2018 Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot

SUVs are the ultimate car for versatility. They offer reliability through tough weather, on your way to work, or on your family vacation. For drivers in Dover, Middletown, and Odessa, they're a great choice whether you're heading to the beach or planning a road trip.

With so many SUVs on the market today, which ones can offer you and your family the most convenience and comfort? Winner Ford looks at two of the most popular SUVs for you with this 2018 Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot comparison.

Power

The 2018 Ford Explorer offers three options for engines to power this classic SUV. The standard engine is a 3.5L V6 with twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT). This engine gets 290 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque.

The other two options both use the Ford EcoBoost® technology to achieve greater engine output and more torque. One is a 2.3L EcoBoost® I-4 engine that gets 280 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

The largest and most powerful engine is a 3.5L EcoBoost® V6 that gets 365 horsepower and generates up to 350 lb-ft of torque.

All three engines are paired with a standard 6-speed SelectShift® automatic transmission. Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are available to give you the freedom to manually control your gear shifting without a clutch.

The power offered in these engines allows you to pull a lot of cargo. The Ford also has a maximum towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds.

There's only one engine available for the Pilot and it doesn't offer the same kind of power. It runs on a 3.5L V6 engine that gets 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque.

This also limits its ability to haul extra cargo. It has a towing capacity of only 3,500 pounds.

Cargo Space

When you're loading up cargo that's smaller than a camper or a boat, the 2018 Ford Explorer has lots of room for your luggage.

The trunk space behind the third row of seats offers you 21 cubic feet of cargo room. You can create more space with the standard 3^rd-row 50/50 split fold-flat seat and the 2^nd-row 60/40 split fold-flat seats.

With the back row down there's 43.9 cubic feet of space, and with the middle row folded down there's a total of 81.7 cubic feet for cargo.

There's easy access to all this space with the available hands-free foot-activated liftgate and the PowerFold® 3^rd-row seat that lets you fold the seats with just the push of a button.

This SUV can also help if you've got a full car and want to tie longer items to the roof. A standard roof rack lets you tie down things like kayaks and a Christmas tree.

The Honda model also offers seating for seven and folding second and third row seats, but it doesn't offer as much space without interfering with your seating. There's only 16.5 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk space behind the third row.

There's also not as much convenience for packing up. Roof rails are not standard and there is a power tailgate but its remote activated, so you'd still have to put your bags down to open it instead of just holding your foot out.

Passenger Space

The 2018 Ford Explorer was designed to focus as much on interior cabin space for your family as it was for cargo. All three rows feature enough space for seven people to sit comfortably.

Up front there's 42.9 inches of front legroom. In the middle there's 39.5 inches of legroom for the second row. And in the third row there's 33.3 inches of rear legroom.

The Pilot has a slightly more cramped interior. It has 40.9 inches of front legroom, 38.4 inches of middle legroom, and 31.9 inches of rear legroom.

Which SUV Is Right For You?

It's clear that the iconic Ford Explorer is a great SUV for providing your family with lots of cargo space and comfort during your journey.

Drivers in Odessa, Middletown, and Dover can visit Winner Ford to learn more about this 2018 Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot comparison or take a test drive.