2018 Ford Explorer: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

29 builds left the factory as a 2018 Explorer, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 16 main configurations sell for $3,999–$26,445 today.

  • 16 main configurations
  • 96,764 vehicles built
  • 2,129 for sale right now
  • $3,999–$26,445 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 · FWD Sport · 4WD Limited · 4WD
Power 290 hp 290 hp 365 hp 290 hp
Drivetrain Four-wheel drive Front-wheel drive Four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive
Typical price today $15,488 $15,000 $18,250 $15,995
For sale right now 541 359 273 166
Vehicles built 28,940 17,660 11,911 6,918
Same on every 2018 Explorer
  • Engine 3.5L 6-cyl
  • Transmission Automatic
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
  • Seats 7
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

3,029 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
XLT · 4WD
$15,488
XLT · FWD
$15,000
Sport · 4WD
$18,250
Limited · 4WD
$15,995
Platinum · 4WD
$19,995
Limited · FWD
$16,320
$3,879 $9,719 $15,559 $21,399 $27,239
Price trend

Median up $2,361 over the last 12 months.

2018 Explorer price history →
Will it hold value?

A Explorer typically keeps about 53% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $8,495 today.

Explorer depreciation by year →
Cost to run

18/25 mpg city/highway. Roughly $2,210/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2018 Explorer

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★★ 5 / 5

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

Driver assistance — varies by configuration
  • ✓ Warns you before a crash (optional)
  • ✓ Brakes for you in an emergency (optional)
  • ✓ Watches your blind spot (optional)
  • ✓ Warns when you drift from your lane (optional)
  • ✓ Steers you back into the lane (optional)
  • ✓ Keeps distance on the highway (optional)
Decoded from NHTSA build records.

What 1FM5K8GT-J means

1FM 5K8GT · J
1FM
the World Manufacturer Identifier Ford registered — assembled in the United States
5K8GT
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
J
in position 10 — model year 2018
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 1FM5K8GT 5JGA63906 1FM5K8GT 6JGC96225
13 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.

2018 Ford Explorer prices →