2026 Ford Explorer MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2026 Ford Explorer is rated 19 to 24 mpg combined across 6 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic.

EPA fuel economy

2026 Ford Explorer · 6 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

24MPG combined

20 city 29 highway

$2,700 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score5/10

2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic

Best version costs $2,000 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 27, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,700 to $3,400 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2025.

Every 2026 Explorer version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Explorer RWD	24 mpg	20 / 29	$2,700
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic EPA listing: Explorer AWD	23 mpg	20 / 27	$2,800
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · Tremor EPA listing: Explorer Tremor AWD	21 mpg	19 / 23	$3,100
3.0L turbo 6-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic EPA listing: Explorer RWD	21 mpg	18 / 25	$3,100
3.0L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic EPA listing: Explorer AWD	20 mpg	18 / 25	$3,250
3.0L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · Tremor EPA listing: Explorer Tremor AWD	19 mpg	17 / 22	$3,400

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic	$2,700	$225	$13,500
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic	$2,817	$235	$14,087
2.3L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · Tremor	$3,086	$257	$15,429
3.0L turbo 6-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic	$3,086	$257	$15,429
3.0L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic	$3,240	$270	$16,200
3.0L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · Tremor	$3,411	$284	$17,053

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Ford Explorer MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 22 to 24 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); 24 since 2020. Hybrid: 27 to 28 mpg (2020 to 2023); highest in 2020.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2026: gas 24 mpg · hybrid not offered

Show as a table

Ford Explorer best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	22	–
2017	22	–
2018	22	–
2019	22	–
2020	24	28
2021	24	27
2022	24	27
2023	24	27
2024	24	–
2025	24	–
2026	24	–

How the 2026 Explorer compares

2026 midsize SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2026 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Toyota Highlander Best: hybrid	35 mpg	24 mpg	$1,850
Ford Explorer This page Best: gas	24 mpg	24 mpg	$2,700
Jeep Grand Cherokee Best: gas	23 mpg	23 mpg	$2,800

Ford Explorer vs Toyota HighlanderMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests side by side

2026 Explorer recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 15 safety recalls and 36 owner complaints for the 2026 Explorer.What they cover, and crash test ratings

Questions

Does 4WD lower the 2026 Ford Explorer's gas mileage?

Yes. On versions that differ only in drive, 4WD lowers the combined rating by 1 mpg: the 2.3L turbo 4-cyl gets 24 mpg combined with two-wheel drive and 23 with 4WD.

Does the 2026 Ford Explorer need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2026 Ford Explorer version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2026 Explorer's MPG compare with the 2025?

For 2026, the best gas version is rated 24 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.