| The Good | The Bad |
| ✓ Tremor is the coolest-looking trim of the bunch | ☓ Fuel economy (especially if you get the V6) |
| ✓ 400-hp V6 means this is one quick SUV | ☓ Apart from acceleration, generally just OK to drive |
| ✓ Technology works well (even BlueCruise) | ☓ No wireless charging, even as an option |
| ✓ Comfortable seats and ride | ☓ High-end Tremor spec is about $65K |
The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor gives this generation some real off-road cred. But how does it do on-road?
Now well into its sixth generation, the ever-popular Ford Explorer just came off a mid-cycle refresh for 2025. Most of the lineup carries over into the new year virtually unchanged, with one exception: the new off-road-focused Tremor. Ford invited the TFL team out to Death Valley in California to test its mettle on the trails, and Tommy gave his impressions in a video over on TFLoffroad. That’s not the end of the story, however, as the automaker also handed me the key to the Explorer Tremor after that experience to drive it 900 miles back to our home base in Colorado.
After we tried the most dirt-worthy Explorer out off the beaten track, I wanted to focus on how the Tremor operated as a day-to-day family hauler. After all, even with the underbody protection, chunkier all-terrain rubber, special wheels and accents and Torsen limited-slip rear differential, folks who spend $50,260 and up on this model will still want to use it everywhere else. And on paper, at least, Tommy and I agree this should be the most versatile trim in the lineup. Whether that initial impression proves accurate and you’ll want to aim for the Tremor over any other Explorer trim, or lean toward one of the Explorer’s rivals instead, is the rest of this review.
I do have one heads up before we dive in deeper, though. While you can get a 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor for just over $50K, that will be the 2.3-liter EcoBoost version with 300 horsepower. That gets you the essential goodies, but you do miss out on premium features like BlueCruise (an extra-cost option) and the Tremor Ultimate Package, which adds in creature comforts like massaging seats, a 14-speaker B&O sound system, a massive panoramic fixed glass roof and power-folding functionality for the side mirrors and third-row seats.
The top-end Tremor with that package also brings in the more potent, 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V6 from the Explorer ST. With another turbo and two extra cylinders, the output goes up to 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, making this one of the more powerful mainstream options in its class.
The only down side? It’ll cost you $62,805 and up, with options like a spare wheel and jack kit, Ford’s one-time $745 fee for the Connectivity Package (5G Wi-Fi hotspot plus productivity/entertainment features) and $300 for a 3-year SiriusXM plan brought the cost for this unit up to $64,010. That includes Ford’s $1,795 destination fee (as of early 2026).
Performance: Stretching the Explorer Tremor’s legs out of Death Valley toward Las Vegas
If you’re shopping a 2026 Ford Explorer, the 2.3-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost engines define the lineup as you move up the trim stack. The base Active, the mid-range ST-Line and the Platinum each come with the 2.3-liter by default. If you want the beefier V6 option, you’ll have to get either the full-fat ST, or the upgraded Tremor like we have here.
One reason you’d want to at least consider the four-banger (apart from price) is the fuel economy advantage. Against the V6 Tremor’s 17 City / 22 Highway / 19 Combined mpg figures, the 2.3-liter manages 2 mpg better, by EPA figures. Over my whole trip, I managed 18.7 mpg, gobbling up just over 48 gallons of fuel in my 900-mile journey.
Snaking out of Death Valley and our overnight stay in Furnace Creek, California though, I instantly appreciated the extra oomph the 3.0-liter ‘Nano’ EcoBoost offers up. Not only does it also sound better, but the 100 extra ponies allowed me to easily and effortlessly pass a Super Duty hauling some of the other Explorer Tremors back from the off-road journey (sorry guys, but the fine folks on the off-road excursion did encourage us to try out the available 400 horsepower!).
Once I hit Death Valley Junction and headed north and east on the relatively straight highways toward Las Vegas, that power continued to prove useful for the occasional overtaking, or just getting back up to speed from repeatedly pulling over for photo opps. The V6 option — a sort of backport to the Explorer lineup from the closely related Lincoln Aviator — makes this a seriously quick family hauler. The 2.3-liter mill still packs a healthy amount of grunt in its own right, but here you’re able to get from 0-60 in a shade over 5 seconds.
In the main, while I totally get the logic of the fuel economy argument…I’d recommend going for the V6 (also shared with the Bronco and Ranger Raptor), if you can swing it.
All 2026 Ford Explorer models, regardless of engine, use the same 10-speed automatic transmission. Both powertrains also allow up to 5,000 pounds of towing capacity, when properly equipped with a Class III hitch. You can get most Explorer models with rear-wheel drive, including the ST, though the Tremor is only available with all-wheel drive, as you’d expect.
Technology: BlueCruise 1.5 gets even better, and now does automatic lane changes
Heading north out of Las Vegas on I-15, I had the prime opportunity to test out Ford’s latest version of BlueCruise. My last brush with the Blue Oval’s semi-autonomous tech was on the F-150 Tremor, though it’s gone through a few iterations since the version that truck shipped with (1.2). Generally speaking, BlueCruise 1.5 purports to offer improvements to its smoothness and stability over past versions, but the real headline feature is automatic lane changes.
Once you reach a limited-access highway where BlueCruise is available, you can set the system up at a given speed and let it take the wheel from there. When it reaches slower moving traffic, it’s supposed to anticipate the maneuver, look around for any potential conflicts, and handle moving over a lane (and back, when it’s done) without you having to get involved in the process whatsoever.
On the whole, throughout several hundred miles on I-15 and I-70 through Utah, the system performed admirably well. Provided you keep your eyes on the road (there’s a camera monitoring where you’re looking), you can go hours without ever touching the wheel or pedals on major highways. It only got stumped a couple times with more complex situations. In one case, both I and a semi-truck were in the right lane as that lane ended, and we both needed to merge over. So, ideally, BlueCruise would move up one lane, then switch again into the far-left lane to get around the slow moving truck. It didn’t figure that out on its own in time, forcing me to take over and make the lane change myself.
Otherwise, the automated lane changes did work as advertised, though the system tends to err on the side of caution if there’s a lot of traffic around, hanging out behind a slow-moving vehicle and waiting instead of jumping into a narrow gap ahead of an approaching car in the left lane.
BlueCruise will also take advisory speed warnings into account, slowing down a bit for tighter curves, as I learned on some of the sweeping mountain ranges between Cove Fort, Utah and Green River. Later on in the trip, once I crossed into Colorado, the system also advised I at least keep my hands on the wheel, if not actually take over, on some of the trickier stretches as you head toward Vail and the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels where we run the infamous Ike Gauntlet (BlueCruise 1.2 did this as well, though it seemed less frequent this time around, so that’s progress).
The Explorer Tremor gets some nice and unique interior touches, but it’s missing a couple things…
Hop inside the 2026 Ford Explorer — any of them, really — and you’ll encounter a layout that prioritizes function over form. It does still bring some nice aesthetic touches, don’t get me wrong. You still get contrast stitching on some versions like this Tremor, as well as some nicer interior materials generally and “EXPLORER” lettering incorporated into the passenger dashboard. Fancier models also get ambient lighting either standard or as part of a convenience package, adding to the ambience.
On the infotainment front, all Explorer models come with a 13.2-inch center display as standard fare. You also get a fully digital gauge cluster that’s nice and sharp, and features some remarkably well done graphics as you use the center console dial to run through all the available drive modes. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Google built-in apps come standard as part of Ford’s “Digital Experience”, while a 10-speaker B&O stereo system comes standard. An upgraded, 980-watt, 14-speaker system is available on the Tremor as part of the Ultimate Package (all the better for banging out some loud rock tracks on your cross-country road trip).
One thing you don’t get in the center stack, as you might expect, is wireless smartphone charging capability. While you do get eight USB-C ports, some 12-volt sockets and a 150-watt AC power outlet behind the center console, the tray below the infotainment screen and relatively few hard switches is just for storage. Past owners weren’t especially happy with the wireless charging anyway since it was either slow, simply succeeded at heating the phone up or simply didn’t work as intended at all. On that basis, Ford faithful may not miss the feature (and hopefully future model years will have a better solution, if it does come back), but be advised: You won’t have wireless phone charging, even on this $64K-plus Explorer Tremor.
One other omission is a power-sliding sunroof. That’s now gone as well, replaced by one large fixed glass panoramic roof. You do still get a retractable cover so that glass does let a ton of light in, but the front part can no longer open.
Overall, the latest Ford Explorer is a comfortable place to be, for most passengers.
Stopping over outside St. George, Utah, I also took some time to try out the rest of the Explorer’s interior accommodations. The front seats, for their part, are remarkably comfortable on long drives. Not only do the first and second rows get micro-perforated leather seats with suede inserts, but the front seats have a massaging function that you bet I used on most of the 14-hour drive.
The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor sticks with captain’s chairs on the second row, getting the same sort of seat materials without the massaging function. Those couple occupants get some HVAC adjustments, as well as two USB-C ports and the aforementioned 110-volt outlet. Finally, in the third row, two more passengers (for a total of six) get straight leather seats with a couple of USB-C ports. The rearmost row is a bit cramped for adult passengers, at least if the second-row passengers don’t share the wealth a little bit and give up some of their legroom.
Depending on the trim and package you choose, some Explorers can get a power-folding third row. On the Tremor, specifically, you can get it either as part of the $1,675 Convenience Package, or as part of the Tremor Ultimate Package that upgrades you to the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6.
Verdict: This is the Explorer I’d buy, especially if you’re the adventurous type.
Throughout my multi-state journey, I remarked at just how comfortable the experience is. And that’s long been one of the Explorer’s strong points, as it helped kick off the notion of an approachable, capable and practical family SUV that is everywhere on our roads today. My family and I have owned plenty of first- and second-generation Explorers, and they were solid, capable rigs to take most places you’d feasibly want to go.
As far as I’m concerned, the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor is the most compelling option since the old days of those truck-based models. This may still ride on a unibody platform, but this is still the most refined Explorer to-date. As I wrapped up my day-long journey back in Denver, I didn’t have any back ache and I wasn’t even really tired. Ford still hits the comfort mark well with this generation, and BlueCruise 1.5 truly does take a lot of the fatigue out of long-distance stretches where you’d otherwise have to hang onto the wheel for hours on end.
Beyond the tech and comfort, I like the way the Explorer Tremor looks, by way of the Marsh Gray paint, orange accents and off-road lights. And, at the end of the day, you can head out onto a light to moderate trail and have confidence that the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 tires, all-wheel drive system and slightly higher ground clearance over stock will get you to your backcountry campsite or cabin. It may not cross the Rubicon trail, but if that is your focus, Ford also has an answer for that with the Bronco.
Here, a little bit of the Bronco and off-road DNA from the brand’s Tremor-branded trucks offers some dirt-worthy cred we haven’t seen from Explorer in a good long while (even with the recently deceased Timberline). It’s a well-rounded option, and one that should see you and your family through the adventures to come.
What about its off-road cred?
Speaking to the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor’s off-road capability, there’s a longer post on TFLcar going through the details for you to check out. Tommy also offers up all his thoughts in the video below, and also shot a detailed walkaround:
