Is the Ford Explorer King Ranch Worth the Extra Cash?
Customers wanted the Ford King Ranch trim to be available on more vehicles, and they got it. Now the 2021 Ford Explorer is available in the King Ranch trim to provide rugged luxury. But is the Ford Explorer King Ranch worth the extra cash?
Is the 2021 Ford Explorer King Ranch worth it?
First, we will quickly cover a little background information provided by Truck Trend. The King Ranch trim was first introduced in 2001 with the Ford F-150 SuperCrew. Then it became available on all F-series pickup trucks and the Ford Expedition.
Now, 20 years later, the King Ranch trim has been added to the Ford Explorer. The decision to add this trim was based on customer feedback and market insights. It’s what the people wanted!
Also, the classic Running W logo comes from the iconic Texas ranch that was founded in 1893 by Captain Richard King. The 2021 Ford Explorer King Ranch edition begins around $52,350 for rear-wheel drive and $54,250 for four-wheel-drive models. So, premium quality, hand-crafted quality, and meticulous attention to detail don’t come cheap.
What comes with the Ford Explorer King Ranch?
The base model 2021 Ford Explorer begins at about $32,225. So, it’s about an extra $20,000 for the King Ranch edition. It comes with the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. It can tow up to 5,600 lb.
This is an upgrade from the base engine, which is the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder option with 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. But the Explorer ST has 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, so why doesn’t the King Ranch get this extra muscle?
RELATED: The Ford Explorer Claims to be Better Than the Kia Telluride
Probably because the Explorer King Ranch is for luxury, not for racing. It has an interior with hand-stitched, rich mahogany-colored Del Rio leather-trimmed seats and real wood appliques. The center console is crafted with a Mesa Del Rio leather armrest and King Ranch logo insert.
Plus, it pairs with leather door-trim rollovers, a guinea Sapele wood instrument panel applique, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with Norias stitching and a Sapele wood insert. This is quite the upgrade from the base model trim materials, which Edmunds calls lackluster.
Ford Explorer King Ranch features
The 2021 Ford Explorer King Ranch edition has an optional premium technology package. Meaning it doesn’t come standard. The package includes multi-contour seats with active motion massaging technology, a 10.1-inch center stack touchscreen, and a Bang & Olufsen 14-speaker sound system.
With the base model, you get a Sync 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen. But you can upgrade to the 10.1-inch vertical touchscreen. Edmunds mentions that the larger screen doesn’t work well with Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto, though.
The King Ranch Explorer comes with a Stone Gray-painted mesh grille insert, 20-inch aluminum wheels with the Running W logo, a liftgate scuff plate, and quad chrome exhaust tips to beef up its look.
The 2021 Ford Explorer King Ranch is loaded with safety features too. It comes with the Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package, which includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane centering, evasive steering assist, a voice-activated touch screen navigation system, SiriusXM traffic with travel link, and speed sign recognition. If you want to ride in comfort and style, then it seems worth the upgrade.
