Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $39,994 against $34,999 for the Hyundai Palisade (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Hyundai Palisade takes fuel economy (22 MPG combined vs 20 MPG); the Hyundai Palisade leads on NCAP safety (5.0★ vs 4.9★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $31,700 vs the SEL at $33,800; 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 ($31,700) faces the Hyundai Palisade SEL ($33,800); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.2% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SEL (31.7% of Hyundai Palisade listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,922) faces the CALLIGRAPHY ($51,611). 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.
| Ford Explorer | Hyundai Palisade | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLTMost popularCheapest | $31,700 | 34.2% | SELMost popularCheapest | $33,800 | 31.7% |
| LIMITED | $33,484 | 5.5% | XRT | $34,062 | 7.3% |
| TIMBERLINE | $35,747 | 2.5% | CALIGRAPHY | $34,978 | 6.1% |
| ACTIVE | $39,235 | 17.0% | LIMITED | $35,289 | 14.6% |
| ST-LINE | $39,726 | 17.7% | SEL PREMIUM | $37,098 | 6.9% |
| PLATINUM | $45,339 | 6.8% | CALLIGRAPHY/CALLIGRAPHY NIGHT | $44,413 | 5.7% |
| STPriciest | $46,922 | 12.6% | XRT PRO | $45,999 | 7.4% |
| TREMOR | $54,011 | 2.1% | CALLIGRAPHYPriciest | $51,611 | 16.6% |
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 · Hyundai Palisade prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer typical | Hyundai Palisade typical | Difference | Ford Explorer MPG | Hyundai Palisade MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,013 | $48,497 | Hyundai Palisade +$3,484 | 19–24 MPG | 19–34 MPG |
| 2025 | $39,994 | $34,996 | Ford Explorer +$4,998 | 20–24 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,349 | $34,999 | Ford Explorer +$350 | 20–24 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,999 | $32,658 | Hyundai Palisade +$659 | 20–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,798 | $27,191 | Ford Explorer +$1,607 | 19–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2021 | $23,995 | $24,036 | Hyundai Palisade +$41 | 19–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,312 | $21,898 | Ford Explorer +$414 | 19–28 MPG | 21–22 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 — Ford Explorer or Hyundai Palisade?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Hyundai Palisade is cheaper: it typically lists for $34,999 versus $39,994 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, August 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Hyundai Palisade?
The Hyundai Palisade: its typical rated version returns 22 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ford Explorer or Hyundai Palisade?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Hyundai Palisade averages 5.0 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.9 for the Ford Explorer. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Hyundai Palisade?
NHTSA lists an average of 11.3 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 4.6 for the Hyundai Palisade — an edge for the Hyundai Palisade. 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 $31,700 vs $33,800 for a Hyundai Palisade SEL; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,700, 34.2% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SEL ($33,800, 31.7% of Hyundai Palisade listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,922) faces the CALLIGRAPHY ($51,611). 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/ford/explorer/vs/hyundai/palisade.
Dig deeper
Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Hyundai Palisade — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Hyundai Palisade prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Hyundai Palisade MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.