Compare the2026 Toyota HighlanderVS 2026 Ford Explorer

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Ford Explorer, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Highlander. But it costs extra on the Explorer.

The Toyota Highlander’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Ford Explorer does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Highlander and the Explorer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Ford Explorer:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Explorer.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 20 points higher than the Explorer.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 46 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota third in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 13th.

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Explorer:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Explorer requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Explorer. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Highlander higher (6 out of 10) than the Ford Explorer (5 to 6). This means the Highlander produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Explorer every 15,000 miles.

The Highlander stops shorter than the Explorer:

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Explorer’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Explorer (8 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Highlander is 3.8 inches shorter than the Explorer, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Highlander offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Explorer can only carry up to 7.

The Highlander has 1.2 inches more rear legroom, 4.7 inches more third row hip room and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Explorer.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Explorer’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Explorer.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Highlander XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Explorer doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Explorer doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Explorer’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Explorer can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Explorer’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

When the Highlander Limited/Platinum is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Explorer’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Toyota Highlander has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Ford charges extra for Homelink® on the Explorer.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Highlander has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Explorer and isn’t available on the Explorer Active.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Toyota Highlander retains 58.21% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 47.11% resale value of the 2025 Ford Explorer after five years, which can save the Toyota’s owner up to $4543.44329 in depreciation.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander and the Ford Explorer, based on reliability, safety and performance.