In this episode of Rush to Reason, John and Richard delve into their latest automotive adventure with a comprehensive review of the 2025 Ford Explorer ST. Known for its transforming reputation in the SUV market, the Ford Explorer ST steps up with impressive design and functionality. Listen as they discuss the driving dynamics, interior features, and the surprisingly smooth performance that has left them thoroughly impressed.
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Got a couple car reviews that we will slip in right now. I shouldn’t say slip in. We always take some time doing these, Richard. And both of us have a couple of cars. I’ll start. I recently drove a 2025 Ford Explorer ST. This is a rear-wheel drive version. They do make an all-wheel drive version of the vehicle.
SPEAKER 1 :
$57,100.
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s a 3-liter EcoBoost V6. This is their sport model, of course. I average about 22 miles to the gallon around town. And folks listening, Richard will attest to this. I think because of working in that field for so long, owning four-wheel drive off-road stores and so on, and the Explorers for the longest time just didn’t have the best reputation, Richard. And I’m just being honest, and I know Ford’s going to listen to this review, but they didn’t have the best reputation. So I will tell you, Richard, that… Never been one of my favorite vehicles, and I’m just going to be straight up honest. Until now.
SPEAKER 02 :
No, I was going to say, it hasn’t, and yeah, you kind of talked over there, until now. And folks, I can say, we drive a lot of cars, and he does not call me, we usually don’t talk, and we kind of talk about a car, right, a little bit, but we don’t really rave about a car. And I will say this, that you were very impressed, and I’ll let you go into more details, but
SPEAKER 01 :
about this car and again it’s a it’s a credit to ford because like you say the reputation on explorers over the years hasn’t been the greatest and i think that’s changing a little bit oh absolutely and again i don’t get excited about too many vehicles but after being in this car for just a couple of days we drive them for a week but just a couple of days uh thoroughly impressed the car runs extremely well It handles superbly. It handles more like a sports car than it does an SUV. The one I drove had four captain’s chairs plus the rear back seat, the third seat. Now, you can configure that in multiple different ways, of course. Plenty of room inside, as you can imagine. Very quiet, very comfortable. All of the agronomic things you could ever imagine. In other words, all the bells and whistles and car play. The whole nine yards. I mean, the reality, Richard, is this thing’s equipped just like anything else would be. And I will give Ford credit here. And I, again, drive a lot of different vehicles and have owned some. Chevy with the Super Cruise compared to Ford with, I believe they call it Blue Cruise. I will say this, and I’ve said it before driving some of the F-150s, Ford’s automated system far superior to GM’s. And I’m just being straight up honest. Sorry, GM, but Ford has you beat in the way their system works. It’s not jittery. It’s smooth. It’s fluid. And their system, Richard, works extremely well.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, and you commented about that, and then obviously the other biggest feature, you mentioned the inside, the interior, but you just said the power, right, the performance of that vehicle, and obviously it’s not a new engine for them, right, Dad?
SPEAKER 01 :
No, it’s not.
SPEAKER 02 :
They’ve been running the EcoBoost for a while now, and you were just, you were really, it’s probably one of the more overall impressive cars that you’ve driven, especially for this segment, right, and the price point. Segment and price. This car fits. It’s really great.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, under $60,000, and you can buy these even for less than that with some of the discounts that are around. The ST version being their high-performance version. Car works extremely well. I mean, I can see why a lot of the police forces and that have used these things for years. They’re very… uh versatile i guess would be the right word for me to use richard and in their in their segment does this car compete well absolutely and what’s interesting is that it comes in a rear-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive version i actually drove the rear-wheel drive version and we actually had some snow and some slick roads during that time and i’m being straight up honest I put it in the snow mode because I assumed, because I didn’t look at the Monroney before driving it, I just assumed it was all-wheel drive, so I put it in snow mode and started driving it. Honestly, Richard, I didn’t know I wasn’t driving an all-wheel drive. That’s how well the rear-wheel drive version works with all of the automated systems they have for traction control and so on. Now, if I was going to be in Colorado, would I buy the all-wheel drive version? Yes. But this particular model being rear-wheel drive still works very well. So I’ll leave it at that. Those of you that are listening, if you want to know more about the Ford Explorer, go check one out at your local Ford dealer. By all means, make sure you tell them that John and Richard Rush, both from Rush to Reason and Drive Radio, sent you. This is John Rush from Rush to Reason and Drive Radio. Thank you so much for listening. Check out more of our podcasts at RushToReason.com or Drive-Radio.com.
