2020 Ford Explorer priced above Mercedes GLE in top-spec trim

There are price increases across the board.

The state-of-the-art new features packed into the all-new 2020 Ford Explorer (pictured) come at a cost. Pricing information for the model has surfaced online, and it's more expensive than its predecessor in every configuration.

Ford hasn't released official pricing information, but website CarsDirect learned the base model will cost $33,860 before a mandatory $1,095 destination charge enters the equation. That figure represents a reasonable $400 increase over the outgoing model's base price, but buyers who move up to the XLT will need to pay $37,770 -- $2,275 more than before.

The Explorer Limited costs $49,225 (an increase of $5,365) while the 400-horsepower Explorer ST is priced at $55,835. The outgoing Explorer Sport cost $8,115 less than the ST, though it's not a full blown performance-oriented model. Finally, the Explorer Hybrid starts at $52,780, according to Autoblog, while the range-topping Platinum is priced at $59,345, or about $4,000 more than the 2019 Explorer Platinum. That places it directly in luxury car territory; the Mercedes-Benz GLE starts at $55,700.

We know upmarket trims will come loaded with a large, portrait-style touch screen for the infotainment system, wall-to-wall leather upholstery, and a wide array of electronic driving aids. Ford will release the 2020 Explorer's full list of standard and optional features in the coming months.