North Georgia Ford Compares 2018 Ford Explorer VS 2018 Dodge Durango Near Ellijay, GA

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Explorer inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Durango doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

Both the Explorer and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, front and rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Ford Explorer is safer than the Dodge Durango:

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

The Explorer’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Durango runs out after 60,000 miles.

There are over 31 percent more Ford dealers than there are Dodge dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Explorer have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Durango doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

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 Explorer’s reliability 16 points higher than the Durango.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2017 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 22nd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2016 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford 31st in reliability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 32nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ April 2017 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 8 places higher in reliability than Dodge.

The Explorer has more powerful engines than the Durango:

As tested in Car and Driver the Explorer Sport/Platinum 3.5 turbo V6 is faster than the Durango V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Explorer 4WD 3.5 Turbo V6 gets better fuel mileage than the Durango 4x4 V8 (16 city/22 hwy vs. 14 city/22 hwy).

The Explorer has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Durango doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Explorer’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Durango:

The Explorer’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Durango V6 are solid, not vented.

The Explorer stops much shorter than the Durango:

The Explorer has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Explorer flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Explorer is 3.1 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango.

The Explorer Sport 4WD handles at .83 G’s, while the Durango GT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Explorer Limited 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (27.7 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Ford Explorer may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 500 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The front grille of the Explorer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Durango doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Explorer Sport 4WD is quieter than the Durango GT 4x4 (37 vs. 38 dB).

The Explorer has 17.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Durango (151.5 vs. 133.9).

The Explorer has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 3 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom, 14 inches more rear hip room, 10.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.8 inches more third row legroom and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

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

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Explorer easier. The Explorer’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.1 inches, while the Durango’s liftover is 32.2 inches.

The Explorer has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Durango doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the Explorer Sport/Platinum’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Durango doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer XLT/Limited/Sport/Platinum’s exterior keypad. The Durango doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Explorer, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Durango.

The Explorer (except Base/XLT/Sport)’s optional Enhanced Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Durango doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Ford Explorer outsold the Dodge Durango by over three to one during the 2016 model year.