Compare the2024 Lexus TXVS 2023 Ford Explorer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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Both the TX and the Explorer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, 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.

Warranty

The TX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-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 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the TX 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 TX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Explorer’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

Engine

The TX has more powerful engines than the Explorer:

	Horsepower	Torque
TX 350 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	275 HP	317 lbs.-ft.
TX 500h 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	366 HP	406 lbs.-ft.
TX 550h+ 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid	406 HP
Explorer 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder	300 HP	310 lbs.-ft.
Explorer 3.3 DOHC V6 hybrid	318 HP	322 lbs.-ft.
Explorer 3.0 turbo V6	400 HP	415 lbs.-ft.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the TX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Explorer:

			MPG
TX
	FWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/28 hwy
		2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
Explorer
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	18 city/25 hwy
	AWD	3.3 V6 Hybrid	23 city/26 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
		Platinum 3.3 V6 Hybrid	23 city/24 hwy
		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

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus TX higher (7 out of 10) than the Ford Explorer (5 to 6). This means the TX produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Explorer every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The TX 550h+ has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Explorer doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the TX 500h/550h+’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Explorer:

	TX 500h/550h+	Explorer	Explorer ST
Front Rotors	15.7 inches	13.6 inches	14.3 inches

The TX’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 TX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Explorer’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the TX has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Explorer. The TX’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Explorer.

Passenger Space

The TX has .8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more third row legroom and 2.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the Explorer.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

	TX	Explorer
Behind Third Seat	20.2 cubic feet	18.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.4 cubic feet	47.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	97 cubic feet	87.8 cubic feet

Towing

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

Servicing Ease

The TX 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 Lexus service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 59% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

Ergonomics

The TX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Explorer does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The TX Luxury offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and driver assistance information 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 TX’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 TX 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 Lexus service department.) The driver of the Explorer can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The TX’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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The TX Luxury/F Sport has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Explorer doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The TX’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 TX 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 TX Premium/Luxury has standard front air conditioned seats and the TX offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Explorer doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus TX 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.

The TX Premium/Luxury/F Sport’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Explorer ST/Platinum’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

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