Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander: What’s The Difference?
Source: Pixabay
So, you want a three-row seating mid-size SUV, but you don’t want to make the wrong decision and purchase the wrong vehicle. You’ve made the smart decision by researching the SUVs and comparing the differences, and we’re here to give you the full side-by-side breakdown of both vehicles.
Both the Ford Explorer and the Toyota Highlander have the purpose of seating a family of seven very comfortably for a relatively affordable price. But, which one does it better? Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander, what’s the difference?
Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander: What’s New?
Toyota unveiled the fourth generation Highlander in 2019, while the Explorer’s sixth generation came a year after. Since then, neither SUV has seen a major upgrade, so we’ll look at what’s new for the unveiled years and who wins in the Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander battle!
OTHER CAR SHOPPING APPS ARE OUTDATED
You won’t realize how outdated other car searching apps are until you try the CoPilot car shopping app. CoPilot does the hard work for you by searching all of the listings in your area and intelligently creating a personalized list of the best buys in the area that match what you’re looking for.
Ford Explorer: What’s New?
The new generation Explorer received a unibody construction platform shared with the Lincoln Aviator. The powerplant that the Explorer comes with is either a turbocharged inline-four, a twin-turbo V6, or a non-turbo V6 combined with a lithium-ion battery pack hybrid. Each engine should produce more than enough power, so the choice is entirely yours. Rear-wheel-drive is the standard, but you can opt for an all-wheel-drive drivetrain for an additional $2,000.
In 2020, the Explorer got a sleeker, more modern design and a more spacious cabin alongside a few minor modern features. The 2021 Explorer has options such as scheduling a time to start the engine, locking the doors, etc., with your phone. You might be surprised how handy this turns out to be.
So far, the Explorer feels like an excellent SUV.
Toyota Highlander: What’s New?
The 2021 Highlander comes with a naturally aspirated V6 and a 4-cylinder hybrid, which might be a little underwhelming. Unconventional for a mid-size SUV, Toyota decided to make the Highlander a front-wheel-drive vehicle with an all-wheel-drive drivetrain for an additional $1,600 or $1,950 depending on the trim.
In 2019, the Highlander received a more modern design, and more importantly, a very comfortable interior that feels and looks luxurious.
The Highlander, similar to the Explorer, has modern features such as starting the engine and locking the doors with your phone. However, it has a few extra features, such as tracking your SUV in a parking lot.
The Highlander might be the better option, but only if the offered powerplants prove to be enough. Let’s see if they are!
THE BEST CARS FOR SNOW
Winter driving impacts young and experienced drivers alike. We’ve compiled a list of the best cars for snow, so you can get from Point A to Point B as safely as possible.
Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander: Difference in Performance
There have been a number of SUVs in the past that couldn’t even merge onto the highway efficiently, let alone pass another vehicle, and you definitely want to avoid those. So, round two: Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander—who do you think wins the performance battle?
Ford Explorer’s Performance
Just as mentioned, Ford Explorer’s engine options should produce enough power. In fact, they’re all excellent!
The majority of 2021 Ford Explorers are powered by the inline-four 2.3-liter turbocharged engine that produces an astonishing 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque transmitted to the wheels by a 10-speed automatic.
The hybrid option’s output is 318 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque, which is combined with a 10-speed automatic. The entire setup, different from most hybrid vehicles, allows you to choose between an AWD and RWD drivetrain.
Last but not least, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine produces 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque for the ST trim and 365 hp and 380 lb-ft for the Platinum model.
The fuel economy for each engine is adequate. The four-cylinder has a 24 mpg rating combined, the hybrid version has a 27 mpg rating combined, and the least efficient, the V6, has a 20 mpg rating, which is still decent considering the power.
Even the 4-banger Explorer produces more horsepower than your average mid-size SUV, so hats off to Ford.
Toyota Highlander’s Performance
The first engine option for the Highlander is a NA (naturally aspirated) 3.5-liter V6. Transitioned to the wheels by an 8-speed automatic are 295 horses and 263 pound-feet of torque. This is a start-stop system.
The Highlander, just like we discussed, is underwhelming. It produces 186 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque transferred to the wheels by a CVT (continuously variable transmission).
The fuel economy for the V6 engine is 24 mpg combined driving, while the fuel economy for the Highlander hybrid reaches 36 mpg! Still, unless you can bear your Highlander feeling relatively sluggish, this isn’t an option for you.
The Ford Explorer is the clear winner if you’re looking for acceleration, speed, and towing capability. While the Highlander’s V6 option is fine, the Hybrid is way below the average power for a mid-size SUV, but it is fuel-efficient.
THE BEST USED MINIVANS ON THE MARKET
When it comes to hauling a lot of people and cargo, the minivan is hard to beat. We’ve factored in reliability, affordability, and functionality to create this curated list of the 8 best used minivans on the market today.
Comfort, Utility, and Technology
You’re not looking to buy a seven-seater and tear through the neighborhood with it. So even though power’s important, comfort and utility might just be more important. Round 3: Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander, which one is more family-friendly?
Ford Explorer Comfort and Utility
The Explorer has seven seats, cloth upholstery, an 8-way power driver’s seat, climate control, and a couple of other less important features. You get the good stuff with the Limited option. The Explorer Limited has leather upholstery, heated front and second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, LED interior lighting, and a bunch of other luxury features.
The cargo capacity of the Explorer is 18.2 cubic feet and 87.8 cubic feet with folded third-row seats.
The Highlander has similar features to the Explorer. Cloth upholstery, 8-way power driver’s seat, triple-zone climate control, and similar features. The luxurious features start with the XSE and higher trims. Offered are LED lights, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, driver memory settings, and a hands-free liftgate.
There are 16 cubic feet of cargo space, with a maximum capacity of 84.3 cubic feet.
Ford Explorer vs. Toyota Highlander: Which One’s Better?
Considering that the price of both is in a $30,000 to $55,000 ballpark, the Explorer is a clear winner. There are a few minor facts we didn’t mention, but they’re very similar for both vehicles. Still, you should test drive both vehicles and decide for yourself which one suits you better. On paper, however, the Explorer basically dominates the Highlander.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
