Compare the2023 Honda PilotVS 2023 Ford Explorer

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

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Pilot for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda 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 Pilot’s reliability 34 points higher than the Explorer.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 13 places higher in reliability than Ford.

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The Explorer doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

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

For better stopping power the Pilot’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Explorer:

The Pilot EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Explorer’s standard 65 series tires.

The Pilot has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Explorer doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Explorer; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Explorer’s (37.8 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Explorer can only carry 7.

The Pilot has 5.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Explorer (158.4 vs. 152.7).

The Pilot has .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom, .4 inches more third row headroom, .3 inches more third row legroom, 3.7 inches more third row hip room and 4.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the Explorer.

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

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

The Pilot’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Explorer’s (3500 vs. 3000 pounds).

The Pilot Elite has a standard heads-up display that projects speed 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 Pilot’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.

The Pilot 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.

When the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite 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.