2003 Ford Explorer: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

55 builds left the factory as a 2003 Explorer, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 36 main configurations sell for $1,990–$8,995 today. Page 1 of 2.

  • 36 main configurations
  • 13,473 vehicles built
  • 57 for sale right now
  • $1,990–$8,995 typical price range

Which Explorer is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Explorer

What actually differs

XLT · 4WD XLT XLS Base configuration
Power 210 hp 210 hp 210 hp 203 hp
Doors 4-door 4-door 4-door 2-door
Typical price today $4,501 $5,895 — $5,794
For sale right now 19 5 2 3
Vehicles built 3,700 1,846 1,207 797
Same on every 2003 Explorer
  • Engine 4L 6-cyl
  • Drivetrain Four-wheel drive
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)

What people actually pay

96 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
XLT · 4WD
$4,501
$1,930 $3,764 $5,598 $7,431 $9,265
Price trend

Median down $306 over the last 12 months.

2003 Explorer price history →
Will it hold value?

A Explorer typically keeps about 94% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $4,248 today.

Explorer depreciation by year →
Cost to run

13/18 mpg city/highway. Roughly $3,100/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2003 Explorer

Safety, in plain English

What 1FMZU83K-3 means

1FM ZU83K · 3
1FM
the World Manufacturer Identifier Ford registered — assembled in the United States
ZU83K
together encode the Explorer line — Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), 4L 6cyl, All-wheel drive — as Ford filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
3
in position 10 — model year 2003
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
16 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Explorer?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2003 Ford Explorer prices →