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2023 Ford Explorer® vs. 2023 Honda Pilot | Interior, Color Options, & Safety

Family-friendly size, modern tech, and exciting capability await whether you pick the 2023 Ford Explorer® or 2023 Honda Pilot. While both three-row SUVs offer plenty of exciting options and versatile features, which one is the better fit for your active lifestyle? See how the 2023 Explorer and 2023 Pilot stack up head-to-head with this comparison created by the experts at Bull Valley Ford.

Is the Explorer your ideal SUV? Continue your research with our model review, then schedule a test drive with one of our new Explorer SUVs for sale in Woodstock, IL.

Have a question for our team? Contact us online or call us at 815-338-6680 and we’ll be happy to help.

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Interior Design
Engine Specs
Safety & Technology
Color Options
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2023 Ford Explorer vs. Honda Pilot
Interior Design

A spacious, comfortable cabin awaits whether you pick the 2023 Ford Explorer or 2023 Honda Pilot. Each is a three-row SUV, and the Pilot can seat up to eight people while the Explorer can seat up to seven. Interior cargo space tops out at 111.8 cubic feet for the Pilot, and 87.8 cubic feet for the Explorer.

From the base trim up to the most luxurious, the Explorer and Pilot are built to help you and your passengers enjoy the journey. Tri-zone climate control is a standard feature in both models, so everyone can find their ideal temperature. Premium features you’ll find in both SUVs include:

  • Power-adjustable front seats
  • Leather seat upholstery
  • Heated and ventilated front seats
  • Heated second-row seats
  • Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel

Only the Ford Explorer offers Active Motion® massage functionality for its front seats — a real treat after a long day at work.

2023 Ford Explorer vs. Honda Pilot
Engine Specs

Power all your drives with a capable engine in either the 2023 Ford Explorer or 2023 Honda Pilot. If you’re looking for an SUV with maximum specs, the Explorer is a clear choice. The standard Explorer four-cylinder engine provides higher numbers in every category, while the available Explorer V6 puts on a show with its massive 400-horsepower output, and the available Explorer hybrid engine delivers excellent fuel efficiency.

The Explorer and Pilot both send their power through a ten-speed automatic transmission. In their two-wheel drive (2WD) configurations, another difference is that the Explorer is a rear-wheel driven SUV, while the 2WD Pilot pulls itself with the front wheels. You can equip the Pilot with all-wheel drive (AWD) and the Explorer with intelligent four-wheel drive (4WD).

Explorer


2.3L EcoBoost® I4

Horsepower: 300 HP
Torque: 310 lb.-ft.
MPG: 21 city / 28 hwy
Max. Towing: 5,300 lbs.

3.0L EcoBoost V6

Horsepower: 400 HP
Torque: 415 lb.-ft.
MPG: 18 city / 26 hwy
Max. Towing: 5,600 lbs.

3.3L Hybrid

Horsepower: 318 HP
Torque: 322 lb.-ft.
MPG: 27 city / 28 hwy
Max. Towing: 5,000 lbs.

Pilot


3.5L V6

Horsepower: 285 HP
Torque: 262 lb.-ft.
MPG: 19 city / 27 hwy
Max. Towing: 5,000 lbs.

2023 Ford Explorer vs. Honda Pilot
Safety & Technology Options

Advanced technology makes your daily drive mode enjoyable in either the 2023 Ford Explorer or 2023 Honda Pilot.

Run your music, messages, and other key menus in the Explorer with the standard SYNC® 3 infotainment on an 8- or 10.1-inch touchscreen. A 7- or 9-inch touchscreen occupies the center space in the Pilot. Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ smartphone compatibility are standard equipment in both models, with wireless connection available in the Pilot. Unique tech features in the Pilot include an available head-up display and CabinTalk® in-car PA system. If you’re looking for a premium sound system, the Pilot offers a 12-speaker Bose® system while the Explorer offers a 14-speaker B&O sound system by Bang & Olufsen®.

Three-row SUVs like the 2023 Explorer and 2023 Pilot are designed to accommodate your friends and family, which adds fresh importance to driving safely. The Honda Pilot supports your drives with standard Honda Sensing® technology, including a Collision Mitigation Braking System™, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and traffic sign recognition. Ford Co-Pilot360™ is the cornerstone of the safety features in the Explorer, with standard features that include:

  • Auto high-beam headlamps
  • BLIS® (blind spot information system) with cross traffic alert
  • Lane keeping system
  • Pre-Collision Assist® with automatic emergency braking
  • Rear view camera with backup assist grid lines

You have to step up a trim level from the base model in the Honda Pilot to get a blind spot information system. Only the Ford Explorer offers evasive steering assist, which detects potential hazards ahead and will apply the brakes or boost your steering to help avoid the collision.

2023 Ford Explorer vs. Honda Pilot
Color Options Available

From energetic reds to classic silvers to calming blues, the 2023 Ford Explorer and 2023 Honda Pilot provide a wide range of exterior color options. However, the Explorer exclusively offers a green hue, while the Pilot offers two shades of blue.

2023 Ford Explorer colors

  • Agate Black Metallic
  • Carbonized Gray Metallic
  • Forged Green Metallic
  • Iconic Silver Metallic
  • Star White Metallic
  • Stone Blue Metallic
  • Rapid Red Metallic

2023 Honda Pilot colors

  • Crystal Black Pearl
  • Modern Steel Metallic
  • Platinum White Pearl
  • Lunar Silver Metallic
  • Obsidian Blue Pearl
  • Radiant Red Metallic II
  • Sonic Gray Pearl
  • Diffused Sky Blue Pearl

2023 Ford Explorer
for Sale in Woodstock, IL

Take a closer look at one of the 2023 Ford Explorer SUVs for sale at our Ford dealership in Woodstock, IL, to decide whether it’s the ideal choice for your next vehicle. Once you’ve located an Explorer you like, schedule a test drive, or contact a Bull Valley Ford representative with any questions. We’re available via our convenient online contact form or by phone at 815-338-6680.

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1460 South Eastwood Dr., Woodstock, IL, 60098
Bull Valley Ford 42.300161, -088.433445.