Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (August 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $39,607 against $43,084 for the Honda Pilot (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Honda Pilot takes fuel economy (21 MPG combined vs 20 MPG); the Ford Explorer leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.7★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $31,499 vs the SPORT at $36,553; 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 Ford Explorer XLT ($31,499) faces the Honda Pilot SPORT ($36,553); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.2% of Ford Explorer listings) and the EX-L (26.4% of Honda Pilot listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,389) faces the BLACK EDITION ($48,372). 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.

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: Ford Explorer prices · Honda Pilot prices.

Used price by model year

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 — Ford Explorer or Honda Pilot?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ford Explorer is cheaper: it typically lists for $39,607 versus $43,084 for the Honda Pilot (national medians, August 2026).

Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Honda Pilot?

The Honda Pilot: its typical rated version returns 21 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).

Which is safer — Ford Explorer or Honda Pilot?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Explorer averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.7 for the Honda Pilot. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Honda Pilot?

NHTSA lists an average of 10.4 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 8.2 for the Honda Pilot — an edge for the Honda Pilot. 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 Ford Explorer XLT typically lists for $31,499 vs $36,553 for a Honda Pilot SPORT; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,499, 34.2% of Ford Explorer listings) and the EX-L ($36,995, 26.4% of Honda Pilot listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,389) faces the BLACK EDITION ($48,372). 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.

Dig deeper

Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Honda Pilot — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Honda Pilot prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Honda Pilot MPG by year

See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.