Ford Explorer Tremor’s $63,910 V6 Still Tows the Same 5,000 Pounds

The Ford Explorer Tremor presents an unusually clear power-versus-utility comparison. A tested example with the 400-horsepower V6 carried a $63,910 sticker, yet its stated towing limit remained 5,000 pounds the same rating as the standard 2.3-liter four-cylinder Tremor starting around $48,500.

That roughly $15,000 spread does not buy a higher tow rating or different Tremor off-road hardware. For families planning to pull a small camper or boat within that limit, the cheaper engine configuration preserves the headline utility and equipment while giving up the V6’s substantial power advantage.

More engine, but not more rated trailer weight

The tested Explorer used a 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. It sent that output through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Those figures make the V6 a meaningful performance upgrade, not merely a badge or appearance package.

What it does not change is the towing ceiling. Ford’s current Explorer Tremor specifications list a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. The four-cylinder Tremor carries the same stated limit, so shoppers should not treat the V6’s higher output as evidence that it can legally pull a heavier trailer.

The distinction matters because horsepower and tow ratings answer different questions. The V6 provides more available engine performance, but the supplied specifications do not attribute the 5,000-pound limit to any single component or explain why it remains unchanged. It would therefore be unsupported to claim that one particular part of the vehicle not the engine sets the limit.

It would also be wrong to say both versions perform identically. The tested V6 has considerably more output than the four-cylinder, and that difference can affect how the SUV feels in ordinary driving. The defensible comparison is narrower: both powertrains receive the same published towing capacity.

The price gap includes more than an engine

The tested Tremor began at a listed base price of $48,465 and reached $63,910 after options, a difference of $15,445. That entire amount should not be characterized as the standalone price of the V6. The vehicle also included options such as BlueCruise hardware, premium audio, a moonroof, ambient lighting and a power-folding third-row seat.

What buyers can establish from the two configurations is that the lower-priced 2.3-liter Tremor retains the same towing rating and Tremor hardware. Standard equipment listed for the trim includes a Class III trailer-towing package, tow hooks, skid plates, all-terrain tires, auxiliary off-road lighting and a 360-degree camera. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a fold-flat third row, a 12.3-inch instrument display and a 13.2-inch center display also appear on the equipment list.

This makes the comparison less about whether the expensive version is broadly “better” and more about what the additional money accomplishes. The V6 configuration delivers much more power and, in the tested vehicle, a collection of comfort and technology options. It does not expand the published trailer-weight envelope or replace the four-cylinder model’s Tremor hardware with a different off-road package.

Road impressions have a firm boundary

The V6-equipped Tremor was driven only on wet pavement during a media event. It reportedly rode smoothly and quietly without feeling truck-like, despite its off-road oriented equipment. Handling was described as average for a large SUV, while the steering was judged artificial and the overall character comfortable rather than sporty.

Those observations do not establish how either engine performs while towing, and they do not support a comparison of the two versions off-road. No off-road driving was conducted during that evaluation. The tested configuration was listed at 17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined, but no directly comparable fuel-use result for the four-cylinder was supplied from the same drive.

There is also a model-year inconsistency in the available material: the vehicle was identified in different places as a 2026 and a 2027 model. Ford’s current product page labels the Tremor as a 2027 vehicle, but the comparison here does not depend on assigning a model year to the tested SUV.

The useful dividing line is instead concrete. At $63,910, the tested V6 Tremor offers 400 horsepower, 415 pound-feet of torque and added optional equipment. Around $48,500, the four-cylinder Tremor keeps the same stated 5,000-pound tow rating and off-road hardware. The premium buys performance and features not permission to attach a heavier trailer.

By Robert McKinney — Editor-in-Chief for AMI’s automotive and mobility coverage, with a mechanical engineering background and a decade reporting on powertrain systems, EV innovation, and global vehicle manufacturing.