Ford Explorer vs Nissan Pathfinder: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (November 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $37,995 against $31,660 for the Nissan Pathfinder (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Nissan Pathfinder takes fuel economy (22 MPG combined vs 20 MPG). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $30,239 vs the S at $26,791; 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 ($30,239) faces the Nissan Pathfinder S ($26,791); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (31.8% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SV (39.4% of Nissan Pathfinder listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($45,468) faces the PLATINUM ($36,104). 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 | Nissan Pathfinder | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLTMost popularCheapest | $30,239 | 31.8% | SCheapest | $26,791 | 6.3% |
| LIMITED | $31,759 | 6.0% | SVMost popular | $29,028 | 39.4% |
| TIMBERLINE | $34,537 | 2.9% | SL | $31,873 | 33.3% |
| ACTIVE | $37,312 | 16.8% | PLATINUMPriciest | $36,104 | 21.1% |
| ST-LINE | $37,435 | 16.8% | — | ||
| PLATINUM | $44,733 | 7.2% | — | ||
| STPriciest | $45,468 | 14.2% | — | ||
| TREMOR | $53,416 | 2.9% | — | ||
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 · Nissan Pathfinder prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer typical | Nissan Pathfinder typical | Difference | Ford Explorer MPG | Nissan Pathfinder MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,377 | $37,215 | Ford Explorer +$7,162 | 19–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2025 | $37,995 | $31,660 | Ford Explorer +$6,335 | 20–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $33,787 | $30,709 | Ford Explorer +$3,078 | 20–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $30,874 | $29,217 | Ford Explorer +$1,657 | 20–27 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2022 | $26,990 | $24,061 | Ford Explorer +$2,929 | 19–27 MPG | 22–23 MPG |
| 2020 | $20,998 | $15,205 | Ford Explorer +$5,793 | 19–28 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2019 | $16,798 | $13,441 | Ford Explorer +$3,357 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,304 | $11,900 | Ford Explorer +$3,404 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,500 | $9,995 | Ford Explorer +$3,505 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $11,900 | $9,081 | Ford Explorer +$2,819 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $9,995 | $7,995 | Ford Explorer +$2,000 | 18–23 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2014 | $8,995 | $7,646 | Ford Explorer +$1,349 | 18–23 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,124 | $6,995 | Ford Explorer +$1,129 | 18–23 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,965 | $7,220 | Ford Explorer +$745 | 19–23 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,707 | $6,900 | Ford Explorer +$807 | 19–20 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,495 | $6,424 | Ford Explorer +$71 | 15–17 MPG | 14–18 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,995 | $5,299 | Ford Explorer +$696 | 15–16 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2007 | $5,300 | $5,773 | Nissan Pathfinder +$473 | 15–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,999 | $5,900 | Nissan Pathfinder +$901 | 15–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,870 | $5,144 | Nissan Pathfinder +$274 | 14–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (November 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford Explorer or Nissan Pathfinder?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Nissan Pathfinder is cheaper: it typically lists for $31,660 versus $37,995 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, November 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Nissan Pathfinder?
The Nissan Pathfinder: 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 more reliable — Ford Explorer or Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA lists an average of 10.6 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 3.5 for the Nissan Pathfinder — an edge for the Nissan Pathfinder. 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 $30,239 vs $26,791 for a Nissan Pathfinder S; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($30,239, 31.8% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SV ($29,028, 39.4% of Nissan Pathfinder listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($45,468) faces the PLATINUM ($36,104). 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/nissan/pathfinder.
Dig deeper
Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Nissan Pathfinder — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Nissan Pathfinder prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Nissan Pathfinder MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.