2012 Ford Explorer: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

18 builds left the factory as a 2012 Explorer, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 9 main configurations sell for $2,209–$18,995 today.

  • 9 main configurations
  • 21,911 vehicles built
  • 194 for sale right now
  • $2,209–$18,995 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 Limited · FWD Base · 4WD XLT · FWD
Engine 3.5L 6-cyl 3.5L 6-cyl 3.5L 6-cyl 2L 4-cyl
Power 290 hp 290 hp 290 hp 240 hp
Drivetrain Four-wheel drive Front-wheel drive Four-wheel drive Front-wheel drive
Typical price today $8,167 $9,194 $6,900 $6,900
For sale right now 57 11 8 12
Vehicles built 5,837 2,289 1,029 997
Same on every 2012 Explorer
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

240 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
XLT · 4WD
$8,167
$2,142 $4,954 $7,766 $10,578 $13,390
Price trend

Median down $846 over the last 12 months.

2012 Explorer price history →
Will it hold value?

A Explorer typically keeps about 63% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $5,007 today.

Explorer depreciation by year →
Cost to run

17/23 mpg city/highway. Roughly $2,450/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2012 Explorer

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★ ★ 4 / 5

7 recalls on file for this model year — check any specific VIN before you buy.

What 1FMHK8D8-C means

1FM HK8D8 · C
1FM
the World Manufacturer Identifier Ford registered — assembled in the United States
HK8D8
together encode the Explorer line — Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), 3.5L 6cyl, Four-wheel drive — as Ford filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
C
in position 10 — model year 2012
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 1FMHK8D8 4CGA59796 1FMHK8D8 2CGA89475
9 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.

2012 Ford Explorer prices →