Among these four three-row SUVs, the Explorer leads the group on starting price, engine variety, and available hands-free driving technology, while also offering the segment's only dedicated light off-road trim in the Tremor. The Highlander counters with hybrid efficiency and Toyota's resale reputation. The Traverse offers more cargo room and a strong standard engine. The Pilot offers the largest maximum cargo volume in the entire comparison. Each SUV has genuine strengths, and the right choice depends on which of these factors matters most to your family.

Three-row SUVs are consistently among the most cross-shopped vehicles for families in the Junction City market, and the Explorer, Highlander, Traverse, and Pilot are four of the models local buyers most often compare before deciding. Local demand tends to favor SUVs that balance daily driving comfort with occasional towing for boats or trailers at Milford Lake. The Explorer's combination of price, power, and towing capacity is a strong fit for that mix of uses. Ultimately, the right SUV depends on your specific family size, budget, and towing needs.

The 2026 Explorer starts at $40,260, which sits below the Pilot's $42,395, the Traverse's $42,795, and the Highlander's $46,270. That roughly $2,000 to $2,500 gap below the Pilot and Traverse comes with a real edge in engine variety and available performance, while the larger $6,010 gap below the Highlander reflects Toyota's decision to require all-wheel drive standard across its lineup this year. These are base MSRPs before destination charges, taxes, and options, so your actual price will depend on the trim and packages you choose.

Not at all. The Explorer's lower starting price comes with a 300-horsepower base engine that already beats the Highlander's standard engine, and the available ST trim's 400 horsepower tops every competitor in this comparison. The Explorer also offers BlueCruise hands-free driving and the off-road-capable Tremor trim, features its higher-priced competitors don't match. The best approach is to compare actual capability and features alongside price rather than assuming price alone tells the whole story.

If you're comparing value-focused trims, the Explorer Active lines up well against the Highlander XLE, Traverse LT, or Pilot Sport. If you're comparing feature-rich family trims, the Explorer Platinum competes with the Highlander Limited or Pilot Elite. If you want genuine performance or light off-road capability that none of these competitors offer, the Explorer ST or Tremor stand apart from anything in the Highlander, Traverse, or Pilot lineups. Let us know your budget and priorities and we can point you to the right trim to test drive.

The 2026 Explorer spans five trims: Active, ST-Line, Tremor, Platinum, and ST. The Highlander offers four gas and three hybrid trims, the Traverse offers four trims, and the Pilot offers a comparable trim spread topped by the Elite and Black Edition. All four brands offer enough trim spread to fit most family budgets, though the Explorer's ST and Tremor trims stand out for buyers who want performance or light off-road capability

Start with how you'll actually use the SUV: if price, power, or hands-free driving matters most, the Explorer leads this group. If hybrid fuel economy or resale reputation matters most, look closely at the Highlander. If maximum cargo room is the priority, compare the Traverse and Pilot closely, since the Pilot leads outright. From there, test drive your top two or three choices, since seat time often reveals preferences that spec sheets can't.

Yes, our team can appraise your current vehicle, whether it's another SUV, a truck, or a car, and apply that value toward the purchase or lease of a new 2026 Explorer. We can provide an estimated trade value before you visit, and a final appraisal in person once we've inspected the vehicle. Trading in can reduce the amount you finance and may offer tax advantages depending on Kansas sales tax rules on trade-ins. Contact our team or start the process online to get an estimate.

Yes. The Traverse offers up to 97.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded, ahead of the Explorer's 87.8 cubic feet, thanks to the Traverse's larger overall footprint. That's a real advantage for families who regularly haul large amounts of gear or luggage. The Explorer counters with more engine variety and a lower starting price. If maximum cargo room is your top priority, the Traverse has a genuine edge here.

It depends on the trim. The Traverse's single 2.5L turbo engine makes 328 horsepower across its entire lineup, which actually beats the Explorer's base 2.3L engine at 300 horsepower. But the Explorer ST's available 3.0L EcoBoost V6 makes 400 horsepower, well ahead of anything the Traverse offers. For buyers who want the most power available in this matchup, the Explorer ST is the strongest choice, though the Traverse's standard engine is genuinely competitive against the Explorer's base engine.

Yes. The Explorer offers two distinct engines, the 300-horsepower 2.3L EcoBoost standard on most trims and the 400-horsepower 3.0L EcoBoost V6 on the ST and available on Tremor. The Traverse runs a single 2.5L turbo engine across its entire lineup, from the base LT to the top High Country. Buyers who want a choice between efficiency-focused and performance-focused powertrains will find more options with the Explorer.

Both SUVs offer large touchscreens and comparable driver assistance suites across their lineups. The Traverse's 17.7-inch diagonal touchscreen running Google Built-In is among the largest in the segment. The Explorer counters with BlueCruise hands-free highway driving, available from ST-Line up, a feature the Traverse does not currently offer. Buyers who prioritize hands-free highway capability will find that advantage with the Explorer specifically.

Both SUVs come with comprehensive standard driver assistance suites across their lineups, including automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist. The current-generation Explorer has earned strong marks in independent NHTSA and IIHS testing. We recommend checking the current model year's specific rating for either SUV at NHTSA.gov or IIHS.org, since ratings are updated on a rolling basis and can vary by configuration. Both are reasonable choices from a safety standpoint.

Both SUVs offer trailer hitch assist features and available blind-spot monitoring that extends coverage to account for a trailer's length, useful for anyone towing a camper or boat regularly. The Explorer's Pro Trailer Backup Assist and the Traverse's hitch guidance with hitch view each simplify the process of lining up a trailer. Availability of these specific features can vary by trim on both SUVs, so confirm the package on the configuration you're considering. Both approaches are genuinely useful for regular towing.

The Explorer's $40,260 starting price undercuts the Traverse's $42,795 by a modest margin, and the Explorer offers more engine variety including the high-performance ST. The Traverse counters with more cargo room and a genuinely strong standard engine that beats the Explorer's base powertrain on paper. Both carry matched warranty coverage. Which one is the better value depends on whether cargo room or price and engine variety matter more to your family's needs.

If price, engine variety, hands-free driving tech, or the off-road Tremor trim matters most, start with the Explorer. If maximum cargo room is the priority, put the Traverse on your list first. Both are strong three-row American SUVs and a test drive often reveals comfort and driving feel differences a spec sheet can't fully capture. Our team can pull current Explorer inventory so you can compare trims in person.

The Ford Explorer has the lowest starting price among the four at $40,260 for the base Active trim. The Honda Pilot follows at $42,395, then the Chevrolet Traverse at $42,795, and the Toyota Highlander at $46,270. These are base prices before destination charges, taxes, and options, so your actual price will depend on the trim and packages you choose.

Pricing gaps widen substantially as you move up each lineup's trim ladder. An Explorer ST with the V6, for example, adds a meaningful amount over the base Active sticker, and the same is true moving from a Highlander XLE to a Platinum, or from a Traverse LT to a High Country. We recommend building the specific trim and package combination you want on each brand's configurator, or asking our team to price it out, since option content varies enough between these four SUVs that base price comparisons alone can be misleading.

Routine maintenance costs depend more on the specific engine and how the vehicle is used than on the brand badge alone. Toyota's and Honda's reputations for reliability generally translate to lower unexpected repair costs over time for the Highlander and Pilot. The Explorer's and Traverse's turbocharged engines are efficient but can carry slightly higher service costs than naturally aspirated alternatives. We're happy to walk through what routine service looks like and costs at our service department for the Explorer specifically.

Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet, and Honda all back these SUVs with matched 3-year/36,000-mile basic and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage. None of the four stands out with meaningfully longer coverage in this comparison, unlike some other segments where warranty length becomes a bigger differentiator. Buyers should instead weigh purchase price, fuel economy, and resale reputation more heavily when comparing these four specifically.

Yes, our finance team works with a range of lenders to structure financing for the 2026 Explorer based on your credit profile, down payment, and preferred term length. We can also walk you through current Ford incentives, rebates, and any special APR offers available on the Explorer lineup at the time of purchase. Bringing a trade-in can further reduce what you finance, and our team can provide a trade appraisal as part of the process. Reach out or stop by to start a credit application whenever you're ready.

Leasing can lower your monthly payment since you're financing the Explorer's depreciation over the lease term rather than its full price, which can make sense for buyers who like driving a new SUV every few years. Buying makes more sense if you plan to keep the Explorer long term, tow regularly, which can affect lease-end wear charges, or want to build equity toward a future purchase. The right choice depends on your mileage needs and how you use the vehicle, and our finance team can run both scenarios side by side.

Toyota and Honda have well-established reputations for strong resale value, which benefits both the Highlander and the Pilot in the used market. The Explorer benefits from Ford's enormous production volume and dealer network, which supports a deep, active used-SUV market. Resale value for the Traverse tends to track more closely with the broader three-row SUV market. Since resale projections change with market conditions, we'd recommend checking a current resale value tool for the specific trim you're comparing.

The Explorer pairs a competitive starting price with the widest engine variety in this comparison, including a genuine performance option in the ST, hands-free driving technology, and Ford's deep, well-supported service network, all factors that support long-term ownership value. Whether it's the best long-term choice for you depends on how you weigh the Highlander's hybrid efficiency and resale reputation, the Traverse's cargo room, and the Pilot's class-leading cargo capacity. Every SUV in this comparison is a strong choice from a major manufacturer. We'd encourage you to prioritize the two or three factors that matter most to your family.