CarTold

2020 vs. 2021 Ford Explorer: What Changed

Our records for the 2020 and 2021 Ford Explorer show 2 differences in the specifications and ratings tracked below.

The best combined rating for the 3.0-litre six-cylinder rises from 20 to 21 mpg.

The best combined rating for the 3.3-litre six-cylinder falls from 28 to 27 mpg.

22 campaigns cover both years. Eleven campaigns (air bags, back over prevention, electrical system and others) cover the 2020 and not the 2021, while four campaigns (air bags, engine and engine cooling, fuel system and others) cover the 2021 and not the 2020.

Fewer campaigns do not establish better reliability. Confirm each car's coverage and repair status by VIN.

The campaigns that separate them

Imported NHTSA recall campaigns that name one of these two model years but not the other, with their component labels. Campaigns covering both years are left out of this list.

Only the 2020

  • 19V575000 power train
  • 19V633000 seats
  • 19V687000 electrical system
  • 19V859000 fuel system
  • 20V497000 air bags
  • 20V549000 seat belts
  • 20V575000 back over prevention
  • 20V693000 power train
  • 20V730000 fuel system
  • 21V154000 suspension
  • 24V188000 back over prevention

Only the 2021

  • 21V652000 air bags
  • 21V870000 suspension
  • 24V635000 engine and engine cooling
  • 25V455000 fuel system
A campaign may cover only part of a model year's production. Use the campaign number to ask an authorized dealer whether the car's VIN is included and what work remains. Our recall tool finds model-year campaigns; this guide explains the vehicle-specific check.

Side by side

2020 2021
Engines listed 2.3L 4-cyl, 3.0L V6, 3.3L V6 2.3L 4-cyl, 3.0L V6, 3.3L V6
Drive types Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive Part-time 4-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel types Regular Gasoline Regular Gasoline
Combined MPG 19–28 19–27
Recall campaigns 33 26
Complaints on file 1207 423
Investigations 3 2
Complaint totals reflect different time on the road, sales and reporting. They cannot rank these years for reliability. The categories below identify symptoms to read about, not failure odds. How reporting time affects the comparison.

What owners reported, by system

2020

Drivetrain 473 (39%)
Other 334 (28%)
Electrical 140 (12%)

2021

Other 153 (36%)
Drivetrain 118 (28%)
Visibility & lighting 43 (10%)

Full reports

Open each year's report to read the recall, investigation, manufacturer communication and EPA variant records on file:

2020 Explorer full report 2021 Explorer full report Every Explorer year compared

Sources and methodology