2026 Ford Explorer: Lakeland Buyers Guide

One dealership, three franchises, five Explorer trims

Lakeland Automall isn't a single-brand Ford store bolted onto a highway exit; it's Lakeland Ford, Lakeland Hyundai, and Lakeland Genesis operating out of one locally owned auto mall on West Memorial Boulevard, and that shapes how an Explorer shopper actually experiences the lot. A family cross-shopping the Explorer against a Hyundai Palisade or a Genesis GV80 doesn't need three separate appointments at three separate addresses; the inventory, the finance office, and the trade-in desk are shared. Every 2026 Explorer trim carries the same 5,000-pound tow rating regardless of engine, a 13.2-inch center touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Ford's Co-Pilot360 Assist+ driver-assist suite standard on Active, stepping up to Assist 2.0 with a 360-degree camera from ST-Line on up.

Owner Greg Balasco has run the group as a locally owned operation rather than a distant corporate rollup, and it shows in details buyers mention unprompted: a body shop and parts department on-site rather than farmed out, financing programs built for a range of credit histories rather than just the applicants with pristine scores, and community ties to organizations like SPCA Florida and the Lakeland Rotary Club that don't show up on a spec sheet but do show up in how a sales floor treats a first-time buyer.

Two engines, and the trap most price lists don't mention

Active, ST-Line, Platinum, and the standard Tremor all run a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four making 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft, rated 20 city / 29 highway with rear-wheel drive and 20/27 with the optional Intelligent 4WD (Ford's name for AWD on this platform). The ST swaps in a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 as standard equipment, 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft, and that same V6 is available on the Tremor, but only bundled into its Ultimate package alongside BlueCruise and the panoramic fixed glass roof, not as a standalone checkbox. One trap worth flagging before anyone falls for a bargain-looking "$38,465 Explorer" ad: that number describes the stripped Active 100A fleet spec, not the regular Active most retail buyers actually order, which starts at $40,585. And Ford dropped the optional 3.0-liter V6 from the Platinum for 2026 entirely; it's 2.3-liter only now, so any listing still advertising a V6 Platinum is showing last year's lineup.

Pick your 2026 Explorer

What buyers at this auto mall actually say

Reviewers here tend to describe a deal that involved more than one person, which tracks with a store that runs sales, finance, and management as connected departments rather than silos. "Wow. I've never had such an incredible experience of buying a vehicle in my life. Frank Uria is hands down the greatest car salesman in the world and the manager, Jonathan Roberts, made the whole deal work for us given our unique situation," wrote Hunter V. after buying an Explorer. "Never once did we feel like they cared that we bought the vehicle, but instead that it was truly the right decision for us." Frank Uria is a current Ford Sales Specialist at Lakeland Automall; Jonathan Roberts is the Genesis Sales & Finance Manager, evidence that a Ford deal here can pull in expertise from across the mall's other franchises when a situation calls for it. A separate buyer, Amber D., described the whole process, paperwork, tag, insurance included, wrapping up the same day: "It was so quick and very easy to purchase the vehicle same day... I'm so happy with my ford explorer!!"

Owning an Explorer in the Tampa-Orlando corridor

Lakeland Automall's service area stretches well past Polk County, into Brandon, Kissimmee, and the Tampa-Orlando commute corridor, and an Explorer bought here is more likely than most family SUVs to log serious interstate miles rather than just school-run duty. Ford's New Vehicle Limited Warranty runs three years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper plus five years/60,000 miles on the powertrain, and Lakeland Automall layers its own Nationwide Lifetime Warranty and Owner Advantage Program on top for buyers who service here. What that mid-Florida commute does to an Explorer that a Northeast buying guide won't mention: air conditioning systems that run nearly year-round rather than seasonally, sudden thunderstorm downpours on I-4 that make tire tread and wiper condition non-negotiable, and enough interstate miles between Lakeland and either city that the Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor's interval tends to arrive faster than the calendar suggests. The service & repair guide covers that maintenance rhythm in detail, and the pricing & leasing guide walks through what an Explorer actually costs to register at a Lakeland address.

Frequently asked questions

What's new on the 2026 Ford Explorer?

The headline change is the all-new Tremor off-road trim, the first in Explorer history. Ford also dropped the optional V6 from the Platinum (2.3-liter only for 2026), replaced the old opening Panoramic Vista Roof with a fixed glass roof across the lineup, and raised the destination charge by $100 to $1,695. It's the most substantial single-year update the Explorer has had without a full redesign.

Is the 2026 Explorer a good SUV to buy?

On the metrics that matter for a family three-row, yes: a 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick award, a 5-star NHTSA overall rating, a 5,000-pound tow rating that doesn't change by engine or trim, and a cabin tech suite that finally keeps pace with the segment's leaders. It stepped down one tier from the Top Safety Pick+ it held in 2024 and 2025, worth noting if that specific rating matters to you, though it's still a genuinely safe choice.

Can I trade in a non-Ford vehicle on an Explorer here?

Yes, and it's arguably where a multi-franchise auto mall has an edge over a single-brand store. Lakeland Automall's trade appraisal tool values any make, not just Fords, and financing for a range of credit profiles runs through the same finance office regardless of which brand's lot the trade-in came off of.

What's the most common complaint about the Ford Explorer?

Feedback on this generation is largely positive; where issues appear, they tend to be minor electrical glitches sorted out under the standard 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty rather than anything structural. Keeping documented service history at an authorized dealer is the simplest way to catch a small issue before it becomes an expensive one.

Should I buy new or certified pre-owned?

It depends on budget and how much of the factory warranty window you want left. Lakeland Automall's certified pre-owned inventory regularly includes recent Explorers at a discount to new, inspected and backed by a CPO warranty, while a new 2026 gets you the Tremor trim and the newest safety tech with the full factory coverage untouched.

See the whole lineup at 1430 West Memorial Boulevard

A spec sheet can't tell you whether the base four-cylinder is enough for your commute or the ST's extra 100 horsepower is worth the jump; that's a back-to-back test drive question. Lakeland Automall keeps trims in stock across all three of its franchises rather than special-order only, and the same finance office that handles a Hyundai or Genesis deal down the row can run Explorer numbers just as easily. Browse current Explorer inventory or stop by the West Memorial Boulevard showroom for a test drive.