In the case of the Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander , both are the latest thing in the three-row sport-utility segment, and they're perennial best-sellers, to boot. So, if you were new to either brand and looking to see what all the fuss is about, which would be the better choice? The Toyota Highlander is the most recently redesigned SUV of the pack and also the segment sales leader.
Entering its fourth generation, the Highlander comes with sleeker lines and a bolder design inside and out. But when you look around its interior, it's not the cheapest-looking by any measure. With its leather seats, inch wheels, power liftgate, and an 8. Based on a new rear-drive unibody platform, the Ford Explorer has been re-engineered from the ground up for the model year. The platform is a first for the Explorer, shared with the Lincoln Aviator , and Ford updated the new generation with an angular, modern design and adds a more spacious cabin.
Engine choices are a base turbo-four or a larger V We realize most people won't buy these vehicles for fun, enthusiast reasons. You want practicality, space, and comfort. Bearing that in mind, we ditched our Onitsuka Mexico 66 track-testing sneakers, donned our soccer mom yoga pants and hockey dad tracksuits, and set out on a series of loops of Los Angeles' South Bay area, spending plenty of time checking out third-row access, cargo space, and the intuitiveness of the varying infotainment systems.
The Toyota Highlander's hp, lb-ft 3. And while Toyota engineers insist there were some updates to the guts of the powertrain, our panel of testers agreed that one of the notable downsides is the way the engine and the transmission played along together or rather, didn't.
Although the Highlander was plenty smooth around town, under hard acceleration such as the need to pass a delivery truck on a narrow road , engine roar was loud and thrashy, while downshifts were sloppy and ponderous. Features editor Christian Seabaugh's comments displayed our consensus of frustration: "The Highlander makes the majority of its power higher in its powerband than most customers would feel like operating, while the transmission is geared so long and tall that it takes forever to get there.
The resulting driving experience is a frustrating dance of full-throttle jabs punctuated by off-throttle coasts, followed by more jabs as the transmission inevitably changes gears trying to deliver the power you need to get the Highlander out of its own way. Despite the harsh comments on the powertrain, we praised the Highlander's suspension, which delivered a smooth ride—though things got choppy on bad-condition roads through the rugged, slow-motion landslide of Portuguese Bend on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
It's supple over bumps but floaty over the big stuff," associate online editor Nick Yekikian said. When things got particularly rough, road test editor Chris Walton characterized the suspension as "boundy… all spring, no damper. Staffers were of different minds regarding the Highlander's steering feel.
With its base 2. If you want a V-6 Explorer, you have to get either the twin-tubocharged Explorer ST or the Explorer Hybrid Limited , both of which start just over 50 grand. As for the turbo-four, we found the powertrain to be poorly calibrated, and we complained about its bouncy and unsettled ride. The engine felt stressed under the weight of this vehicle, and there was little engine braking on steeper downhill sections.
Shifts felt clunky and indecisive. Brake feedback was erratic and super jerky at parking lot speeds, causing unwelcome nosedive under firm braking at moderate speeds. The Explorer's impact absorption from the suspension pales compared to the Highlander's; Seabaugh called it "crashy on bumps and vague through bends," while Walton characterized it as "busy even on smooth pavement.
The active cruise control system can vary speed based on sign recognition, but we found it jarring when in use: If the posted speed limit changes to a speed slower than you are driving, the Explorer will automatically slam on the brakes until you're down to that speed—which can be startling to the car behind you.
The system is defeatable, at least. This powerplant delivers hp in Platinum models, while the ST is tuned to kick out hp. It comes standard with an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen display compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Plus, the Explorer is a pretty safe SUV , as it comes standard with a suite of driver-assistance technologies. Premium models offer upgrades like a The Highlander is a little more family-friendly than its American counterpart. While the Ford Explorer seats either six or seven passengers, depending on the trim level, the Toyota Highlander seats up to eight. However, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is incredibly fuel-efficient. It utilizes a 2. The entry-level Highlander is pretty similarly equipped as the Ford Explorer.
But it does have one extra USB port, giving it a total of five. The most significant differences lie in the standard driver-assistance technologies. The Highlander has adaptive cruise control, lane trace assist, and traffic sign recognition in addition to common systems.
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