What’s in a name? Automakers hope to invoke a certain image with the monikers they assign to certain vehicles. If you’re looking for a 3-row SUV, odds are you want it to do a little more than get from Point A to Point B. Good news: the aptly named Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer can handle your daily school runs or trips to the hardware store. But as their names suggest, they’re capable of more.
Let’s find out more about these midsize SUVs.
2025 Honda Pilot
2024 model shown
The Honda Pilot inspires confidence while traversing surface streets or exploring the wilds of the backwoods. In fact, for families who want to go off the beaten track, Honda’s now got a trim package for that: the TrailSport edition. It features steel skid plates, an extra inch of ground clearance, the TrailWatch Camera System to better navigate rocks and trees around the vehicle, and special software designed to help it traverse more challenging terrain than its predecessor.
Whether you’re looking to get away from it all for a few days or simply need a roomy, comfortable place to be while getting around town, the Honda Pilot is ready. It’s got all of the necessary safety and entertainment technology and, perhaps most importantly, 14 cupholders.
Honda shuffled the trim levels for 2025, disposing of the entry-level LX model. The Sport is now the base model and while it’s better equipped than the old LX, it’s also more expensive. Pricing for the Honda Pilot starts at $41,595, including destination fee.
Honda Pilot Highlights
Easy access: Upgrade to the Touring and Elite models, and you will get a removable center seat in the second row, making access to the third row easier. The seat can then fit under the cargo space floor until the Honda Pilot needs to be an 8-seater again.
Off-road ready: The top-of-the-line TrailSport, with its 285-horsepower V6 engine, can tow up to 5,000 pounds. Honda claims that equates to a 24-foot camper or a 22-foot boat.
Traffic Jam Assist: Under the right conditions, the Honda Pilot can almost drive itself through slower-moving highway traffic. Just keep a hand on the steering wheel to let it know you’re paying attention, and it’ll go, stop, and steer for miles at a time. It works very well, and it’s standard across the lineup.
Read our Honda Pilot Expert Review or see 2025 Honda Pilot models for sale near you.
2025 Ford Explorer
For many, the Ford Explorer was their first experience with a midsize SUV. For 2025, buyers can experience an all-new Explorer as it gets major exterior and interior updates as well as a streamlined trim portfolio: Active, ST Line, Platinum, and ST. The new-look exterior is more rugged and masculine without being too much of a change from its predecessor.
This SUV still seats up to seven and offers plenty of power and towing capability, and when equipped correctly, it’s a fine off-roader. You can choose from two engines: a 300-hp 4-cylinder or a 400-hp 6-cylinder. Those are both more powerful than the standard V6 in the Honda Pilot.
Inside, the makeover aims to give it a premium feel with softer surfaces to make it more competitive. It also gets plenty of new technology starting with the Ford Digital Experience permits drivers to use apps and services from Google and Amazon through the Ford system or with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driving technology is now available on the upper trims.. Prices start at $41,350, including destination fees.
Ford Explorer Highlights
Easy to read: The new Explorer features a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. It’s customizable to meet the driver’s needs and features Mindful mode, which skinnies down the information display to prevent driver distraction. There’s also an optional 13.2-inch center infotainment display.
Parking prowess: Ford was among the first automakers to offer automatic parking technology as an option in its vehicles. Active Park Assist works for parallel parking as well as more conventional nose-first parking. It’ll also get you out of those parking spaces.
Big power: The Explorer has long been known for its powerful engines, and the current version keeps it up. With a 300-hp EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine, there are but a few with more ponies under the hood. However, certain trim levels offer a 400-hp twin turbo V6 if you need more power to outrun rivals like the Honda Pilot.
Read our Ford Explorer Expert Review or see 2025 Ford Explorer models for sale near you.
Similarities
Clean, powerful, spacious, and capable. The Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer cover all the bases when it comes to midsize, 3-row SUVs. Also, their starting prices are almost identical.
Conclusion
The Ford Explorer comes across like a brute with that available 400-hp turbo V6 engine and body design that looks ready to handle your worst. However, despite its more modest engine, the Honda Pilot looks good and can tow plenty. It’s got four more cupholders, which may be a factor at some point. With a negligible price difference, it’s a close race. Drive them both and make your decision from there.
New 2025 Honda Pilot Prices
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Retail Price
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Fair Purchase Price (92620)
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|---|---|---|---|---|
$41,650 |
TBD |
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$44,950 |
TBD |
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$48,950 |
TBD |
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$50,850 |
TBD |
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$54,530 |
TBD |
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$56,030 |
TBD |
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Honda Pilot vehicles and New 2025 Ford Explorer vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.
| 2025 Honda Pilot | 2025 Ford Explorer | |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 3.5-liter 6-cylinder | 2.3-liter turbo 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 285 hp @ 6,100 rpm | 300 hp @ 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | 262 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm | 310 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Fuel Economy | 19 city/27 highway/22 combined mpg | 20 city/29 highway/24 combined mpg |
| Also Available | AWD | Twin-turbo 6-cylinder/AWD |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5 stars | Not rated |
| Max Seating Capacity | 8 | 7 |
| Wheelbase | 113.8 inches | 119.1 inches |
| Overall Length | 199.9 inches | 198.8 inches |
| Width | 78.5 inches | 78.9 inches |
| Height | 71.0 inches | 69.9 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 37.8 feet | 38.7 feet |
| Headroom, Front | 40.5 inches | 40.7 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 40.2 inches | 40.5 inches |
| Headroom, 3rd Row | 39.3 inches | 38.9 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.0 inches | 43.0 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 40.8 inches | 39.0 inches |
| Legroom, 3rd Row | 32.5 inches | 32.2 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 61.9 inches | 61.8 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 61.7 inches | 61.9 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 3rd Row | 59.5 inches | 54.6 inches |
| Cargo Volume | 18.6 cubic feet | 18.2 cubic feet |
