Sixth generation (U625, 2020-)

2023 Ford Explorer towing capacity

Max towing, 20235,600 lb

Maker2,540 kg

The 2023 Ford Explorer tows up to 5,600 lb (All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.0L EcoBoost V6 Rear-wheel drive, per the 2023 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide).

One more configuration is rated the same.

The lowest rating is 3,000 lb, for the All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 2.3L EcoBoost I4 Rear-wheel drive.

2023 Ford RV & Trailer Towing Guide

Configurations: 7
GCWR: 7,700–10,600 lb

2023 Timberline 2.3L EcoBoost I4 4WD, drawn to scale from its published dimensions.

01 / Ratings

Every 2023 Explorer configuration

7 configurations Ford sells, each with the ratings Ford publishes for it. A package that changes a rating gets its own row. All have the 10-speed automatic.

Engine

Drive

Showing 11 of 11 rows

2023 Ford Explorer

Makerin pounds

2023 Ford Explorer towing capacity, GCWR, payload and tongue weight by configuration, in pounds
Configuration	Max towing^{source 1} lb	GCWR^{source 1} lb	Axle^{source 1} ratio	Tow check
2.3L EcoBoost I4
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Rear-wheel drive	3,000	7,700	3.58	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Rear-wheel drivewith Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)	5,300	10,000	3.58	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WD	3,000	7,800	3.58	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WDwith Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)	5,300	10,100	3.58	Check load →
Timberline5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WD	5,300	10,300	3.58^{source 2}	Check load →
3.0L EcoBoost V6
All trims not listed separately Most5-door SUV · Rear-wheel drive	5,600	not in our data	not in our data	Check load →
All trims not listed separately Most5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WD	5,600	not in our data	not in our data	Check load →
3.3L Hybrid V6
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Rear-wheel drive	3,000	8,500	3.58	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Rear-wheel drivewith Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)	5,000	10,500	3.58	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WD	3,000	8,600	3.73	Check load →
All trims not listed separately5-door SUV · Intelligent 4WDwith Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)	5,000	10,600	3.73	Check load →

“Not published”: the maker doesn’t print it. —: not in the documents we hold yet. A number by a column’s name is the source of its figures that have none of their own. Scroll the table sideways for every rating.

SourcesMakerThe small number by a figure says which document it is from.

Documents last checked Oct 12, 2026. 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.

2023 Ford Explorer specs: payload, dimensions, ground clearance and weight beside the towing ratings.

The 2023 Explorer belongs to this generation; every configuration, its clearance, angles and weights are on its page.

Ford Explorer U625 (2020–present): full specs

02 / Why

Which one tows the most, and why

Each figure below is the gap between two of Ford’s own ratings for configurations that differ in one thing only.

What moves the rating

Maker

Tows the most: 5,600 lb

All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.0L EcoBoost V6 Rear-wheel drive; one more configuration is rated the same.

Package
Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package (52T)
+2,000 to +2,300 lb
Same configuration otherwise · 4 pairs in the table

Best rating by engine

3.0L EcoBoost V65,600 lb
2.3L EcoBoost I45,300 lb
3.3L Hybrid V65,000 lb

The line is the highest rating on this page. Each bar is that engine’s best configuration.

03 / By year

Explorer towing by model year

The highest rating each model year, from that year’s documents. Years rated the same in every configuration share one page.

04 / Next

Check it against your load

Towing calculatorPut your trailer and cargo against a 2023 Explorer’s ratings and see what’s left.Check my load GVWR, GCWR & payloadWhat each rating limits, and why the trailer number alone isn’t the answer.Read the guide Explorer specsClearance, angles, weights and the rig builder for every configuration.Open the spec plate Explorer tire sizesStock tire and wheel sizes by trim, and what bigger tires change.See tire sizes All towing capacitiesEvery truck and SUV we cover, side by side, sortable.Compare vehicles

05 / FAQ

Questions people ask

Which 2023 Explorer configuration tows the most?

The All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.0L EcoBoost V6 Rear-wheel drive, at 5,600 lb; one more configuration is rated the same.

What is the GCWR of the 2023 Ford Explorer?

7,700–10,600 lb by configuration; the most is 10,600 lb, for the All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 3.3L Hybrid V6 Intelligent 4WD with the Class III / IV Trailer Tow Package. GCWR is the most the loaded vehicle and its loaded trailer may weigh together.

Has the Ford Explorer’s towing capacity changed by year?

Highest rating by model year: 2026, 5,000 lb; 2025, 5,000 lb; 2024, 5,600 lb; 2023, 5,600 lb; 2022, 5,600 lb; 2021, 5,600 lb; 2020, 5,600 lb; 2019, 5,000 lb; 2017–2018, 5,000 lb; 2016, 5,000 lb; 2014–2015, 5,000 lb; 2013, 5,000 lb; 2012, 5,000 lb; 2011, 5,000 lb.

Does four-wheel drive change the 2023 Explorer’s towing capacity?

No: Ford rates each configuration the same with either drive (5 pairs in its table).

Does the engine change the 2023 Explorer’s towing capacity?

Yes. Best rating by engine: 3.0L EcoBoost V6, 5,600 lb; 2.3L EcoBoost I4, 5,300 lb; 3.3L Hybrid V6, 5,000 lb.

Which 2023 Explorer configuration tows the least?

The All trims not listed separately 5-door SUV 2.3L EcoBoost I4 Rear-wheel drive, at 3,000 lb; three more configurations are rated the same.

These are Ford’s published ratings, not a weighbridge. Your own vehicle’s GVWR and axle ratings are on its certification label, and only a scale tells you what your loaded rig weighs. Found a figure that doesn’t match the document? Tell us.