As SUVs and crossovers become even more road-focused, automakers have been having a blast releasing more off-road-oriented trim levels of these vehicles that started out off-road-y to begin with. Honda has TrailSport, Hyundai has XRT, Kia has X-Pro, Jeep has Trailhawk, Subaru has Wilderness, Toyota has TRD Pro… I could go on. Ford’s equivalent is the Tremor moniker, which is now a trim on the Expedition, F-150, Maverick, and Super Duty. For 2026 the Explorer is gaining a Tremor variant too, taking the place of the old Timberline model.
Ford says the new Tremor is the most “off-road capable” Explorer it’s ever made, but the modifications aren’t nearly as extensive as what you get on one of Ford’s Raptor models. The Explorer Tremor unique styling cues and lots of orange accents, lifted suspension, all-terrain tires and more underbody protection. Unlike the Timberline, it’s also available with the Explorer’s more powerful engine option, which should make up for its fairly mild off-road enhancements. Maybe Jeep will be more impressed by this one.
Slightly better off-road chops
This generation of Explorer is getting a bit long in the tooth, having been on sale since 2019, and I’m not a fan of the facelift it received last year. The Tremor doesn’t change much. An orange bar running through the large grille houses high-intensity LED lights meant for off-roading, which you have to activate by tapping through a couple menus in the touchscreen. There’s a silver skid plate in the bumper’s chin that Ford says is functional, with orange tow hooks in the slightly reshaped lower grille opening, and the rear bumper also gets a skid plate and some orange accents. The Tremor’s color palette is the same as other Explorers.
The Tremor has an inch more ground clearance than a normal Explorer for a total of 8.7 inches, and unique 18-inch wheels are wrapped in Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires, sized 265/65. Ford says the Tremor’s approach, departure and breakover angles are all a degree or two better than a standard Explorer, but that might just be chalked up to the new tires and taller suspension. Ford did give the Tremor unique springs and sway bars, at least.
More power available
Not much is different on the inside either. The black leather seats have suede centers and orange stitching, with “Tremor” stitched into the seatbacks in orange. There’s orange stitching on the dashboard, door panels, center console and other areas, and the Tremor has rubber floor mats. Otherwise, it’s standard Explorer fare. Optional features will include massaging front seats and a 14-speaker B&O sound system. Ford’s Copilot 360 2.0 suite of driver-assist systems will be standard, and hands-free BlueCruise 1.5 is available.
The biggest news is the availability of a more powerful engine. The old Timberline was only offered with a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 making 300 horsepower, which remains the Tremor’s base engine, but customers will also be able to order a 400-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. Ford isn’t yet saying how much the Explorer Tremor will cost, but order books are open now and it will start reaching dealers near the end of 2025.
Daniel Golson / Jalopnik
Daniel Golson / Jalopnik
Daniel Golson / Jalopnik