Compare the2024 Infiniti QX60VS 2023 Ford Explorer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The QX60 Sensory/Autograph’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Explorer doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX60 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 Ford Explorer doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The QX60 Autograph has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Explorer doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the QX60 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, available all wheel drive, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Infiniti QX60 is safer than the Ford Explorer:

	QX60	Explorer
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	138 lbs.	161 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	461 lbs.	604 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	234	288
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	466 lbs.	573 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the QX60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Explorer is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

Warranty

The QX60 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Explorer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 24,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX60 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Explorer. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Explorer ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The QX60’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Explorer’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the QX60 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Infiniti will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Explorer.

Reliability

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 QX60’s reliability 14 points higher than the Explorer.

Engine

As tested in Consumer Reports the Infiniti QX60 is faster than the Ford Explorer turbo 4 cyl.:

	QX60	Explorer
Zero to 30 MPH	2.6 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.7 sec	7.4 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	89 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the QX60 gets better mileage than the Explorer:

			MPG
QX60
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/25 hwy
Explorer
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	18 city/25 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	18 city/24 hwy
		Timberline 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/22 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6	17 city/24 hwy
		Timberline 2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/21 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Infiniti QX60 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Explorer with the 3.0 turbo V6 engine requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the QX60’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Explorer:

	QX60	Explorer
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches

The QX60’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.

Tires and Wheels

The QX60 Pure’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 QX60 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.

Suspension and Handling

The QX60 Autograph AWD handles at .85 G’s, while the Explorer XLT 4WD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The QX60 has .1 inches more front headroom, 4.3 inches more third row hip room and 1 inch more third row shoulder room than the Explorer.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the QX60’s middle and third row seats recline. The Explorer’s third row seats don’t recline.

Towing

The QX60’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Explorer’s (3500 vs. 3000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Explorer is only 5600 pounds. The QX60 offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The QX60 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Explorer uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 9th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 24% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Explorer (except Base/XLT/ST-Line), the QX60 Sensory/Autograph has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster), outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The QX60’s standard Entry/Exit Assist raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Explorer, and is not available on all models.

The QX60 (except Pure) offers an available 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 QX60’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 QX60’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Explorer’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 QX60’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Explorer’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The QX60’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 QX60 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.

The QX60 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Explorer.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Infiniti QX60 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Explorer and isn’t available on the Explorer Base.