I just purchased a Gold Certified 2021 Ford Explorer XLT. It’s got a clean title, only one owner who leased it personally, and has 41,000 miles. The CARFAX looks solid and says it was well maintained. I was a bit worried about the 4-cylinder turbo engine, because I feel like if you want a turbo, you should just go for the V6, but there wasn’t anything available with a V6. I was impressed after the first test drive though. I’d love to know if there’s anything specific I should keep an eye on moving forward. Thanks in advance!
You might run into delayed reverse at some point. My wife’s 2022 does it around 20k miles. There’s a TSB for it, but it just involves reprogramming the system to ‘fix’ it.
The turbo shouldn’t be too much of a concern. Just keep up with your oil changes, ideally every 5,000 miles. Also, running premium fuel can give you a little more performance, but regular 87 should be just fine and won’t hurt the engine over time.
You’re in a good spot. Great year, no major issues with these. The XLT models are great value. Don’t underestimate how strong the 2.3L EcoBoost can be. It may sound weaker compared to the V6, but it performs really well. I have both a 3.0L Platinum and a 2.3L XLT myself. There are performance differences, but the 2.3L still holds up well. Also, I don’t trust Ford’s 7,500-10k mile oil change recommendation. I stick with a 5,000-mile interval and use Valvoline.
Just a heads up: many Explorer enthusiasts recommend changing the transfer case and differential fluids on a regular basis. The manual suggests waiting for a ‘message’ to check the transmission fluid, but many mechanics say that’s not the best advice. If you want this vehicle to last and avoid issues later on, I’d recommend keeping up with Ford’s recommended maintenance schedule.
@Terry
Thanks for the tip. My trade-in was a 2017 Kia Sorento, and I always did the services through the dealership around 4,500-5,000 miles, but I had nothing but problems. I’m worried about taking this one to the dealership too. I’m thinking of just having my mechanic handle all the services. What do you think about Ford dealerships?
@Keir
Ford service can be hit or miss. If you have a reliable local mechanic, I’d stick with them for regular maintenance like oil changes and brakes. If you encounter more complex issues that need diagnosing, a Ford dealer might be worth it, but expect to pay a premium for their expertise and access to tech help. Just keep good records of all your services since having a documented history helps with resale value and warranty work. My 2022 Platinum is on a paid maintenance program at the dealer, so they handle my oil changes and tire rotations. But for my 2021 XLT, I go to my mechanic.
@Terry
I’m kind of leaning toward having my mechanic handle even the more complex stuff if that comes up. I’ve heard that dealership service sometimes involves new mechanics with one ‘master mechanic’ overseeing things, and that makes me nervous. I had a bad experience at the Kia dealership where they couldn’t figure out the problem, and I ended up spending almost $1,000 just to hear their guess. My mechanic figured it out quickly—it was a bad fuel injector. I feel like routine oil changes should be fine at the dealership, but who knows. I’m just worried about spending too much again like I did with my last vehicle.
Is this basically the sport package without the hood badge? I’m about to buy one too, a 2021 with 30k miles and the 202A XLT package, gold certified for $33k. Do you think I can get them to lower the price? I’m located in MN/WI.
@Remy
Yeah, that’s basically what I bought, though mine had slightly more miles. I got mine for $31k. They don’t usually budge much on price. They don’t inflate above MSRP, but there aren’t huge discounts either. The XLT with the 202A package gives you a lot of features without going to a higher trim level that adds a lot of cost.
@Terry
I’m about to buy a 2021 Explorer XLT with the same package. It’s got 27k miles, listed for $32k.
The 6th-gen Explorer looks great so far. I’m glad the 3.5L Duratec V6 is gone. The 2.7L and 3.3L V6s are much better. I might trade my 2014 Explorer for a 2023 or so.