Ford Explorer MPG by year (1991-2026)
The agency's file has 36 model years of the Ford Explorer from 1991 to 2026. The newest, the 2026 Ford Explorer, gets 19 to 24 mpg combined across 6 tested versions.
Best of 2026
24 mpgExplorer RWD (4-cyl 2.3 L), combinedBest in the file
28 mpgExplorer HEV RWD, hybrid; reached in 2020Best non-hybrid, 2026
24 mpgExplorer RWD (4-cyl 2.3 L), combinedBest combined mileage by model year
Each dot is the best version of that model year. Electric figures are MPGe, a different measure from miles per gallon. The table below holds every figure.
Years when the mileage changed
- The first hybrid version in the file is from 2020: the Explorer HEV RWD, 28 mpg combined.
- All-wheel-drive versions are in the file from the first year, 1991; the best is the Explorer 4WD (Automatic 4-spd) at 16 mpg combined.
- 2011: the best combined figure went up 3 mpg, to 20 mpg (from 17 in 2010).
- 2012: the best combined figure went up 3 mpg, to 23 mpg (from 20 in 2011).
- 2020: the best combined figure went up 6 mpg, to 28 mpg (from 22 in 2019).
- 2024: the best combined figure went down 3 mpg, to 24 mpg (from 27 in 2023).
- Hybrid versions were last listed for 2023; the file has none for 2026.
- Electric versions were last listed for 2002; the file has none for 2026.
Your fuel cost, 2026 Explorer
Pick a 2026 version, then set your miles and fuel price. Fuel price as of 2026-11-14, U.S. Department of Energy / EPA. The price box starts at the dated price of the fuel the picked version burns and sets the price of that fuel.
2026 Explorer RWD (4-cyl 2.3 L), 4-cyl 2.3 L: 20 mpg city, 29 highway, 24 combined. The agency's own estimate for the 2026 Explorer version is $2,600 a year (15,000 miles, the agency's fuel prices).
Every model year
Open a year for the calculator, every version, rivals, safety record and recalls. Years in the table are the ones the agency tested; pages exist for 3 of them.
| Model year | Versions | Best gas | Best hybrid | Best electric (MPGe) | Fuel a year (agency) | Best figure against the year before |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $3,900 | no earlier year in the file |
| 1992 | 4 | 17 mpg | none | none | $3,650 to $4,150 | -1 mpg |
| 1993 | 4 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $3,900 | +1 mpg |
| 1994 | 4 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $4,150 | no change |
| 1995 | 4 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $4,150 | no change |
| 1996 | 6 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $4,450 | no change |
| 1997 | 8 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $4,450 | no change |
| 1998 | 8 | 17 mpg | none | none | $3,650 to $4,450 | -1 mpg |
| 1999 | 8 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $4,450 | +1 mpg |
| 2000 | 9 | 18 mpg | none | none | $3,450 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2001 | 19 | 18 mpg | none | 39 MPGe | $1,950 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2002 | 17 | 17 mpg | none | 39 MPGe | $1,950 to $4,450 | -1 mpg |
| 2003 | 12 | 17 mpg | none | none | $3,650 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2004 | 8 | 16 mpg | none | none | $3,900 to $4,150 | -1 mpg |
| 2005 | 8 | 16 mpg | none | none | $3,900 to $4,450 | no change |
| 2006 | 4 | 16 mpg | none | none | $3,900 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2007 | 8 | 16 mpg | none | none | $3,900 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2008 | 8 | 16 mpg | none | none | $3,900 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2009 | 8 | 17 mpg | none | none | $3,650 to $4,150 | +1 mpg |
| 2010 | 8 | 17 mpg | none | none | $3,650 to $4,150 | no change |
| 2011 | 4 | 20 mpg | none | none | $3,100 to $3,300 | +3 mpg |
| 2012 | 3 | 23 mpg | none | none | $2,700 to $3,300 | +3 mpg |
| 2013 | 6 | 23 mpg | none | none | $2,700 to $3,450 | no change |
| 2014 | 6 | 23 mpg | none | none | $2,700 to $3,450 | no change |
| 2015 | 6 | 23 mpg | none | none | $2,700 to $3,450 | no change |
| 2016 | 7 | 22 mpg | none | none | $2,850 to $3,450 | -1 mpg |
| 2017 | 7 | 22 mpg | none | none | $2,850 to $3,450 | no change |
| 2018 | 7 | 22 mpg | none | none | $2,850 to $3,450 | no change |
| 2019 | 7 | 22 mpg | none | none | $2,850 to $3,450 | no change |
| 2020 | 6 | 24 mpg | 28 mpg | none | $2,200 to $3,300 | +6 mpg |
| 2021 | 10 | 24 mpg | 27 mpg | none | $2,300 to $3,300 | -1 mpg |
| 2022 | 15 | 24 mpg | 27 mpg | none | $2,300 to $3,300 | no change |
| 2023 | 17 | 24 mpg | 27 mpg | none | $2,300 to $3,100 | no change |
| 2024 | 8 | 24 mpg | none | none | $2,600 to $3,100 | -3 mpg |
| 2025 | 6 | 24 mpg | none | none | $2,600 to $3,100 | no change |
| 2026 | 6 | 24 mpg | none | none | $2,600 to $3,300 | no change |
The best combined figure changed against the year before in 13 of 36 model years: 1992: -1 mpg, 1993: +1 mpg, 1998: -1 mpg, 1999: +1 mpg, 2002: -1 mpg, 2004: -1 mpg, 2009: +1 mpg, 2011: +3 mpg, 2012: +3 mpg, 2016: -1 mpg, 2020: +6 mpg, 2021: -1 mpg, 2024: -3 mpg.
Where the newest year stands
The 2026 Explorer is in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class. By best combined figure it ranks 11th of 58 2026 models in that class; the middle figure for the class is 21 mpg and the top figure is 35 mpg. Best Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD mileage, 2026 models.
Other Ford models
Every other Ford model on this site, nearest to the Explorer in newest-year mileage first.
| Model | Newest year | Combined | Against the Explorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| F150 | 2026 | 12 to 24 mpg | same figure |
| Edge | 2024 | 21 to 23 mpg | 1 lower |
| Ranger | 2026 | 17 to 23 mpg | 1 lower |
| Mustang | 2026 | 12 to 26 mpg | 2 higher |
| Bronco Sport | 2026 | 23 to 27 mpg | 3 higher |
| Bronco | 2026 | 15 to 20 mpg | 4 lower |
| Expedition | 2026 | 18 to 19 mpg | 5 lower |
| Maverick | 2026 | 23 to 38 mpg | 14 higher |
| Escape | 2026 | 26 to 40 mpg | 16 higher |
| F-150 Lightning | 2025 | 66 to 72 MPGe | not the same measure |
| Mustang Mach-E | 2026 | 84 to 110 MPGe | not the same measure |
Common questions
Which Ford Explorer model year has the best mileage?
Since 1991, the best conventional figure is 28 mpg combined, for the 2020 Explorer HEV RWD.
How many versions of the Ford Explorer has the agency tested?
280 versions across 36 model years (1991 to 2026).
Has the mileage of the Ford Explorer gone up over the years?
The best combined figure was 18 mpg in 1991 and is 24 mpg in 2026, a change of +6 mpg.
Is there a hybrid Explorer?
The first hybrid version in the agency's file is from 2020; the newest model year, 2026, has none.
Mileage and fuel cost: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fueleconomy.gov vehicle file (file dated 2026-11-04). Your own mileage depends on how and where you drive. Where our numbers come from.