2023 Ford Explorer: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

41 builds left the factory as a 2023 Explorer, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 23 main configurations sell for $14,795–$46,901 today.

  • 23 main configurations
  • 121,523 vehicles built
  • 5,353 for sale right now
  • $14,795–$46,901 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 · RWD ST · 4WD Limited · 4WD
Engine 2.3L 4-cyl 2.3L 4-cyl 3L 6-cyl 2.3L 4-cyl
Drivetrain Four-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive Four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive
Typical price today $31,277 $27,791 $39,987 $33,599
For sale right now 2,714 575 581 373
Vehicles built 41,913 19,708 15,288 11,396
Same on every 2023 Explorer
  • Transmission Automatic
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
  • Seats 6
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

8,693 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
XLT · 4WD
$31,277
XLT · RWD
$27,791
ST · 4WD
$39,987
Limited · 4WD
$33,599
Timberline · 4WD
$35,398
Limited · RWD
$30,388
$14,351 $22,841 $31,330 $39,820 $48,309
Price trend

Median down $874 over the last 12 months.

2023 Explorer price history →
Will it hold value?

A Explorer typically keeps about 50% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $15,999 today.

Explorer depreciation by year →
Cost to run

18/24 mpg city/highway. Roughly $2,330/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2023 Explorer

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★★ 5 / 5

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

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

What 1FMSK8BH-P means

1FM SK8BH · P
1FM
the World Manufacturer Identifier Ford registered — assembled in the United States
SK8BH
together encode the Explorer line — Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), 2.3L 4cyl, Four-wheel drive — as Ford filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
P
in position 10 — model year 2023
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
18 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.

2023 Ford Explorer prices →