The 2020 Ford Explorer is made for families. With plenty of passenger and cargo space, a host of standard tech and driver-assist features, and three rows of seating, it’s practicality and comfort at its finest.

Ford

may not be the epitome of luxury, but climbing the trim levels offers more than you’d expect—especially on the 2020 Ford Explorer. With a complete redesign in 2019, the Explorer sports a new look with a serious interior upgrade, including a host of new tech features, more comfortable seating, and finishes that you can’t pass up. Together, all of this sets the Explorer apart from other midsize SUVs.

Ready to hop inside the 2020 Ford Explorer? We’re taking you through a complete guide to the Explorer’s interior and giving you all the details on seating, tech features, storage, and style.

Let’s get started!

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2020 Ford Explorer interior

Since the 1990s, the Ford Explorer has continued to rank high in sales thanks to one major selling point: practicality. While it has been out for decades, the 2020 Ford Explorer retains the draw of what makes the Explorer so popular—a long list of popular features and useful capabilities. Whether you’re looking for cargo space, safety, or infotainment features, the Ford Explorer is built for shuttling families and does it exceptionally well. And with a starting MSRP of just $34,010 and six trim levels to choose from, including a hybrid powertrain, there’s something for every family.

But what’s so special about the interior of the 2020 Ford Explorer? Measuring up against luxury mid-size SUVs, you probably wouldn’t guess much, but the Explorer is all about comfort and capability. Let’s take a look.

Seating

If you’re looking for a soli seven-seater, the 2020 Ford Explorer nails it—but it’s not perfect. With seating for up to seven—six if you opt for the second-row captain chairs—the first two rows offer a good amount of space for adults. The third row, however, isn’t the roomiest and the low-to-the-ground design and tight legroom are likely less than ideal for adults, but for kids, it’s a great option.

The second-row bench seating is a 40/20/40-split, while the third row is a fixed 50/50 bench seat with available power-folding into the floor for ease and convenience—but this feature is only available as an upgrade on higher trim levels. That said, there are plenty of other goodies in the 2020 Ford Explorer:

Eight-way power driver's seat (all trim levels)

Leather upholstery (Limited and Limited Hybrid)

Heated front and second-row seats (XLT)

Power-assisted folding and heated second-row seats (Limited and Limited Hybrid)

Power-folding third-row seats (Limited and Limited Hybrid)

So, how much roominess are we really talking about? Check out the table below for the specs:

Interior dimensions
Total passenger volume	152.7 cubic feet
Front headroom	38.9 inches
Front leg room	43 inches
Front shoulder room	61.8 inches
Front hip room	59.2 inches
Second-row headroom	38.2 inches
Second-row legroom	39 inches
Second-row shoulder room	61.9 inches
Second-row hip room	59.1 inches
Third-row headroom	38.9 inches
Third-row legroom	32.2 inches
Third-row shoulder room	55.6 inches
Third-row hip room	40.9 inches

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Tech

All trim levels of the 2020 Ford Explorer come well-equipped with the latest tech upgrade, including an 8-inch touchscreen, the Sync 3 infotainment, and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But as with most vehicles, upgrading unlocks a new realm of tech possibility.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

8-inch infotainment touchscreen

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

Dual-zone automatic climate control

Ford’s Co-Pilot360

Two USB ports

Optional 10.1-inch vertical touchscreen

Optional Bang & Olufsen premium audio system

Upgrading to the Premium Technology package—only available on the

and

Platinum

models—adds massaging front seats, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system.

Generally speaking, there’s not much to complain about with the tech in the 2020 Ford Explorer. The base model comes well--equipped, giving it strong value, but the infotainment system can be a bit sluggish and confusing.

MORE: Ford Explorer XLT towing capacity

Storage

With three rows of seating, there’s plenty of space for passengers, but what about storage? Cargo space in the 2020 Ford Explorer is generous, with 47.9 cubic feet behind the second row and 87.8 cubic feet behind the first row. And even with the third row of seats in use, you can still easily fit about four carry-on suitcases.

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Ford Explorer trunk space

Style

With a newly redesigned exterior, the interior of the 2020 Ford Explorer isn’t too shabby, either. It’s clean, simple, and for the most part, intuitive to use. Although it may be a step below the interior of a

Lincoln

, the Explorer does a good job of using its space and keeping things practical. If you’re after the high-end tech goodies and the more luxurious feel, you’ll have to shell out the cash to upgrade to the Platinum. It comes with a more powerful engine, adaptive headlights, unique taillights, a two-piece sunroof, leather-wrapped interior trim, and upgraded leather upholstery—and that’s on top of the offerings from the Limited.

While the 2020 Ford Explorer might not be a grand slam, there’s a lot to like. It represents the perfect balance of practicality and capability with a hint of luxe.