Longitudinal RWD and comprehensive upgrades across four key areas: Official photos of the new Ford Explorer released; launch set for July 6.

Official images of the new Ford Explorer have recently been released. Positioned as a "flagship for long-distance overland travel" and built on the CD6 longitudinal RWD luxury platform, the vehicle will be available in five trim levels: 4WD Overland, 4WD Fashion Plus, Titanium, Chijin, and Kunlun Peak. It features comprehensive upgrades across four key areas—exterior design, luxurious interior, intelligent cockpit, and off-road capability—meeting the diverse needs of urban luxury commuting, long-distance overlanding, and outdoor off-roading. The new model is scheduled to officially launch on July 6.

In terms of exterior design, the new model features two distinct design languages: the standard "Luxury Land Yacht" and the Kunlun Peak Edition "Mountain-Style Land Yacht." Across the entire lineup, the lines have been simplified for a cleaner look, significantly elevating the sense of premium quality.

The standard Explorer draws design inspiration from luxury yachts; it features an enlarged, boxy front grille and a minimalist, flattened lower section, while vertical chrome side air curtains accentuate the vehicle's width and stature. It is the first gasoline-powered vehicle in its class to feature a bold, "always-on" all-weather daytime running light strip. The vehicle's silhouette evokes the image of a ship's bow cutting through waves, with a classic C-pillar design reminiscent of a sailboat mast, creating an aura of understated grandeur. In addition to the existing Bering Sea Grey, Andes Black, and Greenland White, the color palette now includes "Sahara Gold"—a finish exclusive to the Chinese market—which displays a champagne gold hue in bright light and shifts to a rose gold luster in dimmer settings, offering rich and unique visual depth.

Drawing design inspiration from the Kunlun Mountain Range, the Kunlun Peak Edition features a distinctive "Basalt Black" front fascia; extensive black elements combined with horizontal and vertical lines accentuate the vehicle's height and sense of power. Exclusive "Three-Peak Kunlun" emblems—symbolizing the 7,500-meter-class peaks of Kongur Tagh, Muztagh Ata, and Kongur Tiubie—adorn the C-pillars, wheels, and cabin, embodying the spirit of outdoor adventure.

It is equipped with the same retractable front tow hooks found on the Ford Bronco and retains an integrated rear towing structure complete with a full suite of power connectors; it offers a factory-rated towing capacity of 3 tonnes and a rear towing capability of 2.1 tonnes. Distinctive "Basalt Black" wheels are paired with "Aljin Orange" accents, while the signature Aljin Orange paintwork—applied via a three-coat process—delivers a striking visual impact reminiscent of the "Golden Mountain at Sunrise" phenomenon. This version boasts a dedicated ground clearance of 223mm and comes fully equipped with factory all-terrain tires, a Torsen Type-B limited-slip rear differential, and full-steel underbody armor, maximizing its rugged, off-road credentials.

The interior design centers on the concept of an "extension of the living room," featuring comprehensive upgrades to soft-touch materials across the entire lineup and distinct luxury configurations for different trim levels. Seat cushioning thickness has been increased by 50%; a dual-layer soft foam structure balances a soft, sink-in surface feel with firm underlying support. New additions—including ventilated second-row seats and executive-class sunshades for the second row—significantly enhance rear-seat comfort.

In terms of spatial versatility, the vehicle offers a base cargo capacity of 1,505 liters, expanding to 2,487 liters with the second-row seats folded down. Complemented by a hidden storage compartment of nearly 100 liters beneath the cargo floor and 15 partitioned storage bins, it easily accommodates items such as skis, camping gear, and large outdoor equipment; the 4WD Overland edition is designed for diverse cargo needs and outdoor scenarios, delivering exceptional practicality.

In terms of trim levels, the Titanium Edition comes standard with semi-aniline leather seats featuring breathable micro-perforations and diamond quilting, complemented by pinstriped wood trim and a new exclusive "Gobi Brown" interior option. The Red Gold Edition offers two six-seat luxury themes—"Ink Jade Black" (dark) and "Burmese Teak" (light)—and comes standard with flagship Michelin silent tires, a Danish Royal B&O audio system, and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The Kunlun Peak Edition upgrades the seating to a combination of eco-friendly Dinamica microfiber suede and semi-aniline leather, adding seat massage functions and a Head-Up Display (HUD) for a fully loaded luxury experience. Models at the Titanium level and below come standard with Pirelli Scorpion tires, balancing on-road comfort with the traction needed for light off-roading.

The entire 2027 Explorer lineup features the all-new SYNC MAX intelligent connectivity system, equipped as standard with the Qualcomm 8155 chip and a massive 27-inch 4K center display. It incorporates the fourth-generation VA4.0 AI voice assistant—now integrated with an AI large language model—supporting wake-word-free direct control, dual-zone voice recognition, continuous multi-command processing, semantic understanding, and seamless cross-scenario conversations; core vehicle controls and navigation commands remain functional offline in areas without network coverage, such as underground garages and tunnels. The system includes a proprietary Ford vehicle knowledge base capable of providing illustrated answers to vehicle-related and after-sales inquiries, and features a deeply customized in-vehicle version of Amap (Gaode Maps), along with standard 5G connectivity and Apple CarPlay support.

Smart features have been comprehensively upgraded: the front row includes 50W wireless fast charging, while the second row offers dual 60W Type-C fast-charging ports. Automatic locking upon the owner's departure is standard across the lineup, and an automatic overtaking and lane-changing assist function has been added. All models feature an upgraded "540-degree" panoramic imaging system—integrating a 360-degree surround view with a 180-degree "transparent chassis" view—complemented by hill-descent assist to completely eliminate blind spots around the vehicle and beneath the chassis. The Kunlun Peak Edition exclusively features the Ford off-road visualization system (shared with the Bronco), displaying real-time professional off-road data such as vehicle tilt angles, 4WD power distribution, front-wheel steering angle, GPS coordinates, and tire pressure.

In terms of powertrain, the entire lineup is equipped with a longitudinally mounted 2.3T inline-four turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum power of 213 kW and peak torque of 445 N·m, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. All models come standard with an intelligent disconnectable four-wheel-drive system and the TMS (Terrain Management System), supporting millisecond-level switching between two-wheel and four-wheel drive and offering five driving modes: Sport, Eco, Standard, Slippery, and Off-Road. The chassis features a high-specification double-ball-joint front suspension and an integrated multi-link rear suspension; all-aluminum lower control arms are used at both the front and rear, reducing unsprung mass by 53.8%.

Overall, leveraging the exclusive product advantages of the CD6 longitudinal-engine, rear-wheel-drive platform, the 2027 Ford Explorer delivers simultaneous upgrades across four key dimensions—exterior design, luxury, intelligent technology, and off-road capability. It establishes a distinctive "luxury-meets-ruggedness" competitive edge in the 400,000-yuan price segment for mid-to-large internal combustion engine (ICE) SUVs. By catering to diverse scenarios—ranging from family comfort and long-distance touring to outdoor off-roading—it further solidifies its position as a flagship model for long-distance expeditions and sets a new product benchmark in the mid-to-large longitudinal-engine 4WD SUV market.