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Model year 2018 · U502 (2011–2019)

2018 Ford Explorer specs

The 2018 Ford Explorer tows 2,000–5,000 lb, has 7.8 in of ground clearance, weighs 4,458–4,731 lb at the curb and measures 198.4 in long, by configuration, per Ford’s own documents.

We hold 11 configurations of the 2018 Explorer, and Ford gives a figure for every one.

Retail configurations
11
Documents
6
2018 XLT 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 FWD, drawn to scale from its published dimensions.

01 / Configurations

Every 2018 Explorer configuration

11 retail configurations sold in 2018, each with the figures Ford publishes for it. A number a factory package raises shows under the configuration’s own. Ford gives figures for weights, dimensions, towing and clearance and angles.

201811 configurations
2018 Ford Explorer U502: every configuration with its numbers
ConfigurationGround clearanceApproachBreakoverDepartureMax towingCurb weightTires
All trims 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 FWD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°2,000 lb5,000 lb14,458 lb3—
All trims 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 4WD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°2,000 lb5,000 lb14,731 lb—
All trims 2.3L EcoBoost I4 FWD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°2,000 lb3,000 lb24,557 lb—
All trims 2.3L EcoBoost I4 4WD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°—3,000 lb24,731 lb—
All trims 3.5L EcoBoost V6 4WD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°—5,000 lb14,731 lb—
XLT 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 FWD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°2,000 lb5,000 lb14,458 lb3P245/60R18
XLT 3.5L Ti-VCT V6 4WD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°2,000 lb5,000 lb14,731 lbP245/60R18
XLT 2.3L EcoBoost I4 FWD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°2,000 lb3,000 lb24,557 lbP245/60R18
XLT 2.3L EcoBoost I4 4WD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°—3,000 lb24,731 lbP245/60R18
Sport 3.5L EcoBoost V6 4WD7.8 in15.6°16.9°20.9°—5,000 lb14,731 lbP255/50R20
Police Interceptor Utility 3.7L V6 4WD————2,500 lb—245/55R18

MakerSources: Ford.com 2018 Explorer model page · 2018 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide · Canadian Vehicle Specifications, 2018 Ford Explorer (NHTSA vPIC GetCanadianVehicleSpecifications, metric) · Ford.com 2018 Explorer model page · Ford Police Interceptor 2018 Sedan and Utility Police Modifiers Guide (1/2018)

  1. 1 With the Class III Trailer Tow Package (52T; Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package in 2011-2015 guides): the maker’s figure for the configuration with that factory option.
  2. 2 With the Class II Trailer Tow Package (52R): the maker’s figure for the configuration with that factory option.
  3. 3 Ford’s documents disagree: 4,458 lb (website) vs 4,557 lb (government data).

A dash means the maker’s documents we have don’t give that number for that configuration, and a column with no number for any configuration of the year isn’t shown. “Door label” means the maker prints it only on each vehicle’s certification label, and “not published” that the maker doesn’t print it, or points elsewhere. “Up to” is a ceiling the maker prints over several configurations; a range is the maker’s own, printed across the grades of that configuration.

02 / What changed

New for 2018

The 2018 Explorer against the 2017, the previous model year we hold. Only what Ford’s documents show: nothing here is inferred.

  • No retail configuration added or dropped: the 11 sold in the 2017 are all here.
  • Curb weight: 4,458–4,731 lb (2017: 4,453–4,731 lb).
  • Same range as the 2017: towing, ground clearance and length.
  • Curb weight differs on 2 of 10 configurations sold in both years: +5 lb.

03 / Tires

2018 Explorer stock tire sizes

The tire sizes Ford fits at the factory in 2018, the standard ones first.

2018 Ford Explorer stock tire sizes, with the configurations they are fitted to
Tire sizeWheelDiameternominal
245/55R18Standard: Police Interceptor Utility18 in28.6 in
P245/60R18Standard: XLT18 in29.6 in
P255/50R20Standard: Sport20 in30.0 in

Explorer tire sizes, with wheel specs and what bigger tires change

04 / Sources

The 2018 documents

6 documents behind the 2018 Explorer’s figures. The maker’s own come first; a third-party page fills in only a number the maker doesn’t publish, and wears its own mark.

Documents last checked . How we read them and what the marks mean: how we source the numbers. A figure doesn’t match its document? Report a wrong number.

05 / Keep going

More on the Explorer

Explorer U502Every U502 configuration, model year by model year, with clearance, angles and weights (2011–2019).Open the U502 specs2018 Explorer towingMax towing, GCWR, payload and tongue weight for every rated configuration.See the towing tableExplorer tire sizesStock tire and wheel sizes by trim, and what bigger tires change.See tire sizesExplorer specsEvery generation, the spec plate and the rig builder.Open the model page

These are Ford’s published figures for the models it describes, not a weighbridge or a tape measure; your own vehicle’s options change them. Found a figure that doesn’t match the document? Tell us.