Ford Explorer HEV MPG by year — every rating on record
The Ford Explorer HEV has a combined EPA fuel economy rating for 4 model years, from 2020 to 2023. Across those years its best rated version returned 28 mpg (2020) and its thirstiest returned 25 mpg (2020). The EPA record holds 8 configurations for this nameplate, most recently a Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD / Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD.
Year-by-year EPA ratings
| Model year | Configurations | Best combined | Worst combined | Class rank that year | Drivetrains | Fuel | EPA class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 28 mpg | 25 mpg | #1 of 24 (100th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
| 2021 | 2 | 27 mpg | 25 mpg | #11 of 104 (90th pct) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
| 2022 | 2 | 27 mpg | 25 mpg | #22 of 126 (83th pct) | Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
| 2023 | 2 | 27 mpg | 25 mpg | #2 of 26 (96th pct) | Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
Where it has stood in its class
Ranked against every other nameplate the EPA filed under the same class that year. The Ford Explorer HEV placed highest in 2020 at #1 of 24, and lowest in 2022 at #22 of 126. It spent 4 of its 4 ranked years in the top half of its class.
Every configuration on record
All 8 configurations EPA lists for this nameplate, newest first.
| Year | Configuration | Engine detail | City | Highway | Combined | Gallons/yr | Barrels/yr | EPA fuel cost/yr | CO2 g/mi | GHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.3L 6-cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic 10-spd Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 23 | 26 | 25 | 460.0 | 11.9 | $2,500 | 361 | 5/10 |
| 2023 | 3.3L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic 10-spd Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 27 | 28 | 27 | 425.9 | 11.0 | $2,300 | 324 | 5/10 |
| 2022 | 3.3L 6-cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S10) Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 23 | 26 | 25 | 460.0 | 11.9 | $2,500 | 361 | 5/10 |
| 2022 | 3.3L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (S10) Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 27 | 28 | 27 | 425.9 | 11.0 | $2,300 | 324 | 6/10 |
| 2021 | 3.3L 6-cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S10) Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 23 | 26 | 25 | 460.0 | 11.9 | $2,500 | 361 | 5/10 |
| 2021 | 3.3L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (S10) Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 27 | 28 | 27 | 425.9 | 11.0 | $2,300 | 324 | 6/10 |
| 2020 | 3.3L 6-cyl Part-time 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S10) Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 23 | 26 | 25 | 460.0 | 11.9 | $2,500 | 361 | 5/10 |
| 2020 | 3.3L 6-cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (S10) Regular | SIDI & PFI; Hybrid, Hybrid, start-stop | 27 | 29 | 28 | 410.7 | 10.6 | $2,250 | 322 | 6/10 |
How the rating has moved between model years
Comparing the best-rated configuration of each year. 0 of 1 year-over-year steps improved the top rating.
| Change | Best combined | Delta | Gallons a year at the newer rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 → 2021 | 28 → 27 mpg | -1 mpg | 426 gal |
What Explorer HEV fuel costs over a year
At the EPA's 11,500 miles a year, the 2023 Ford Explorer HEV burns 426 to 460 gallons depending on configuration. Below is what that costs at three pump prices, and how much more the thirstiest configuration costs than the most efficient one.
| Pump price | Most efficient | Thirstiest | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3.00/gal | $1,278 | $1,380 | $102 |
| $3.50/gal | $1,491 | $1,610 | $119 |
| $4.00/gal | $1,704 | $1,840 | $136 |
EPA’s own estimate for the 2023 model year is $2,300 to $2,500 a year in fuel, or $250 more than the average new vehicle over five years.
How it compares with other Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Across the 70 nameplates EPA classifies as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, the median best combined rating is 23 mpg. At 27 mpg the Ford Explorer HEV is 4 mpg better the median, which is worth about $259 a year at $3.50 a gallon.
- All Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD rankings — every nameplate in the class, best to worst.
Other Ford nameplates
Every Ford model compared → — all nameplates ranked by best combined rating, with what each one costs a year.