Compare the2023 Ford ExplorerVS 2023 VinFast VF 9

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Ford Explorer are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The VinFast VF 9 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Explorer are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The VF 9 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Explorer 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The VF 9 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Explorer and VF 9 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Explorer offers optional Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The VF 9’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Explorer and the VF 9 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Explorer the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 55 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The VF 9 has not been tested, yet.

The Explorer’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the VF 9’s (unlimited vs. 125000 miles).

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The VF 9 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Explorer Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver A locking charge port is an option at extra cost on the VF 9. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The VF 9 doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Explorer has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the VF 9; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The VF 9 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For greater off-road capability the Explorer ST has a greater minimum ground clearance than the VF 9 (7.9 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the Explorer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Explorer Timberline’s minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the VF 9 (8.7 vs. 7.8 inches).

The Ford Explorer may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1350 to 1900 pounds less than the VinFast VF 9.

The front grille of the Explorer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The VF 9 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Explorer Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The VF 9 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Explorer uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The VF 9 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Explorer (except Base) offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The VF 9 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The VF 9 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The VF 9’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Explorer Platinum’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Explorer is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The VF 9 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.