Ford Explorer · Engine family · 8 offered

Ford Explorer 4.0L six-cylinder

The Ford is the most common engine code the VIN decodes to on the 4.0L six-cylinder configurations below; hybrid variants of the same displacement carry their own code. Rated at 152–210 hp. We decode it on 117,457 VINs across 224 factory builds, and 562 of those cars are on sale today at a typical $5,490.

Cylinders
6
Power
152–210 hp
Induction
Naturally aspirated
Fuel
Gasoline
Fitted
1991–2010

◷ Updated September 9, 2026 ▤ National asking prices, refreshed nightly

$5,490
Typical asking price, cars with this engine
562
On sale today with the 4.0L 6-cyl
1991–2010
Model years it was fitted
224
Factory configurations
117,457
Explorer VINs decoded with it

Where the 4.0L 6-cyl sits in the Explorer engine lineup

Every engine family this model was sold with, ordered by size. The bar spans the model years it was fitted; the price is what cars carrying it ask today. Older engines look cheaper because the cars are older — the only fair comparison is an engine whose years overlap this one's.

2.3L 4-cyl turbo
2016–2026
$23,222
270–300 hp · 28,262 on sale
3.0L 6-cyl turbo
2020–2026
$38,987
400 hp · 8,874 on sale
3.3L 4-cyl
2021–2026
$30,214
318 hp · 213 on sale
3.3L 6-cyl
2020–2026
$18,427
285 hp · 606 on sale
3.5L 6-cyl turbo
2011–2019
$10,999
290–365 hp · 8,801 on sale
4.0L 6-cyl this page
1991–2010
$5,490
152–210 hp · 562 on sale
4.6L 8-cyl
2002–2010
$5,995
225–292 hp · 112 on sale
5.0L 8-cyl
1996–2001
$4,079
211–215 hp · 16 on sale

8 engine families, one nameplate. Open the Ford Explorer price hub to compare them side by side, or to jump into any of the others.

Which Explorer years got a 4.0L 6-cyl engine

Every model year this engine was fitted to, newest first. The bar is how much of the family's VIN volume sits in that year — long bars are the years this engine was everywhere.

Year Share of VINs VINs On sale Builds
2010 11,386 98 8 2009 3,343 28 7 2008 10,007 61 6 2007 10,179 57 6 2006 13,111 71 8 2005 10,843 40 26 2004 11,758 43 25 2003 10,973 44 20 2002 12,564 54 31 2001 3,737 12 14 2000 4,519 14 22 1999 4,472 10 13 1998 3,573 11 8 1997 1,393 2 8
1996 1,960 8 4
1995 1,233 7 4
1994 1,054 4
1993 649 4
1992 423 1 3
1991 280 1 3

VIN counts come from our decode of the model's build patterns, not from live listings. A year link opens the full Explorer report for that year — every engine of the model, not just this one.

224 factory configurations with this engine

Each one is a distinct build as the VIN decodes it — trim, body, gearbox and equipment. Open a build sheet for its full spec and the VINs recorded on it.

2009

2 builds

2006

1 build

2005

2 builds

2004

2 builds

2003

4 builds

2002

2 builds

2001

3 builds

2000

1 build

1999

1 build

1998

1 build

1997

2 builds

1995

1 build

1993

1 build

1992

1 build

Showing the 24 most-built configurations of 224. Every 2009 Explorer build →

The 4.0L 6-cyl Explorer: common questions

Which Explorer years have the 4.0L 6-cyl?

1991–2010, without a break — 20 model years in our VIN decode, across 224 factory configurations and 117,457 VINs.

What does a 4.0L 6-cyl Explorer cost?

$5,490 is the typical asking price across the 562 cars with this engine on sale today. The year-by-year ladder above splits that by model year — the spread between the oldest and newest year is far wider than the spread between engines.

What is the engine code, and does it matter?

Ford — the code the VIN decodes to on the configurations on this page. It matters when you order parts or read a service history: the same displacement badge on another model can be a different code with different outputs.

4.0L 6-cyl Explorer on the market

Individual vehicles carrying this engine, each with its own listing-history page. The sample is pinned to fixed VIN buckets, so it does not reshuffle day to day.