Compare the2022 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Ford Explorer

The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Explorer doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Highlander and the Explorer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Ford Explorer:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 116 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Explorer is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Explorer.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 78 points higher than the Explorer.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander third among upper midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Explorer isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 14th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Highlander is faster than the Ford Explorer turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Explorer:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Explorer ST/Platinum/King Ranch/Timberline requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Highlander’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Explorer ST are solid, not vented.

The Highlander stops shorter than the Explorer:

The Highlander XLE AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Explorer Limited 4WD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Highlander XLE AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Explorer Limited 4WD (27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Explorer’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Explorer ST (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Highlander is 3.9 inches shorter than the Explorer, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Explorer can only carry 7.

The Highlander has .5 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more rear legroom, 4.7 inches more third row hip room and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Explorer.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Explorer’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Explorer.

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Explorer’s (5000 vs. 3000 pounds).

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Explorer doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Explorer’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Explorer can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. A locking fuel door is only offered on the Explorer Hybrid.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Explorer’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Highlander’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Explorer XLT/Limited/ST-Line/Timberline/King Ranch/ST/Platinum.

When the Highlander Limited/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Explorer’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Insurance will cost less for the Highlander owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Highlander with a number “8” insurance rate while the Explorer is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

The Highlander will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Highlander will retain 56.97% to 58.08% of its original price after five years, while the Explorer only retains 48.3% to 56.28%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Highlander is less expensive to operate than the Explorer because it costs $191 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Highlander than the Explorer, including $227 less for a water pump, $598 less for a muffler, $11 less for front brake pads, $35 less for front struts and $673 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Highlander will be $1712 to $13076 less than for the Ford Explorer.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Highlander, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Explorer isn't recommended.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Toyota Highlander XLE AWD three places higher than the Ford Explorer XLT.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Ford Explorer by 23% during the 2021 model year.