2017 Ford Explorer
Fuel economy, running costs, emissions and safety · from U.S. EPA and NHTSA data
The 2017 Ford Explorer is sold in the U.S. with gasoline power. The EPA lists 7 configurations for this model year, with combined economy from 18 to 22 MPG and an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,950 to $3,600 at 15,000 miles.
Key numbers
| Model year | 2017 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle class | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| Fuel type(s) | Gasoline |
| Combined economy | 18-22 MPG |
| Best / worst combined | 22 / 18 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,950-$3,600 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 408-494 g/mi |
| EPA smog rating | 5-6 / 10 |
| NHTSA overall | 5 / 5 stars |
What it costs to fuel
Across its configurations, the 2017 Explorer costs about $2,950 to $3,600 a year to fuel at the EPA's 15,000-mile basis, averaging roughly $3,279. Over five years that is about $16,393 in fuel alone before maintenance, insurance and depreciation — which is why the running cost, not just the price, decides what a car really costs.
Relative to an average new vehicle, this Explorer configuration spends about $3,250 more on fuel over five years.
For context, the average combined economy of standard sport utility vehicle 4wd in this dataset is about 23 MPG. The Explorer sits roughly 3 MPG below that mark at its midpoint, making it thirstier than average for its EPA class.
Configurations and fuel economy
| Version | Engine | Drive | Trans | Fuel | Combined | Annual fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer FWD | 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | Front-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 22 MPG | $2,950 |
| Explorer AWD | 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 21 MPG | $3,100 |
| Explorer FWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | Front-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 20 MPG | $3,250 |
| Explorer 2WD FFV | 3.5L 6-cyl | Front-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 20 MPG | $3,250 |
| Explorer AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 19 MPG | $3,400 |
| Explorer AWD FFV | 3.5L 6-cyl | All-Wheel | Automatic | Gasoline | 19 MPG | $3,400 |
Emissions, safety and size
The 2017 Explorer records tailpipe CO₂ of 408-494 g/mi, an EPA smog rating of 5-6 out of 10, a 5-star NHTSA overall crash rating. The EPA classifies it as standard sport utility vehicle 4wd.
Compare this car
Open the comparison tool to line this 2017 Explorer up against any other vehicle in the database, or jump to other years and trims from the 2017 Ford Explorer overview.
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Data: U.S. EPA FuelEconomy.gov (public domain) and NHTSA SafetyRatings. Figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary.