Orange color, just like the accents on the wheels (so you can easily spot the valve stems for airing down/up) and the recovery hooks.
On the powertrain front, the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor still comes with the 2.3-liter, 300-horsepower EcoBoost inline-four as the default unit. This time around, though, you’re able to spec the off-road trim with the more potent 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 found on the ST and also optional on the Platinum trim. Ford also tweaked the Tremor’s suspension, giving it a different set of springs and sway bars to the standard models.
Looking inside the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor
The Tremor branding continues once you step inside, of course, as do the orange accents on the steering wheel, instrument panel, center console and seats. Ford equips its off-road model with CoPilot 360 Assist 2.0 (including a 360-degree camera for trail use), while all Explorer models already get a 13.2-inch infotainment display with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, an integrated 5G Wi-Fi hotspot and a power liftgate, as well as heated front-row seats. The standard “Ford Digital Experience” bundles in Amazon Alexa capability and Google Built-in apps, including Google Assistant and baked-in Google Maps.
Options on the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor lean toward more comfort and convenience, including massaging front seats and a 14-speaker B&O sound system.
Order books for the Explorer Tremor open today with its official debut, and Ford says the first models will hit showrooms later this year. Pricing isn’t available yet, though we will have that information closer to launch.
With the updated lineup, comparing trims apples-to-apples with the old Timberline doesn’t quite work, since there are fewer models in the lineup this time around. However, Ford may price it between the ST-Line and the Platinum, since that’s more or less where it’s at in terms of features, and that’s the biggest price gap in the current Explorer lineup. I’d expect the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor would start somewhere around the $50,000 mark, with the 3.0-liter option taking things up to around $55,000 (about the same as the ST). We’ll give an update when we have more precise MSRP information.
