Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $38,489 against $33,830 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 $30,882 vs the SEL at $32,451; 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 ($30,882) faces the Hyundai Palisade SEL ($32,451); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (33.6% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SEL (40.2% of Hyundai Palisade listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,390) faces the CALLIGRAPHY ($50,980). 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 | $30,882 | 33.6% | SELMost popularCheapest | $32,451 | 40.2% |
| LIMITED | $32,386 | 5.8% | XRT | $33,118 | 6.7% |
| TIMBERLINE | $34,990 | 2.6% | CALIGRAPHY | $33,998 | 5.3% |
| ST-LINE | $38,400 | 18.2% | SEL PREMIUM | $34,990 | 7.1% |
| ACTIVE | $39,176 | 16.5% | LIMITED | $34,999 | 14.5% |
| PLATINUM | $44,995 | 6.4% | CALLIGRAPHY/CALLIGRAPHY NIGHT | $43,322 | 4.2% |
| STPriciest | $46,390 | 12.7% | XRT PRO | $46,575 | 5.8% |
| TREMOR | $55,660 | 2.6% | CALLIGRAPHYPriciest | $50,980 | 13.4% |
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 | $45,164 | $47,147 | Hyundai Palisade +$1,983 | 19–24 MPG | 19–34 MPG |
| 2025 | $38,489 | $33,000 | Ford Explorer +$5,489 | 20–24 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2024 | $34,412 | $33,830 | Ford Explorer +$582 | 20–24 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,161 | $31,148 | Ford Explorer +$13 | 20–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2022 | $27,543 | $26,284 | Ford Explorer +$1,259 | 19–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2021 | $23,395 | $23,333 | Ford Explorer +$62 | 19–27 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2020 | $21,587 | $20,834 | Ford Explorer +$753 | 19–28 MPG | 21–22 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 — Ford Explorer or Hyundai Palisade?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Hyundai Palisade is cheaper: it typically lists for $33,830 versus $38,489 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, October 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 10.7 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 $30,882 vs $32,451 for a Hyundai Palisade SEL; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($30,882, 33.6% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SEL ($32,451, 40.2% of Hyundai Palisade listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,390) faces the CALLIGRAPHY ($50,980). 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.