The Ford Explorer Timberline debuted back in 2021, bringing a more off-road-focused variant to the table packed with aesthetic and performance upgrades – although it left North American lineup after the 2024 model year, replaced by the similarly equipped Explorer Tremor. The Timberline trim may have vanished from North America, but it’s still kicking in China, and now that Ford Authority has gotten a close-up look at the all-new Tremor, we stacked the two side-by-side. While both crossovers are easy enough to tell apart, there’s no denying that they share a bloodline.
Ford Explorer Tremor
Ford Explorer Timberline
Let’s start with North America’s 2025 Ford Explorer Tremor. Ford Authority has kept a close eye on the off-road-focused trim since we spotted a prototype undergoing testing late last year. A completely camo-free prototype popped up in the wild just a few days back, confirming much of what we expected from the tough crossover.
Bright LED headlights are positioned on either side of its matte colored grille, which itself is accentuated by Code Orange trim behind a blacked-out Ford Oval badge. Code Orange tow hooks are nestled in the lower grille opening, underscored by tough underbody protection. LED fog lamps provide extra light, while the Explorer nameplate itself is splashed across the hood in black.
Ford Explorer Tremor
Ford Explorer Timberline
The Ford Explorer Timberline, meanwhile, is a China exclusive. It shares its LED headlamp design with the Explorer Tremor, but features a lightbar that bridges the gap between the two. There are also bright lighting elements mounted just inside the grille, leading the eye toward the black Ford Oval mounted in the center. The grille is different, too, featuring oval-shaped cutouts – although it does share the orange tow hooks mounted on either side of the lower fascia opening.
However, while the Explorer Tremor separates out its fog lamps and the corresponding trim piece from the rest of the grille, the Explorer Timberline features a continuous strip that branches out from the grille and turns downward in the corners. It does, however, share the Explorer badge with its American brethren, proudly affixed to the hood in black.
The finer details regarding the 2025 Ford Explorer Tremor for North America aren’t out in the open yet, but Ford Authority expects the off-road-focused crossover to harness the turbocharged 2.3L I-4 EcoBoost engine. We also expect it to be a bit on the pricier end of the scale, too, potentially starting around the $48,000 mark.
Comments
If they would put the 2.7 in the Tremor ( I know that the ST and Platinum have the 3.0) I will trade my 21 XLT in.
And pay the tariffs. Brain transplant needed, stat!
IMO, the Chinese version is more like a Blazer, esp on the front end. To me, the Tremor is quite a bit more rugged/off-road looking and less soccer-momish.
The Chinese version look like the Land Rover Discovery
Tremor!!!
America running late, as usual.
The Tremor looks better.
Top half of the Timberline looks better, but bottom of the Tremor is better