Ford Explorer vs Nissan Pathfinder: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (September 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $38,998 against $32,468 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 $31,142 vs the S at $27,400; 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 ($31,142) faces the Nissan Pathfinder S ($27,400); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.3% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SV (42.8% of Nissan Pathfinder listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,625) faces the PLATINUM ($37,995). 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 | $31,142 | 34.3% | SCheapest | $27,400 | 4.4% |
| LIMITED | $32,967 | 5.9% | SVMost popular | $29,397 | 42.8% |
| TIMBERLINE | $35,077 | 2.5% | SL | $32,990 | 32.4% |
| ST-LINE | $38,894 | 18.6% | PLATINUMPriciest | $37,995 | 20.4% |
| ACTIVE | $39,345 | 15.9% | — | ||
| PLATINUM | $44,636 | 6.3% | — | ||
| STPriciest | $46,625 | 12.8% | — | ||
| TREMOR | $55,624 | 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 | $45,425 | $40,762 | Ford Explorer +$4,663 | 19–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2025 | $38,998 | $32,468 | Ford Explorer +$6,530 | 20–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $34,803 | $30,420 | Ford Explorer +$4,383 | 20–24 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,666 | $30,500 | Ford Explorer +$1,166 | 20–27 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2022 | $27,995 | $24,998 | Ford Explorer +$2,997 | 19–27 MPG | 22–23 MPG |
| 2020 | $21,977 | $15,496 | Ford Explorer +$6,481 | 19–28 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2019 | $17,385 | $13,991 | Ford Explorer +$3,394 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,900 | $11,999 | Ford Explorer +$3,901 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,911 | $10,500 | Ford Explorer +$3,411 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,056 | $8,999 | Ford Explorer +$3,057 | 18–22 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2015 | $10,214 | $8,797 | Ford Explorer +$1,417 | 18–23 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,499 | $7,973 | Ford Explorer +$1,526 | 18–23 MPG | 21–26 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,277 | $7,016 | Ford Explorer +$1,261 | 18–23 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,995 | $7,999 | Nissan Pathfinder +$4 | 19–23 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,444 | $6,900 | Ford Explorer +$544 | 19–20 MPG | 15–17 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,991 | $5,498 | Ford Explorer +$1,493 | 15–17 MPG | 14–18 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,755 | $5,995 | Nissan Pathfinder +$240 | 15–16 MPG | 14–17 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,999 | $5,998 | Nissan Pathfinder +$999 | 15–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,980 | $5,699 | Nissan Pathfinder +$719 | 15–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,968 | $5,775 | Nissan Pathfinder +$807 | 14–16 MPG | 16–17 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (September 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 $32,468 versus $38,998 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, September 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 10.7 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 $31,142 vs $27,400 for a Nissan Pathfinder S; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,142, 34.3% of Ford Explorer listings) and the SV ($29,397, 42.8% of Nissan Pathfinder listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,625) faces the PLATINUM ($37,995). 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.