Ford Explorer
Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 12 years from 1,074 real MOT tests.
Avg Pass Rate
83%
Total Tests
1,074
Best Year
2012 (100%)
Years Covered
12
How reliable is the Ford Explorer?
Ford Explorer by Year
Checking a specific Ford Explorer?
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About the Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer has been tested 1,074 times in 2024 MOT data across 12 model years (1997 to 2016), with an average pass rate of 83%. That's slightly above the national average of 82%. Available as petrol.
Best and Worst Years
The 2012 model is the most reliable with a 100% pass rate from 38 tests. The 1998 model has the lowest at 66%. With a 34 point spread, choosing the right year makes a big difference to reliability.
Reliability Trend
Newer FORD EXPLORERs show better MOT pass rates than older ones, with an average improvement of 8 percentage points.
Mileage Across Years
The oldest model in our data (1997) averages 104,130 miles, while the newest (2016) averages 89,490 miles. Older models have covered serious mileage, so suspension and drivetrain wear are worth checking.
Click any year in the table above to see detailed running costs, individual reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.