Compare

Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot

2026 Ford Explorer vs 2026 Honda Pilot — two rivals compared on efficiency, size, safety and reliability.

Ford Explorer

2026 Ford Explorer

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDAWD/4WD
VS2 – 4Honda Pilot wins 4 of 6 categories
Honda Pilot

2026 Honda Pilot

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDAWD/4WD

Swap in a different car →

The short version

The Ford Explorer is more fuel-efficient: 24 vs 22 MPG combined in its best version.

That works out to about $250 a year less in fuel for the Ford Explorer (EPA estimate, 15,000 miles).

Across all model years since 2005, the Honda Pilot has had fewer recall campaigns (54 vs 105).

The two cars

The 2026 Ford Explorer is a standard SUV offered with 2 engines (2.3L 4-cyl turbo and 3.0L 6-cyl turbo) and rear-wheel drive and part-time 4-wheel drive. It measures about 199 inches long and 79 inches wide on a 119-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,458 lb (4dr SUV).

The 2026 Honda Pilot is a small SUV offered with a 3.5L 6-cyl engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. It measures about 200 inches long and 78 inches wide on a 114-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,522 lb (Sport /EX-L 4dr SUV).

Buying used? The 2024 Explorer and the 2015 Pilot have the fewest problems in our data; avoid the 2016 Explorer and the 2016 Pilot.

Basics

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Regular Gasoline
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
2.3L 4-cyl turbo, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo
Engines
3.5L 6-cyl
Rear-Wheel Drive, Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive

Efficiency

24 MPG
Best combined MPG
22 MPG
20 city
City / highway MPG (best)
19 city
$2,800
Fuel cost per year (EPA)
$3,050

Performance & space

–
Horsepower (most powerful)
285 hp
198.8 in
Length
200 in
78.7 in
Width
78.3 in
70.1 in
Height
70.9 in
4,458 lb
Curb weight (lightest)
4,522 lb

Safety & reliability

10
Driver-assist features standard
14
15
Recalls (2026)
1
105
Recalls, all years since 2005
54
42
Owner complaints (latest year)
27

Interest

23,294
Wikipedia views, 30 days
11,561

Buying used

2024
Best used year
2015
2016
Year to avoid
2016

Green = clearly better. Prices are not included. How we calculate this →

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Ford Explorer if…

  • You want lower fuel bills (24 vs 22 MPG)

Choose the Honda Pilot if…

  • You want more standard driver-assist tech
  • You put reliability history first (54 vs 105 recalls since 2005)

Pros & cons of each

2026 Ford Explorer

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Lots of standard safety tech4 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • 15 recallsMore than similar models (about 1). Confirm repairs with the VIN.

2026 Honda Pilot

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 22 MPG combined, 27% below the 2026 small SUV average of 30.2 MPG.

Full 2026 Ford Explorer specs →Full 2026 Honda Pilot specs →Compare fuel costs for your driving →Compare size & garage fit →