2021 Ford Explorer vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2021 Ford Explorer had a design that fit well within Ford's SUV lineup, sharing a family resemblance with models like the Escape, Edge, and Expedition. Its exterior featured sporty, raked belt lines and distinctive visages, making it stand out from other brands' SUVs. Depending on the trim, the Explorer's grille varied from black to full chrome, with six trim levels ranging from the base model to the luxurious Platinum. Inside, the Explorer offered three rows of seating as standard, with cloth upholstery on the base model and leather available on higher trims. The dashboard was clean, featuring an 8-inch LCD touchscreen and a rotary gearshift that freed up storage space.

The 2022 Honda Passport, on the other hand, shared its platform with the Honda Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot, giving it a familiar look. The Passport's new nose design aimed to give it a tougher appearance, especially in the new TrailSport trim, which targeted off-road enthusiasts. The TrailSport trim included unique 18-inch wheels, a roof rack, and simulated skid plates. Inside, the Passport boasted one of the largest interiors in its segment, with quality materials and ample storage. The TrailSport trim added orange contrast stitching and rubber all-season floor mats, enhancing its rugged appeal.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, at its lightest, weighed 4,345 pounds and 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, despite the Explorer's heavier weight. All trims came with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Limited Hybrid trim offered a V6 hybrid drivetrain with 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Higher trims featured 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 2022 Honda Passport retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport offered front-wheel drive (FWD) on the EX-L trim and all-wheel drive (AWD) on the TrailSport and Elite trims. The AWD system featured mechanical torque vectoring, capable of delivering up to 70 percent of the engine's power to a single rear wheel. The Passport's fuel economy was rated at 22 mpg combined for FWD and 21 mpg for AWD. The TrailSport trim averaged 21.3 mpg in various driving conditions. The Passport's towing capacity was 5,000 pounds, but its brakes showed signs of heating up and vibrating during mountain descents.

The 2021 Ford Explorer offered seating for seven in the base trim, with captain's chairs in the second row for other trims, reducing capacity to six. Second-row passengers enjoyed 39 inches of legroom, which was competitive within its segment. With the third row deployed, the Explorer provided 21 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 81 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2022 Honda Passport featured large doors and a low step-in height, making entry and exit easy. The front seats were large and comfortable, with leather upholstery and heated seats as standard. The Elite trim added ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. Rear passengers enjoyed ample legroom and a slightly elevated seating position. The Passport offered generous storage, including a massive center console bin and various door panel shelves. Cargo space measured 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 77.7 cubic feet with the back seat folded down.

The 2021 Ford Explorer came with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, offering AM/FM radio, SiriusXM, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, and Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system. Higher trims featured a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and an optional 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 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The TrailSport trim added a navigation system, while the Elite trim featured a 10-speaker premium sound system and HondaLink connected services. The system had shortcut buttons for easy navigation, but the lack of a stereo tuning knob was a drawback. Wireless smartphone charging was standard, but the Passport's navigation system was clunky, making Apple CarPlay a preferred option.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for adaptive headlights. The Explorer's Ford Co-Pilot360 suite included 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, evasive steering assist, and speed sign recognition.

The 2022 Honda Passport came with the Honda Sensing suite, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, a rear-seat reminder system, and a seatbelt reminder system. However, the lane-departure warning and lane-centering assist functions were intrusive, and the adaptive cruise control was not smooth in heavy traffic. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA in most categories but earned four stars for front passenger protection and rollover resistance. The IIHS gave it top ratings in most respects, with an "Acceptable" rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.