The Ford Explorer ST combines performance with premium comfort, offering an interior that strikes a balance between sporty elements and family-friendly practicality. This highly refined cabin space showcases the Ford commitment to creating a performance SUV that doesn’t compromise on luxury or technology.

Premium Sports-Inspired Design

The Ford Explorer ST interior immediately communicates its performance intentions with a driver-focused cockpit design. ST-exclusive leather seats feature prominent bolstering to provide support during spirited driving while remaining comfortable for extended journeys. The micro-perforated leather surfaces, featuring distinctive red contrast stitching, emphasize the ST’s sporting character.

The flat-bottom steering wheel, wrapped in leather with the ST badge prominently displayed, features integrated controls for key vehicle functions and paddle shifters for manual gear selection. Red accent stitching extends throughout the cabin, appearing on the dashboard, door panels, and center console to create a cohesive design language.

Seating Comfort and Configuration

The Explorer ST offers three rows of seating, accommodating up to seven passengers. The front seats feature 10-way power adjustment with memory function, heating, ventilation, and available massage functionality. The driver’s seat features a thigh support extension for enhanced comfort during extended drives.

Second-row passengers enjoy heated captain’s chairs with independent climate controls in the standard configuration, though a bench seat option increases capacity to seven. The third row comfortably accommodates adult passengers, offering reasonable legroom and dedicated USB ports for device charging.

Digital Cockpit and Displays

The technological centrepiece of the Ford Explorer ST interior is the 31.5-cm digital instrument cluster, which offers multiple display modes, including a special ST performance mode that highlights critical driving data, such as boost pressure, oil temperature, and G-forces.

Complementing this is the portrait-oriented 35.5-cm touchscreen infotainment display mounted on the center dash. This high-resolution screen provides intuitive access to navigation, entertainment, vehicle settings, and smartphone integration through wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Premium Audio System

The Explorer ST comes standard with a 12-speaker B&O sound system by Bang & Olufsen, delivering exceptional audio quality. An available 14-speaker premium version features a subwoofer and increased power output, catering to audiophiles who seek concert-quality sound reproduction. The system’s advanced digital signal processing creates an immersive listening experience throughout the cabin.

Advanced Connectivity

Connectivity features abound in the Explorer ST, with multiple USB-A and USB-C ports distributed throughout all three rows. Wireless charging capability for compatible devices is integrated into the center console, while a Wi-Fi hotspot supports connectivity for up to 10 devices simultaneously.

The FordPass Connect system allows owners to remotely start the vehicle, lock or unlock doors, check fuel levels, and locate the vehicle through a smartphone app. This connectivity extends to vehicle health reports and maintenance scheduling directly through the app.

Ambient Lighting and Atmosphere

The cabin atmosphere has customizable ambient lighting with 30 colour options that illuminate key interior elements, including footwells, cup holders, door pockets, and instrument panel. This lighting system can be synchronized with drive modes, automatically shifting to red when in Sport or ST mode.

Climate Control Excellence

Tri-zone automatic climate control ensures comfortable temperatures for all occupants, with dedicated controls for driver, front passenger, and rear compartments. Available heated and ventilated front seats, along with heated second-row seats, provide additional comfort in extreme weather conditions.

The available panoramic moonroof spans nearly the entire length of the roof, flooding the cabin with natural light and creating an open, airy feeling. The power-operated shade can be closed to minimize heat gain on sunny days.

Cargo Capacity and Flexibility

The Ford Explorer ST interior excels in practicality with its flexible cargo arrangements. With all seats in position, the Explorer ST offers 515 litres of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 1,356 litres with the third row folded and an impressive 2,486 litres with both rear rows folded.

The power-folding third row can be configured from the rear cargo area using convenient buttons, while the available hands-free, foot-activated liftgate simplifies loading when arms are full. Thoughtful storage solutions include a hidden compartment beneath the cargo floor for valuable items and numerous cubby spaces throughout the cabin.

Premium Materials and Finish

Interior materials reflect the premium positioning of the Explorer ST, with soft-touch surfaces covering the dashboard and door panels. Genuine aluminum trim elements feature a unique carbon pattern exclusive to the ST model, while the headliner and pillars are finished in sophisticated black material to create a sporty, cohesive appearance.

Driver Assistance Technology

The Explorer ST comes with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including:

• Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality
• Lane centering and lane keeping assist
• Evasive steering assist
• Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Blind spot information system with cross-traffic alert
• Reverse brake assist
• 360-degree camera system with split-view display

The available Active Park Assist 2.0 system can automatically park the vehicle in parallel or perpendicular spaces with minimal driver intervention, a handy feature given the substantial dimensions.

Performance Monitoring

For enthusiasts, the Explorer ST infotainment system includes performance pages that display and record various vehicle metrics. Drivers can monitor real-time performance data or review previous driving sessions to analyze their technique and vehicle performance.

2025 Ford Explorer ST: Luxury and Technology

The Ford Explorer ST interior represents an ideal balance between performance-oriented design and family-friendly functionality. The premium materials, advanced technology, and thoughtful ergonomics create an environment that enhances both the driving experience and passenger comfort.Whether tackling daily commutes, embarking on extended road trips, or enjoying spirited driving on winding roads, the Explorer ST interior provides the perfect balance of luxury, technology, and practicality that discerning performance SUV buyers demand.