Ford Explorer vs Nissan Pathfinder: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $40,290 against $33,261 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 $31,817 vs the S at $28,487; 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 ($31,817) faces the Nissan Pathfinder S ($28,487); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (32.5% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SV (43.2% of Nissan Pathfinder listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,998) faces the PLATINUM ($38,671). 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 | $31,817 | 32.5% | SCheapest | $28,487 | 3.7% |
| LIMITED | $33,519 | 5.2% | SVMost popular | $29,998 | 43.2% |
| TIMBERLINE | $35,779 | 2.4% | SL | $33,881 | 29.9% |
| ST-LINE | $39,893 | 18.1% | PLATINUMPriciest | $38,671 | 23.2% |
| ACTIVE | $39,973 | 17.9% | — | ||
| PLATINUM | $45,774 | 7.3% | — | ||
| STPriciest | $46,998 | 12.8% | — | ||
| TREMOR | $54,800 | 2.2% | — | ||
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 | $45,697 | $44,590 | Ford Explorer +$1,107 | 19–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2025 | $40,290 | $33,261 | Ford Explorer +$7,029 | 20–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,340 | $30,989 | Ford Explorer +$4,351 | 20–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $32,159 | $31,500 | Ford Explorer +$659 | 20–27 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,853 | $25,523 | Ford Explorer +$3,330 | 19–27 MPG | 22–23 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,348 | $15,868 | Ford Explorer +$6,480 | 19–28 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2019 | $17,702 | $14,027 | Ford Explorer +$3,675 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,995 | $11,995 | Ford Explorer +$4,000 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,995 | $10,985 | Ford Explorer +$3,010 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,294 | $8,998 | Ford Explorer +$3,296 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $10,495 | $8,278 | Ford Explorer +$2,217 | 18–23 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,305 | $8,198 | Ford Explorer +$1,107 | 18–23 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,499 | $7,200 | Ford Explorer +$1,299 | 18–23 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,903 | $6,995 | Ford Explorer +$908 | 19–23 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,849 | $6,973 | Ford Explorer +$876 | 19–20 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,792 | $5,838 | Ford Explorer +$954 | 15–17 MPG | 14–18 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,490 | $5,973 | Nissan Pathfinder +$483 | 15–16 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,999 | $5,995 | Nissan Pathfinder +$996 | 15–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,985 | $5,495 | Nissan Pathfinder +$510 | 14–16 MPG | 16–17 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 Nissan Pathfinder?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Nissan Pathfinder is cheaper: it typically lists for $33,261 versus $40,290 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, August 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 10.4 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 3.4 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 $31,817 vs $28,487 for a Nissan Pathfinder S; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,817, 32.5% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SV ($29,998, 43.2% of Nissan Pathfinder listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,998) faces the PLATINUM ($38,671). 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.