The 2027 Ford Explorer comes in five trims and seven equipment groups, from an Active 100A at $38,465 to a Tremor 801A at $56,460, and the right one depends a lot more on your roads and your trailer than on the badge. This is the trim-by-trim guide: what each one includes, what the packages add, what it costs, and which one I would point a family in Bowdle, Mobridge, or Selby toward.
Two engines run through the whole lineup: the 2.3L EcoBoost I-4 (300 hp / 310 lb-ft) and the 3.0L EcoBoost V6 (up to 400 hp / 415 lb-ft), both with a 10-speed automatic and both rated to tow 5,000 lbs. Every trim gets the 13.2-inch touchscreen with Google built in, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three rows, and Ford Co-Pilot360™ Assist+. The full spec table is in the 2027 Ford Explorer Buyers Guide.
On This Page
- The 2027 Explorer lineup at a glance
- Active 100A vs. 200A: the family value trims
- ST-Line: the ST look on the 2.3L
- Tremor 800A and 801A: the off-road build
- ST: the performance trim
- Platinum: the luxury trim, now with the V6 available
- BlueCruise and driver-assist by trim
- Which 2027 Explorer trim should you buy?
The 2027 Explorer lineup at a glance
| Trim | Engine | Base MSRP (RWD / 4WD) | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active 100A | 2.3L EcoBoost | $38,465 / $40,465 | First-time and budget buyers |
| Active 200A | 2.3L EcoBoost | $40,400 / $42,400 | The family value pick |
| ST-Line | 2.3L EcoBoost | $44,200 / $46,200 | ST looks on the four-cylinder |
| Tremor 800A | 2.3L EcoBoost | 4WD only, $49,200 | Gravel, lake, and two-track drivers |
| Platinum | 2.3L (3.0L V6 available) | $50,660 / $52,660 | Luxury, BlueCruise included |
| ST | 3.0L EcoBoost V6 | $53,660 / $55,660 | Performance |
| Tremor 801A | 3.0L EcoBoost V6 | 4WD only, $56,460 | Off-road with the V6 and everything bundled |
Ford dealer suggested retail, base vehicle only, from the 2027 Explorer price list. Destination and delivery is $1,795 on every model. 4WD adds $2,000 on Active, ST-Line, ST, and Platinum.
A note on the order: the Tremor 800A costs less than the ST and Platinum because it is the off-road utility entry, not a luxury or sport positioning. The 801A climbs above the ST 4WD because it includes the V6 plus the Convenience and Ultimate content.
Active 100A vs. 200A: the family value trims
The Active is where most Explorers we sell land, and the 100A is more vehicle than its base price suggests. Standard: the 2.3L EcoBoost, 18-inch wheels, LED headlamps, tri-zone climate, the 13.2-inch screen and 12.3-inch cluster, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, a 6-way power driver seat, second-row captain’s chairs (a 35/30/35 bench is optional for seven-passenger seating), a 50/50 third row, push-button start, a 5G modem, and the full Co-Pilot360 Assist+ suite: adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, lane keeping, and rear cross-traffic braking. The Class III Trailer Tow Package is standard even here.
Active 200A ($40,400 / $42,400) adds the power liftgate, heated front seats, a 10-way power driver seat, active noise cancellation, black roof rails, and power heated mirrors with approach lamps. The Active Comfort Package ($3,145) on 200A adds a heated steering wheel, LED fog lamps and a silver front skid plate, LED signature lighting, remote start, an 8-way power passenger seat, ActiveX seating, and second-row climate controls, and a $1,000 national discount applies automatically when it is ordered on a 200A. That combination, 200A 4WD with Active Comfort, is the 2027 Explorer that arrived first on our lot, and it is the value pick for a South Dakota family: heated everything, remote start, 4WD, and a net package cost of $2,145.
ST-Line: the ST look on the 2.3L
The ST-Line (300A, $44,200 / $46,200) takes everything in Active 200A plus the Active Comfort content and adds the ST’s appearance: 20-inch ebony-painted wheels, black grille mesh, blackout headlamps and taillamps, an EXPLORER hood badge, black skid plate elements, red-stitched cloth seats, a heated leather-wrapped wheel with red stitching, and acoustic-laminate front windows. It also steps up to Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0 (360-degree camera, front parking sensors, reverse brake assist) and the B&O 10-speaker system.
Two packages: the Street Pack ($1,450) brings 21-inch Magnetite wheels and red calipers, and the Premium Package ($1,495) adds the 110V outlet, ambient lighting, auto-dimming mirror, power-folding memory mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, driver memory, and heated second-row seats. BlueCruise is optional here ($495 for hardware plus a year and 90 days, or $2,495 with a one-time purchase). If you want the ST look and the 2.3L’s economy, this is it; skip the Street Pack if your driveway is gravel.
Tremor 800A and 801A: the off-road build
The Tremor is 4WD only and adds the hardware no other Explorer has: a TORSEN limited-slip rear axle, P265/65R18 all-terrain tires on 18-inch gloss black wheels with Electric Spice accents, front and rear underbody deflector plates, front tow hooks, auxiliary grille lights, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. Inside it is heated and ventilated sport seats in Miko suede with Electric Spice stitching, a heated flat-bottom wheel, floor liners, a 110V outlet, and B&O 10-speaker audio. It seats six.
800A ($49,200) pairs that with the 2.3L; the Tremor Convenience Package ($1,495) adds the PowerFold third row, ambient lighting, rain-sensing wipers, and driver and mirror memory. 801A ($56,460), new for 2027, runs the 3.0L V6 and includes all the Convenience content plus BlueCruise hardware with a 90-day trial, an open-on-approach liftgate, and electronic sound enhancement, with Sun and Sound ($3,340) available. Every detail, and an honest capability comparison against a Bronco, is in the 2027 Explorer Tremor guide.
Not sure which trim?
Walk the 2026s and 2027s on the lot with us, drive two back to back, and we will price both.
ST: the performance trim
The ST (400A, $53,660 / $55,660) is the only trim with the 3.0L EcoBoost V6 standard, and it builds on the ST-Line with a sport-tuned suspension, performance brakes with red calipers, SelectShift paddle shifters, 21-inch Magnetite wheels, a 20.2-gallon tank, quad chrome exhaust tips, an open-on-approach liftgate, Miko suede seats with red stitching (heated and ventilated up front, heated in the second row), a PowerFold third row, rain-sensing wipers, and BlueCruise hardware with a 90-day trial.
New for 2027 is the Sinister Package ($1,695): 21-inch gloss black wheels, amber daytime running lamps, and a red ST badge with a black outline. Sun and Sound ($3,340) adds the 14-speaker B&O, multicontour seats, and the Panoramic Vista Roof. More in the ST Sinister Package explained.
Platinum: the luxury trim, now with the V6 available
The Platinum (600A, $50,660 / $52,660) is the trim that includes BlueCruise for a year plus 90 days out of the box. It also brings multicontour front seats with Active Motion, heated second-row captain’s chairs with E-Z Entry, a PowerFold third row, the 14-speaker 980-watt B&O system with HD Radio, a satin chrome and ebony grille, adaptive headlamps, satin roof rails, ambient lighting, and 20-inch Luster Nickel wheels. The Lux Leather Package ($1,695) adds premium leather with quilting and Platinum badges.
For 2027 the 3.0L EcoBoost V6 is available again on the Platinum, and ordering it includes the 3.0L Ultimate content: Lux Leather, quad chrome tips, and 21-inch dark alloy wheels. When the V6 is worth it and when the 2.3L Platinum is the smarter buy: Platinum 2.3L or 3.0L V6.
BlueCruise and driver-assist by trim
| Trim | Driver assist | BlueCruise |
|---|---|---|
| Active 100A / 200A | Co-Pilot360 Assist+ | Not available |
| ST-Line | Assist 2.0 (360 camera, front sensors, reverse brake assist) | Optional: $495 (1 yr + 90 days) or $2,495 (one-time) |
| Tremor 800A | Assist 2.0 | Optional: $495 or $2,495 |
| Tremor 801A | Assist 2.0 | Hardware + 90-day trial included |
| ST | Assist 2.0 | Hardware + 90-day trial included |
| Platinum | Assist 2.0 | Hardware + 1 year + 90 days included ($2,000 one-time option) |
BlueCruise requires a subscription or one-time purchase after any included term and works on Ford’s mapped Blue Zone highways, which include I-90 and I-29 in South Dakota.
Every trim, including the 100A, has adaptive cruise with lane centering, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, lane keeping, and rear cross-traffic braking. What ST-Line and up add with Assist 2.0 is the 360-degree camera, which is worth having on a vehicle this long in a Walmart parking lot in Aberdeen.
Which 2027 Explorer trim should you buy?
- Growing family, mostly pavement and some gravel, tows a small boat: Active 200A 4WD with the Active Comfort Package. It is the value of the lineup and the one on our lot right now.
- Same family, wants the sport look: ST-Line 4WD. Add the Premium Package for the heated second row; skip the Street Pack on gravel.
- Lives on a section road, hunts, fishes, has a truck already: Tremor. 800A for most; 801A if you tow every weekend.
- Empty nesters coming out of an Expedition: Platinum 4WD, with the V6 if the camper is coming along.
- Wants the quickest Explorer and drives pavement: ST 4WD, and the Sinister Package if the look matters.
- First new vehicle, tight budget: Active 100A. It is a complete vehicle, not a stripped one, and the tow package is already on it.
Both the 2026 and 2027 Explorer are on the lot at Beadle Ford, and for the Active, ST-Line, and 2.3L Platinum they are nearly the same vehicle; that decision is covered in Buy a 2026 Explorer now or a 2027?. Shop the Explorers in stock, or get pre-approved first so the trim conversation starts with a payment you already know.
Key Takeaways
- Five trims, seven equipment groups, $38,465 to $56,460 base MSRP plus $1,795 destination.
- Active 200A 4WD with the Active Comfort Package (net $2,145 after the $1,000 national discount) is the value pick for South Dakota families.
- Tremor is 4WD only with all-terrain tires and a TORSEN axle; ST is the V6 performance trim; Platinum includes BlueCruise for a year plus 90 days.
- The 3.0L V6 is standard on ST and Tremor 801A and newly available on Platinum.
- Every trim tows 5,000 lbs and has the full Co-Pilot360 Assist+ suite; ST-Line and up add the 360-degree camera.
Frequently Asked Questions
My Take
I have watched a lot of families walk past an Active because it is the base trim, then end up in one after they sit in it. The 100A already has the screen, the safety suite, the tow package, and the same three rows as a Platinum. The 200A with the Active Comfort Package is the one I would buy for my own family on a central South Dakota winter, and the national discount makes it an easy call.
The other honest advice is about wheels. The ST and the Street Pack put 21-inch low-profile tires on an Explorer, and those are for pavement. If your road is gravel, the Tremor is the one with the black wheels you want.
About the Author
Lexy Tabbert — Beadle Ford, Bowdle, SD
Lexy Tabbert is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Beadle Ford in Bowdle, South Dakota. She covers Ford vehicles, trim comparisons, and buyer guidance — helping families, ranchers, and ag operators across the region find the right truck and configuration for their needs. Learn more about Lexy.
