- Sales of the Ford Explorer have jumped 18 percent this year despite its age.
- Generous dealer offers have convinced many Escape owners to upsize.
- As demand for the Explorer has increased, Bronco Sport has declined.
The shoppers who used to buy the now discontinued Ford Edge and Ford Escape aren’t moving into the Bronco Sport and Maverick. They’re moving into the much larger Explorer. They’re stepping up into the much larger Explorer. It’s happening in spite of the Explorer’s age, and it has made the SUV Ford’s fastest-growing model in the US this year.
Sales data from Ford reveals that demand for the Explorer has increased 18 percent year over year through May and that dealers are happily upselling buyers into it. Indeed, as demand for the big SUV has increased, sales of the Bronco Sport have declined 1.5 percent, while sales of the Maverick have fallen 12 percent.
Read: Ford’s New Explorer ST Sinister Package Is Like A Vampire With Rubber Fangs
According to Ford, the Explorer’s versatility has boosted its popularity, and it’s proven particularly popular among those trading in their old vehicles.
“It fits both with the demographics and what the customers are looking for,” Ford’s utility marketing manager Craig Patterson told Auto News. “They want something that makes sense to take to Home Depot but also to a nice dinner or a show downtown, or to deer camp for hunting. It can be a chameleon. If you have something a little more purpose-built, it doesn’t feel as appropriate.”
Dealer Offers Are Cutting Prices
Many Ford Escape owners looking to part ways with their crossovers are opting to trade up to the entry-level Explorer Active 100A. While this model costs nearly $10,000 more than the base Escape, Ford offers private offers valued at up to $10,000 to some owners, so “it’s not that big of a jump,” Ricart Ford general manager Jim Moshier said.
The Explorer name also holds much more cache than some other Ford models, like the Bronco Sport and Maverick. Additionally, Moshier says that the SUV’s unibody architecture helps to ensure it doesn’t feel overwhelming for those upgrading from a smaller model like the Escape.
“Explorer is certainly one of our iconic vehicles,” Patterson added. “Ford loyalists value it. There’s a legacy, a history. They’re not going to something all new; they’re going to something that’s been successful a long time.”
The sixth-generation Ford Explorer was introduced in 2019 and received an update for the 2025 model year. Evidently, it feels fresh enough for buyers.
