Ford · Standard SUVs · Gasoline
Ford Explorer: MPG and annual fuel cost, 2026
In model year 2026 the Ford Explorer is rated at 24 MPG combined, tied for 30th of 90 standard SUVs, in the upper half.
- 24MPG combinedtied 30th of 90 in class
- $2,800a year in fueltied 25th of 90 in class
- 377g/mile CO2
Where it stands
Compared only with the gasoline models of its class it is tied for first of 36 gasoline standard SUVs, in the top quarter. The median of that narrower group is 19.5 MPG, against 22.5 MPG for all standard SUVs together.
Among all gasoline models of the year, regardless of size, it is tied for 72nd of 180 gasoline models, in the upper half.
Within the 14 Ford models rated for 2026 it is tied for 9th on combined rating; the median of the make's line-up is 26 MPG.
In its class, just ahead of it is the BMW X5 Hybrid at 25 MPG and just behind it is the BMW X6 Hybrid at 23 MPG.
Fuel cost and CO2
At 15,000 miles a year with 55% of them in the city, with regular gasoline at $4.47 per gallon, the annual fuel bill of the most efficient version is about $2,800. That is $575 less than the standard SUVs median of $3,375, which makes it tied for 25th of 90 standard SUVs, in the upper half.
Tailpipe CO2 is 377 g/mile, 10 g/mile below the standard SUVs median of 387.
Rated versions
Its city rating is 20 and its highway rating 29: the highway figure is 9 higher. 6 versions are rated for 2026. The most efficient, Explorer RWD: 2.3 L, 4 cyl, Automatic 10-spd, RWD, gets 24 MPG; the least efficient listed, Explorer Tremor AWD: 3.0 L, 6 cyl, Automatic (S10), part-time 4WD, gets 19 MPG, a gap of 5 MPG. With the file's assumptions that gap is worth about $750 a year in fuel.
| Version | Combined MPG | City MPG | Highway MPG | Annual fuel cost | CO2 g/mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer RWD: 2.3 L, 4 cyl, Automatic 10-spd, RWD | 24 | 20 | 29 | $2,800 | 377 |
| Explorer AWD: 2.3 L, 4 cyl, Automatic 10-spd, part-time 4WD | 23 | 20 | 27 | $2,900 | 394 |
| Explorer RWD: 3.0 L, 6 cyl, Automatic (S10), RWD | 21 | 18 | 25 | $3,200 | 423 |
| Explorer Tremor AWD: 2.3 L, 4 cyl, Automatic (S10), part-time 4WD | 21 | 19 | 23 | $3,200 | 424 |
| Explorer AWD: 3.0 L, 6 cyl, Automatic (S10), part-time 4WD | 20 | 18 | 25 | $3,350 | 439 |
| Explorer Tremor AWD: 3.0 L, 6 cyl, Automatic (S10), part-time 4WD | 19 | 17 | 22 | $3,550 | 467 |
Year by year
The Ford Explorer is in the data for 8 of the 8 model years from 2019 to 2026. Between 2019 and 2026 the best combined rating rose by 2 MPG, from 22 to 24. The number of rated versions shrank from 7 to 6. Fuel cost for the best version is $2,800 in the latest data against $3,050 in 2019, although the file applies today's fuel prices to every model year, so that change comes from the rating, not from prices.
| Model year | Versions | Best MPG | Lowest MPG | Fuel cost | CO2 g/mi | Class median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 24 | 19 | $2,800 | 377 | 22.5 |
| 2025 | 6 | 24 | 20 | $2,800 | 377 | 22.5 |
| 2024 | 8 | 24 | 20 | $2,800 | 370 | 22 |
| 2023 | 13 | 24 | 20 | $2,800 | 370 | 21 |
| 2022 | 11 | 24 | 19 | $2,800 | 370 | 21 |
| 2021 | 8 | 24 | 19 | $2,800 | 373 | 20.5 |
| 2020 | 4 | 24 | 19 | $2,800 | 370 | 21 |
| 2019 | 7 | 22 | 18 | $3,050 | 409 | 21 |
Similar models
| Model | Powertrain | Combined MPG | Annual fuel cost | Model year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infiniti QX60 | Gasoline | 24 | $3,400 | 2026 |
| Toyota Grand Highlander | Gasoline | 24 | $2,800 | 2026 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | Gasoline | 23 | $2,900 | 2026 |
| Lexus TX | Gasoline | 23 | $3,550 | 2026 |
| BMW X5 Hybrid | Hybrid | 25 | $3,300 | 2026 |
Compare and rank
Rankings: Standard SUVs, Gasoline, Ford, Gasoline standard SUVs.
Data: US EPA and DOE, as prepared in methods and data.