2020 Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot
The Ford Explorer has had a top-to-bottom redesign in time for the 2020 model year. This stalwart midsize sport utility vehicle was beginning to show its age, but comes now as a new, modernized, and improved SUV. To show you what we mean, we’ll pit it against the Honda Pilot, one of the best in its class. Which midsize SUV rises to the top in this competition? Read on to find out.
Engine Options: 2020 Ford Explorer
First of all, the Explorer now sports one of three potent engine options. The base and Limited trims offer the 300-horsepower four-cylinder engine. Step up to a higher trim level and get a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that produces 400 or 365, depending on chosen trim. Finally, there’s the 3.3-liter V6 engine paired with an electric motor for the Explorer Hybrid. This model makes 318 horsepower.
Meanwhile, the 2020 Honda Pilot offers exactly one engine option. And that one engine option affords you only 280 horsepower, less than any of the Explorer’s engines. To its credit, the Pilot offers adequate power for just about anything you need it to do. But it comes in second place to the Explorer in this category.
Towing: 2020 Ford Explorer
More power usually means more towing capacity, and that’s the case here. True to form, the 2020 Ford Explorer can tow up to 5,600 pounds when properly equipped. That narrowly edges out the Honda Pilot, which can pull up to 5,000 pounds at maximum.
Reliability: 2020 Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer’s reliability rating from JD Power and Associates is an industry-average 3 out of 5. That means that it’s the middle-of-the-pack in terms of owner satisfaction and reported issues. But the Honda Pilot fares a little worse, getting only a 2.5 out of 5 reliability score. In other words, that’s below average in driver satisfaction.
Cargo Room: 2020 Ford Explorer
You might be an SUV as opposed to a sedan for its looks. But we’re willing to bet you were hoping for more cargo room than a trunk can afford too. So let’s take a look at these numbers. First of all, behind the rear row of seats, there’s 18.2 cubic feet of space. Fold the back row down and it expands to 47.9 cubes. But we’re not done yet. Fold the remaining row down, and you’re left with a whopping 87.8 cubic feet of cargo room. For reference your average paper grocery bag takes up 0.4 cubes. Imagine the possibilities.
By comparison, the Honda Pilot grants you 16.5 cubic feet of storage space behind the back row and expands to 83.9 cubes with all both rows down. In both cases, the Pilot falls just short of the Explorer’s numbers, which is a general pattern emerging here. For our money, the Explorer is the better vehicle.