Ford Explorer ST-Line vs. ST

Despite their similar names, these two trims offer different things.

Peter Valdes-Dapena | 

May 8, 2025 | 3 min read

Ford

If you've been shopping for a new Ford Explorer, you may have noticed the SUV is available in two similarly named trims: the ST-Line and ST. Despite their related names, these trims vary in price and equipment.

While the less expensive ST-Line has a number of appearance features that make it a sharper-looking SUV than the base Explorer, the Explorer ST has substantial power and performance upgrades and a higher sticker price. Here's an overview of what you get with each.

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The ST Gets Performance Upgrades

Both the ST-Line and the ST get a sportier look than regular Explorers. Each has a similar black grille, but only the ST's wears a red ST badge. The ST also gets standard 21-inch wheels, while the ST-Line has 20-inch wheels; the ST's larger wheels are optional. The ST's look is further enhanced with four chrome exhaust tips.

The ST-Line's sportiness is limited to appearance — the ST is the trim that gets actual performance upgrades. It's the only version in the Explorer lineup that has a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine making 400 horsepower as standard equipment. It's also equipped with a sport-tuned suspension. The ST-Line, meanwhile, has a standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine also found on other Explorer trims.

Both the ST and ST-Line have a 10-speed automatic transmission, but only the ST includes paddle shifters that enable the driver to change gears using small levers mounted on the steering wheel.

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The ST Adds More Upscale Features

Red stitching is a feature on the doors and seats of the Explorer ST and ST-Line, though the ST-Line has cloth seats while the ST is equipped with suede-like inserts on the seats and an ST logo.

Both models also include door-sill scuff plates. The ST's scuff plates, however, are at both the front and rear door openings and display the Ford Performance logo, whereas the ST-Line's scuff plates have ST-Line branding instead.

The ST comes standard with captain's chairs in the second row, while the ST-Line comes with a second-row bench and optional captain's chairs. In the third row, the ST features standard power-folding seats, compared with the manually folding seats in the ST-Line. Additionally, interior ambient lighting is standard on the ST but is only available as an option on the ST-Line.

Ford

The ST-Line Offers Sporty Looks

The Ford Explorer ST's starting cost is around $56,000 — nearly $10,000 more than the $46,000 Explorer ST-Line. For buyers who aren't really interested in the Explorer ST's added horsepower and performance, the ST-Line could represent substantial savings for a cosmetically similar SUV. However, buyers who are willing to pay the ST's premium will also get training at Ford's Performance Racing School.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Peter Valdes-Dapena

Peter spent more than 20 years covering cars and the auto industry for CNN. He's also written for outlets such as Autoweek and Hagerty Media. Over the years, he's visited the homes of many of the world's great cars, including Ferrari in Italy, Bugatti in France, Rolls-Royce in England, and even Hot Wheels in California. Today, he regularly tries out the latest new cars and advanced automotive-technology features. Peter grew up around cars, with a father who raced sports cars as a hobby, and often attends classic-car events.