Dodge Durango vs Ford Explorer: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Dodge Durango typically lists for $34,479 against $39,617 for the Ford Explorer (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Ford Explorer takes fuel economy (20 MPG combined vs 17 MPG); the Ford Explorer leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.0★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the GT at $31,881 vs the XLT at $31,567; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Dodge Durango GT ($31,881) faces the Ford Explorer XLT ($31,567); the most common trims on the market are the GT (68.0% of Dodge Durango listings) and the XLT (34.6% of Ford Explorer listings); at the top of the market, the GT HEMI ($47,000) faces the ST ($46,340). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Dodge Durango | Ford Explorer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| SXT | $25,997 | 2.4% | XLTMost popularCheapest | $31,567 | 34.6% |
| GTMost popularCheapest | $31,881 | 68.0% | LIMITED | $33,632 | 5.4% |
| GT PLUS | $33,552 | 0.5% | TIMBERLINE | $35,795 | 2.6% |
| CITADEL | $36,074 | 1.7% | ST-LINE | $39,245 | 18.3% |
| R/T | $40,142 | 21.2% | ACTIVE | $39,449 | 16.5% |
| GT HEMIPriciest | $47,000 | 3.7% | PLATINUM | $44,990 | 6.6% |
| SRT 392 | $57,448 | 1.1% | STPriciest | $46,340 | 12.6% |
| SRT HELLCAT | $75,946 | 1.4% | TREMOR | $54,652 | 2.0% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Dodge Durango prices · Ford Explorer prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Dodge Durango typical | Ford Explorer typical | Difference | Dodge Durango MPG | Ford Explorer MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $39,284 | $45,021 | Ford Explorer +$5,737 | 13–20 MPG | 19–24 MPG |
| 2025 | $34,479 | $39,617 | Ford Explorer +$5,138 | 13–20 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2024 | $30,750 | $35,275 | Ford Explorer +$4,525 | 13–21 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2023 | $33,085 | $31,992 | Dodge Durango +$1,093 | 13–21 MPG | 20–27 MPG |
| 2022 | $30,951 | $28,436 | Dodge Durango +$2,515 | 15–21 MPG | 19–27 MPG |
| 2021 | $26,867 | $23,989 | Dodge Durango +$2,878 | 13–21 MPG | 19–27 MPG |
| 2020 | $21,328 | $22,166 | Ford Explorer +$838 | 15–21 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2019 | $18,999 | $17,500 | Dodge Durango +$1,499 | 15–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2018 | $17,205 | $15,995 | Dodge Durango +$1,210 | 15–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2017 | $14,925 | $13,990 | Dodge Durango +$935 | 17–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2016 | $14,433 | $12,250 | Dodge Durango +$2,183 | 17–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2015 | $12,049 | $9,999 | Dodge Durango +$2,050 | 16–20 MPG | 18–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,999 | $9,500 | Dodge Durango +$499 | 16–20 MPG | 18–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $9,400 | $8,495 | Dodge Durango +$905 | 15–19 MPG | 18–23 MPG |
| 2012 | $8,995 | $7,997 | Dodge Durango +$998 | 15–19 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,994 | $6,997 | Dodge Durango +$997 | 15–19 MPG | 19–20 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,965 | $5,500 | Ford Explorer +$535 | 12–16 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,975 | $4,990 | Ford Explorer +$15 | 14–16 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2003 | $4,040 | $4,869 | Ford Explorer +$829 | 13–15 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Dodge Durango or Ford Explorer?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Dodge Durango is cheaper: it typically lists for $34,479 versus $39,617 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, August 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Dodge Durango or Ford Explorer?
The Ford Explorer: its typical rated version returns 20 MPG combined versus 17 MPG for the Dodge Durango (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Dodge Durango or Ford Explorer?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Explorer averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.0 for the Dodge Durango. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Dodge Durango or Ford Explorer?
NHTSA lists an average of 5.2 recalls per model year for the Dodge Durango and 10.4 for the Ford Explorer — an edge for the Dodge Durango. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Dodge Durango GT typically lists for $31,881 vs $31,567 for a Ford Explorer XLT; the most common trims on the market are the GT ($31,881, 68.0% of Dodge Durango listings) and the XLT ($31,567, 34.6% of Ford Explorer listings); at the top of the market, the GT HEMI ($47,000) faces the ST ($46,340). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/dodge/durango/vs/ford/explorer.
Dig deeper
Dodge Durango — live listings & specs Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Dodge Durango prices by year Ford Explorer prices by year Dodge Durango MPG by year Ford Explorer MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.