Ford 3.0L EcoBoost V6 in the Explorer, Bronco Raptor and Ranger Raptor
You'll find the Ford 3.0L EcoBoost® V6 in three Fords: the Explorer, the Bronco Raptor and the Ranger Raptor. Ford rates its
output separately in each. In a 2027 Explorer, it makes up to 100 hp and 105 lb-ft more than the 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder
that's standard on most trims.
The extra power costs 1 to 3 mpg in EPA combined estimates and doesn’t raise the 5,000 lb maximum towing rating. Choose the V6
for how it drives, not for what it can pull.
Our new and used Explorers span
several model years; check the engine on each one before you visit.
Of the three, the 2026 Bronco Raptor gets the most power from the 3.0L.
10-speed automatic; SelectShift with paddle shifters on ST
10-speed automatic
10-speed automatic
10-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive or available Intelligent 4WD; Intelligent 4WD standard on Tremor
Rear-wheel drive or Intelligent 4WD; Tremor is 4WD only
4x4
4x4
Fuel injection
Direct injection
-
Ti-VCT GTDI
Port fuel and direct injection (PFDI)
Compression ratio
-
-
10.5:1
10.5:1
Output rated on
Premium fuel
Premium fuel
Premium fuel
Premium fuel
Fuel requirement
-
-
Minimum: premium unleaded
Recommended minimum: Premium 91+ octane
Oil capacity, including filter
-
-
-
7.0 qt (6.6 L)
Ford engine code
-
99C
99R
99R
A dash marks a detail not included in this table.
Vehicles That Use the 3.0L
Ford puts the 3.0L in the Explorer for 2026 and 2027, and in the 2026 Bronco Raptor and 2026 Ranger Raptor. In the Explorer,
it sits alongside the
2.3L EcoBoost, the
four-cylinder most 2027 trims get as standard. The 3.0L is a different engine from Ford's smaller-displacement
2.7L EcoBoost V6.
2027 Ford Explorer: ST, Tremor and Platinum
On a 2027 Explorer, the 3.0L is standard on the ST and available on the Tremor and Platinum. Platinum buyers get it through
the 3.0L Ultimate Package. The ST pairs the V6 with a sport-tuned suspension and performance brakes with red calipers. On
the outside, it adds quad chrome exhaust tips and 21-inch Magnetite wheels. Every Tremor, with either engine, has a Torsen
limited-slip rear axle, Hill Descent Control and an off-road-tuned suspension with increased ride height.
2026 Ford Explorer: ST and Tremor
For 2026, the Explorer ST came with the 3.0L as standard, and Ford also offered it on the Tremor. Next to that year's 2.3L,
the ST's 3.0L adds 85 hp and 105 lb-ft. A 2026 Tremor with the 3.0L includes the Tremor Ultimate Package, with a 14-speaker,
980-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, a panoramic fixed-glass roof with a power shade and multicontour front seats.
The 2026 Explorer's 3.0L comes with Auto Start-Stop. The 2026 Explorer ST's MSRP at launch was $54,905, before destination.
See our
2026 Ford Explorer overview for
more on that model year.
2026 Ford Bronco Raptor
In the 2026 Bronco lineup, the 3.0L comes only in the Bronco Raptor. It's a four-door, five-seat 4x4 with 13.1 inches of
ground clearance and a 37.0-inch water fording rating. The 2026 Bronco Raptor launched at a $79,995 MSRP, plus destination.
See our
2026 Bronco lineup details
for the other models, or browse
the Broncos on our lot, new and
used, from a mix of model years.
2026 Ford Ranger Raptor
The 2026 Ranger Raptor runs the 3.0L with Auto Start-Stop. It's a five-seat SuperCrew with a 4.97-foot box and 10.7 inches
of minimum running ground clearance. Its MSRP at launch was $57,270, with destination on top. Learn more in our
Ford Ranger overview, and shop
our Ranger inventory for new and
used trucks from more than one model year.
Fuel and Power Ratings
Ford measured every 3.0L power rating on premium fuel. What to fill up with depends on the vehicle:
2026 Bronco Raptor: Ford's minimum fuel is premium unleaded.
2026 Ranger Raptor: Ford's recommended minimum is Premium 91+ octane, and its ratings follow the Society of Automotive
Engineers' J1349 standard.
2026 and 2027 Explorer: For your own Explorer, check its owner's manual for Ford's fuel recommendation.
EPA's mileage listings show regular fuel for all three, but that's EPA's own label, not a statement of what Ford requires.
Among 2026 models, the 3.0L gets its best EPA-estimated mileage in a rear-wheel-drive Explorer and its lowest in the Bronco
Raptor.
EPA fuel economy for 2026 Ford 3.0L EcoBoost V6 models
17 / 24 / 20 on both the "Automatic 10-spd" and "Automatic (S10)" listings
Tremor EPA mpg (city / highway / combined)
18 / 22 / 20
17 / 22 / 19
Fuel tank
17.9 gal
20.2 gal
Maximum towing
5,000 lb
5,000 lb
Tremor, MSRP at Launch
$49,415
$56,675
Platinum, rear-wheel drive, MSRP at Launch
$50,875
$56,535
ST, MSRP at Launch
-
$53,875
Add the $1,795 destination charge to every 2027 price in the table.
EPA keeps two general 3.0L Explorer listings each for rear-wheel and four-wheel drive, and it ties neither one to a trim. The
Tremor has its own separate EPA listing.
Choosing Between the 2.3L and 3.0L
The engine choice for a 2027 Explorer comes down to output against efficiency and price. The 3.0L brings the extra output,
and it's the engine every ST comes with. Towing won't settle it, because Ford gives both engines the same maximum rating.
Set up an Explorer test drive and tell us
which engine you'd like to try, then
estimate a payment on the trims you like.
Towing by Vehicle
The 2026 Ranger Raptor carries the highest 3.0L tow rating, and the 2026 Bronco Raptor the lowest.
Other 2026 Rangers are rated to tow up to 7,500 lb, so the Raptor isn't the Ranger to pick for maximum towing.
Towing and weight ratings by Ford 3.0L EcoBoost V6 vehicle
Vehicle and rating
Weight
2027 Explorer maximum towing, every trim, either engine
5,000 lb
2026 Explorer maximum towing,
with trailer tow package
Here in the Indianapolis metro, the right 3.0L Ford depends on where your miles go. If most of them are on I-69 between
Anderson and Indianapolis, start with the EPA highway estimates. If your drives take in back-country gravel or an Indiana
winter, pay the most attention to drivetrain and hardware, like a Tremor's 4WD and off-road suspension or a Raptor's 4x4.
Based in Anderson, we're the only Ford store in Madison County, so shopping and service stay close to home for drivers in
Pendleton and Elwood too.
In a new Ford, the 3.0L has Ford's powertrain coverage for 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. For maintenance
and repairs, visit our Ford service center or
request
a Ford service appointment ahead of
time. If you have a particular Ford in mind, send us
your vehicle question.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Ford's 2026 lineup, the Explorer, Bronco Raptor and Ranger Raptor use it, and the 2027 Explorer keeps it. On a 2027
Explorer, the ST gets it as standard, and the Tremor and Platinum offer it. On a 2026 Explorer, it was standard on the ST
and could be ordered on the Tremor.
It depends on which Ford it's in and the model year. A 2027 Explorer gets up to 400 hp and 415 lb-ft. The 2026 Explorer ST
makes 385 hp and 415 lb-ft. In a 2026 Ranger Raptor, it's 405 hp and 430 lb-ft. The 2026 Bronco Raptor makes the most,
with 418 hp and 440 lb-ft.
In a 2027 Explorer, the 3.0L makes up to 100 hp and 105 lb-ft more than the 2.3L. In a 2026 Explorer, the ST's 3.0L makes
85 hp and 105 lb-ft more than that year's 2.3L.
Choose the 3.0L if you want the extra output or the ST. Choose the 2.3L if you want higher EPA combined estimates and a
lower MSRP at launch on the Tremor or Platinum. The maximum towing rating is the same with either one.
No. Every 2027 Explorer trim is rated to tow up to 5,000 lb with either engine. The 2026 Explorer's maximum is also 5,000
lb, with the trailer tow package.
It depends on the vehicle, though Ford measured every 3.0L power rating on premium fuel. For the 2026 Bronco Raptor,
Ford's minimum fuel is premium unleaded. For the 2026 Ranger Raptor, Ford's recommended minimum is Premium 91+ octane. For
a 2026 or 2027 Explorer, its owner's manual gives Ford's fuel recommendation.
Reach out to us with a question about a
specific vehicle.
The EPA's combined estimates are 15 mpg for the 2026 Bronco Raptor and 17 mpg for the 2026 Ranger Raptor. For a 3.0L
Explorer, they run from 19 to 21 mpg, depending on model year, drive and EPA listing.
A 2027 Explorer ST, with the 3.0L standard, has an MSRP at launch of $53,875. With the 3.0L, a Tremor launched at $56,675
and a rear-wheel-drive Platinum launched at $56,535. The $1,795 destination charge is extra on each.
The 3.0L falls under the powertrain coverage of Ford's New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and that coverage runs 5 years or
60,000 miles, whichever comes first.
No. The
2.7L EcoBoost V6
is a different Ford engine with less displacement, and the 3.0L's ratings don't apply to it.
