Fuel economy for the new Ford Explorer V-6 has been rated by the EPA at 17 mpg city and 25 highway when equipped with front-wheel drive; with all-wheel drive, it returns 17/23 mpg. The Explorer's 290-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 will eventually be joined by an optional (and more expensive) 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost engine, which should be more efficient but less powerful.
Unsurprisingly, the new Explorer consumes less fuel than its body-on-frame predecessor; the stingiest 2010 Explorer was the rear-wheel-drive V-8 model, rated at just 15/21 mpg by the EPA. The new economy figures meet or barely beat those of the Explorer's competition, as seen in the chart below.
| Vehicle | Engine | City/highway MPG |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Ford Explorer V-6 | 3.5-liter V-6; 290 hp, 255 lb-ft | 17/25 mpg | 2011 Ford Edge FWD | 3.5-liter V-6; 285 hp, 253 lb-ft | 19/27 mpg |
| 2011 Chevrolet Traverse FWD | 3.6-liter V-6; 281 hp, 266 lb-ft | 17/24 mpg |
| 2011 Dodge Durango RWD | 3.6-liter V-6; 290 hp, 260 lb-ft | 16/23 mpg |
| 2011 Honda Pilot FWD | 3.5-liter V-6; 250 hp, 253 lb-ft | 17/23 mpg |
| 2011 Mazda CX-9 FWD | 3.7-liter V-6; 273 hp, 270 lb-ft | 17/24 mpg |
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