Dodge Durango vs Ford Explorer: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Dodge Durango typically lists for $32,760 against $38,464 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 $30,990 vs the XLT at $30,834; 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 ($30,990) faces the Ford Explorer XLT ($30,834); the most common trims on the market are the GT (68.2% of Dodge Durango listings) and the XLT (32.7% of Ford Explorer listings); at the top of the market, the GT HEMI ($45,899) faces the ST ($46,393). 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 | $25,063 | 2.9% | XLTMost popularCheapest | $30,834 | 32.7% |
| GTMost popularCheapest | $30,990 | 68.2% | LIMITED | $32,386 | 5.7% |
| CITADEL | $36,357 | 1.2% | TIMBERLINE | $34,900 | 2.6% |
| R/T | $38,999 | 19.9% | ST-LINE | $38,411 | 18.5% |
| GT HEMIPriciest | $45,899 | 4.9% | ACTIVE | $38,993 | 17.0% |
| SRT 392 | $55,389 | 1.2% | PLATINUM | $45,092 | 6.3% |
| SRT HELLCAT | $76,067 | 1.7% | STPriciest | $46,393 | 12.9% |
| — | TREMOR | $55,435 | 2.8% | ||
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 | $38,088 | $45,115 | Ford Explorer +$7,027 | 13–20 MPG | 19–24 MPG |
| 2025 | $32,760 | $38,464 | Ford Explorer +$5,704 | 13–20 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2024 | $29,621 | $34,340 | Ford Explorer +$4,719 | 13–21 MPG | 20–24 MPG |
| 2023 | $32,213 | $31,149 | Dodge Durango +$1,064 | 13–21 MPG | 20–27 MPG |
| 2022 | $29,995 | $27,664 | Dodge Durango +$2,331 | 15–21 MPG | 19–27 MPG |
| 2021 | $25,150 | $23,472 | Dodge Durango +$1,678 | 13–21 MPG | 19–27 MPG |
| 2020 | $20,900 | $21,499 | Ford Explorer +$599 | 15–21 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2019 | $18,690 | $16,995 | Dodge Durango +$1,695 | 15–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2018 | $16,988 | $15,735 | Dodge Durango +$1,253 | 15–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2017 | $14,713 | $13,580 | Dodge Durango +$1,133 | 17–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2016 | $13,111 | $11,995 | Dodge Durango +$1,116 | 17–21 MPG | 18–22 MPG |
| 2015 | $11,999 | $9,999 | Dodge Durango +$2,000 | 16–20 MPG | 18–23 MPG |
| 2014 | $10,268 | $8,995 | Dodge Durango +$1,273 | 16–20 MPG | 18–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,999 | $8,185 | Dodge Durango +$814 | 15–19 MPG | 18–23 MPG |
| 2012 | $8,287 | $7,899 | Dodge Durango +$388 | 15–19 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2011 | $8,495 | $7,008 | Dodge Durango +$1,487 | 15–19 MPG | 19–20 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,995 | $5,500 | Dodge Durango +$495 | 15–16 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,450 | $4,999 | Ford Explorer +$549 | 14–16 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,348 | $4,995 | Ford Explorer +$647 | 12–16 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,973 | $4,535 | Dodge Durango +$438 | 14–16 MPG | 14–16 MPG |
| 2004 | $4,900 | $4,995 | Ford Explorer +$95 | 13–16 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
| 2003 | $4,847 | $4,948 | Ford Explorer +$101 | 13–15 MPG | 15–16 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 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 $32,760 versus $38,464 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, October 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 5.3 recalls per model year for the Dodge Durango and 10.6 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 $30,990 vs $30,834 for a Ford Explorer XLT; the most common trims on the market are the GT ($30,990, 68.2% of Dodge Durango listings) and the XLT ($30,834, 32.7% of Ford Explorer listings); at the top of the market, the GT HEMI ($45,899) faces the ST ($46,393). 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.