Used 2013 Ford Explorer Pricing

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Hard to believe it's been nearly two years since the new-generation Ford Explorer rewrote the rules for the nameplate that became probably the most synonymous with the acronym "SUV." The 2011 Explorer took the tried-and-true, body-on-frame Ford SUV that for more than a decade was America's station wagon and turned that formula on its head. The new unibody Ford Explorer became a crossover.

With the Explorer's transformation came definitively more acceptable road manners and ride quality. But nobody was going to accuse the three-row, wide-body — and nearly 2.5-ton — Explorer of offering any sort of enthusiast appeal. And why should it?

Because there are Hemi-powered Jeep Grand Cherokees and Range Rover Sports, that's why.

Hold People, Haul Stuff, Go Fast — Pick All Three
Our point is not to question the rationality of a "high-performance" crossover. They're oxymoronic, yes, but they exist. They exist because people — mostly fairly affluent people — want to buy them.

An even more puzzling proposition is the high-performance, three-row crossover. This is an even rarer bird, and with the exception of the Dodge Durango, you have to look to V8-powered European stuff, thus the reason Ford's people have the temerity to mention the Range Rover as a competitor for the just-released 2013 Explorer Sport.

The 2013 Ford Explorer Sport certainly is less costly. Base price is $41,545 (including destination) and even though the one you'd want will bring you close to $50 grand, that's still $35,000 less than the three-row Mercedes-Benz GL550 and probably $20 thou less than five-seater Mercedes MLs, BMW X5 and the Range Rover Sport.

Then again, you say, a Ford is not a BMW.

Fair Enough
Consider, then, that the 2013 Explorer Sport, with the same 365 horsepower/350 pound-feet 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 we know from the Taurus SHO, doesn't hold up too shabbily to the high-powered Euro competition, whose V8s churn out significantly more power but also are markedly porkier on the scales.

If you consider the Sport's most likely competition to be domestic, the EcoBoost is 5 horses stronger (though down 40 lb-ft) than the Hemi-powered Dodge Durango RT and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Explorer Sport is 75 hp mightier than the standard V6-powered Explorer and produces fuel economy ratings of 16 city/22 highway mpg — just 1 mpg thirstier than that vehicle and still near the top of this not especially environmentally concerned class. The Explorer Sport's chief engineer proclaims it to be "the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered high-performance SUV out there."

Whether all this will impress the seat of your pants is for now subjective, as we've yet to test it. But, when pressed, engineers say there might be as much as a 2-second reduction in 0-60-mph time — a handy thing given the noncommittal 8.3 seconds we got from the conventionally aspirated Explorer Limited.

What the seat of our pants told us: The Explorer Sport's EcoBoost propulsion makes a huge difference when midrange thrust is what you seek. Passing back road dawdlers will have all occupants (as many as seven) checking the tightness of their seatbelts far less than in, say, the Scion FR-S.

That's gotta be good for something, right?

Higher Performance Through the Steering Wheel, Too
Stop us if you've heard this before, but the engine may not be the best part. The Explorer Sport's chassis upgrades are at least as gratifying as the extra engine grunt, even though we'll allow that they don't make the 4,921-pound Sport the slot car of crossovers.

Ford engineers know the standard Explorer's electrically assisted power steering isn't the paragon of tactility, but the Explorer Sport's steering gear is solidly mounted to the front subframe and the steering's programming has been retuned. Then they did something nobody typically associated with improving steering precision or turn-in ever does: They replaced a bushing at each rear-wheel knuckle with a bearing.

Result: steering that's at least responsive and locked in on center, if still not particularly alive with feedback. We wouldn't call the Explorer Sport's steering radically better than the standard Explorer's, but it's close — close enough that the chassis gang got the hard-mounted steering gear and the rear suspension revision approved for all Explorers as a running change.

It Won't Float
What we like about the Sport's improved handling is that Ford engineers didn't stiffen the stabilizer bars or go overboard in jacking up the spring rates in pursuit of sports-car cornering. There are Sport-specific springs and dampers, but the result is merely better body control, such that low-frequency humps taken at high speed on a back road are pleasingly and efficiently absorbed, never affecting the steering or allowing the Sport to get floaty.

Yet there's still a large degree of comfort orientation: Without overly stiff tuning, the wheels don't crash and your head doesn't toss when the road gets rough. There still could be more assertive rebound damping, though, and the Sport continues to exhibit uncomfortable body lean in more-abrupt corners.

The Explorer Sport's front brakes are beefed up by 1.1 inches to 13.9 inches, with 19 percent more thermal mass, 67 percent more swept area and improved venting. Diameter for the rear discs increases from 12.8 inches to 13.6 inches and thickness increases, too, delivering a substantial 53-percent increase in thermal mass. Yet we still think there's work to be done here. Why does everybody but the Germans chintz out on something so vital yet so essentially cheap as brakes? The Explorer Sport's 9-inch-wide 20s replace 8.5-inch jobs for the standard Explorer, although the 265/45 rubber is only marginally wider. Don't want fuddy-duddy all-seasons? Summer rubber is optional.

All Explorer Sports are fitted with a specially tuned all-wheel-drive system that includes the standard Terrain Management selections. A paddle-shifter six-speed automatic transmission remains as well. The Sport rides so marginally lower at the front your eye will never notice.

I Want It To Turn Black
The 2013 Ford Explorer Sport's strategy on visual differentiation can be summed up with one word and one color: black. So if you want folks to know you've popped for the Sport, you'd better hope they notice the black grille and the all-over black exterior accents, including the lower body cladding and Explorer-specific alloys.

Some may question the very notion of high-performance utility vehicles, but with the 2013 Explorer Sport, it's hard to argue the balance of Ford's approach. The Sport is not about off-the-charts acts of violence like the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Rather, it's just enough of a boost to keep Mom or Dad interested in the upcoming corner without beating them up later this evening on the grocery run.

The Explorer Sport is effective even when viewed as little more than a new trim level for the Explorer lineup, given that it's not much more expensive than a similarly equipped Explorer Limited.

The takeaway is that the overall performance envelope of this new Explorer feels just about right. There's enough power to flex it when needed, and the Explorer Sport's handling feels tidier than the V8 Grand Cherokee or Durango RT. If you sometimes want to haul six or seven and always want a dose of performance, the Explorer Sport expands a small class.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

Used 2013 Ford Explorer listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2013 Ford Explorers for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 1,032 used and CPO 2013 Explorers listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 10,995 and mileage as low as 33,000. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2013 Ford Explorer. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 489 on a used or CPO 2013 Explorer available from one of 2,630 dealerships in your area.

What's a good price on a used 2013 Ford Explorer ?

Save up to $489.1 on one of 71 used 2013 Ford Explorers for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $12000 as of Apr 27, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 114 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.

Price comparisons for used 2013 Ford Explorer trim styles:

The used 2013 Ford Explorer Base is priced around $15498 with average odometer reading of 87151 miles.

The used 2013 Ford Explorer XLT is priced around $17432 with average odometer reading of 85063 miles.

The used 2013 Ford Explorer Sport is priced around $25998 with average odometer reading of 54136 miles.

The used 2013 Ford Explorer Limited is priced around $20953 with average odometer reading of 86944 miles.

Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.

What options are available on the 2013 Ford Explorer?

Available Ford Explorer 2013 Submodel Types: SUV

Available Ford Explorer 2013 Trims: Platinum, Eddie Bauer, XLT, Limited, XLS, Base, Sport, Expedition, NBX, XL, XLS Sport, XLT Sport

Exterior Colors: Shadow Black, Magnetic Metallic, Blue Metallic, Oxford White, Platinum Dune Metallic Tri-Coat, Burgundy Velvet Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Blue Jeans Metallic, Caribou Metallic, Black Clearcoat, Cinnamon Glaze Metallic, Tuxedo Black Metallic, Dark Side Metallic, Bronze Fire Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Red Fire Clearcoat Metallic, Dark Blue Pearl Clearcoat Metallic, Ingot Silver Metallic, Silver Birch Clearcoat Metallic, Smoked Quartz Tinted Clearcoat Metallic, Oxford White Clearcoat, Sterling Grey Metallic, Canyon Ridge Metallic, Guard Metallic, Red Candy Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Sterling Gray Metallic, Black, Pueblo Gold Clearcoat Metallic, White Gold Metallic, White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat, White Platinum Metallic Tri-coat, White Suede, Deep Impact Blue Metallic, White Suede Clearcoat, Kodiak Brown Metallic, Sunset Metallic, Aspen Green Clearcoat Metallic, Dark Blue Pearl Metallic, Dark Stone Clearcoat Metallic, Green Gem Metallic, Kona Blue Metallic, Mineral Grey Clearcoat Metallic, Sangria Red Clearcoat Metallic, Toreador Red Clearcoat Metallic, Blue Flame Metallic, Dark Cherry Clearcoat Metallic, Harvest Gold Clearcoat Metallic, Oxford White Clearcoat (Fleet), True Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Bordeaux Reserve Red Metallic, Brilliant Silver Clearcoat Metallic, Cashmere Clearcoat Tri-Coat Clearcoat Metallic, Ceramic White Tri-Coat Clearcoat Metallic, Cinnamon Metallic, Dark Copper Clearcoat Metallic, Deep Jewel Green Pearl Metallic, Estate Green Clearcoat Metallic, Golden Bronze Metallic, Medium Wedgewood Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Mineral Gray Clearcoat Metallic, Sport Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Torch Red, White Sand Tri-Coat

Interior Colors: Ebony Black leather, Ebony Black w/Red Accent Stitching leather, Medium Stone leather, Medium Stone cloth, Ebony Black premium leather, Medium Soft Ceramic premium leather, Medium Light Camel cloth, Charcoal Black leather, Ebony Black premium cloth, Medium Light Camel leather, Camel leather, Charcoal Black w/Sienna Insert leather, Medium Parchment, Medium Light Stone leather, Medium Light Camel premium cloth, Medium Light Stone cloth, Charcoal Black premium cloth, Medium Light Stone premium leather, Midnight Grey, Graphite, Black cloth, Black leather, Black/Camel (Late Availability) leather, Charcoal Black premium leather, Charcoal Black w/Sienna Insert premium leather, Dark Earth w/Ebony Black leather/sueded microfiber, Medium Light Stone premium cloth, Medium Stone premium cloth, Pecan premium leather, Stone cloth, Stone leather

Popular Features: Keyless Entry/Start, Upgraded Headlights, Towing Hitch, Cooled Seats, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Sunroof/Moonroof, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pre-collision safety system, 2nd Row Bucket Seats, 5000lb Towing Capacity, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Post-collision safety system, Power Driver Seat, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Third-row seating, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, Alarm, Bluetooth, Parking sensors, USB Inputs, 6000lb Towing Capacity, Upgraded Stereo, AWD/4WD, Auto Climate Control, Back-up camera, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Mobile Internet, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Remote Start, Rear Entertainment System, Navigation, Power Liftgate/Trunk, Upgraded Engine

Engine/Mechanics: 6, 8, 4 cylinders

Transmission: AUTOMATIC, MANUAL

Fuel Types: flex-fuel (unleaded/E85), regular unleaded, premium unleaded (recommended)

Drivetrains: four wheel drive, all wheel drive, front wheel drive, rear wheel drive

Used 2013 Ford Explorer Overview

The used 2013 Ford Explorer is offered in the following submodels: SUV. Available styles include XLT 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A), XLT 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A), and Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A). Pre-owned Explorer models are available with a 0-liter flex-fuel (FFV) engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2013 Explorer comes with front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.