2021 Ford Explorer vs 2021 Honda Pilot

The 2021 Ford Explorer had a distinctive look that aligned with Ford's "small, medium, large, XL" approach to SUV production. It shared a family resemblance with other Ford SUVs, featuring sporty, raked belt lines and squinting visages. The Explorer offered six trim levels, each with varying exterior finishes, from black grilles to full chrome grilles. Inside, it provided three rows of seating as standard, with cloth upholstery on the base model and leather available on higher trims. The dash was clean, with an 8-inch LCD touchscreen and a rotary gearshift that freed up storage space.

The 2021 Honda Pilot aimed to balance styling with reliability, safety, comfort, and performance. Despite a 2019 refresh and a 2020 Black Edition, its exterior design remained an acquired taste. The Pilot came in seven trims, from the base LX to the upscale Black Edition, with prices ranging from $32,250 to $49,920. The Special Edition trim added black 20-inch alloy wheels and wireless smartphone charging. Inside, the Pilot featured quality materials, a flat dashboard, and a low center console, giving it a minivan-like feel from the front seat. The Black Edition offered exclusive black leather upholstery with red accents.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, weighing 4,345 pounds at its lightest, featured a base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. This engine outperformed the Kia Telluride's V6. The Explorer's higher trims had a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, delivering 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, with the sport-oriented ST trim offering 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Explorer's towing capacity ranged from 5,000 to 5,600 pounds, depending on the trim and engine.

The 2021 Honda Pilot came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a nine-speed automatic transmission and an available torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. The Pilot's fuel-saving measures included variable-cylinder management and automatic engine stop/start, with an EPA rating of 22 mpg in combined driving. The Pilot offered a comfortable ride and unexpectedly athletic handling, thanks to its MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension. However, its off-road capability was limited by its 7.3 inches of ground clearance and all-season tires.

The 2021 Ford Explorer had seating for seven in the base trim, with captain’s chairs in the second row for other trims, reducing capacity to six. It offered 39 inches of legroom for second-row passengers and 21 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row deployed. However, its total cargo volume of 81 cubic feet was less impressive compared to competitors.

The 2021 Honda Pilot provided ample room for a family, seating up to eight with a second-row bench seat. The test vehicle featured leather-wrapped, heated, and ventilated front seats, with 10-way power adjustment for the driver. Second-row captain’s chairs were optional on the Touring trim and standard on Elite and Black Edition models. The Pilot offered 16.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 46.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 83.9 cubic feet.

The 2021 Ford Explorer's base trim included an 8-inch touchscreen with AM/FM radio, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, and Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system. Higher trims offered a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and an upgrade to a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Charging options included two USB ports and five 12-volt power points, with a 110-volt AC power outlet available on higher trims.

The 2021 Honda Pilot featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and HondaLink connected services. The Special Edition added wireless phone charging, while the Touring trim included navigation, a 10-speaker premium audio system, and a rear-seat entertainment system. The infotainment system was adequate but lacked a tuning knob and had limited HondaLink subscription services.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, with top "Good" scores on all crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for adaptive headlights. It came with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic brake support. Higher trims offered additional features like adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist.

The 2021 Honda Pilot came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. Starting with the EX trim, it also had blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning. The Pilot received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings from the IIHS, except for an "Acceptable" score for front passenger small overlap frontal-impact protection.