Honda Pilot vs Ford Explorer
Head-to-head reliability comparison from 54,879real NHTSA consumer complaints. Year-by-year breakdown, shared problems, crash & fire rates.
Which is more reliable, Honda Pilot or Ford Explorer?
Verdict from 54,879 NHTSA complaints
Honda Pilot wins this comparison overall. Honda Pilot comes out ahead on 4 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 122% lower complaint rate.
Head-to-Head Metrics
Lower is better on every metric. Bar length = relative magnitude. ✓ = winner.
Honda Pilot wins by 122%
Honda Pilot wins by 34%
Honda Pilot wins by 92%
Honda Pilot wins by 141%
NHTSA Crash Test Ratings
Official NCAP star ratings — government crash test data. Most recent rated model year.
Honda Pilot
2025 model yearFord Explorer
2025 model yearSource: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Lower star = higher injury risk in that crash type.
Complaint Volume — Year by Year
Sales-volume data not available for both models — showing raw complaint counts. Higher-volume models will appear higher even when reliability is comparable.
Most Reported Problems
Top component complaints for each model. Identical bar lengths = both have the same recurring issue.
Year-by-Year Head-to-Head
Lower is better. Click either model column to see that year's full breakdown.
| Year | Honda Pilot | Ford Explorer | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 876 | 1,369 | Pilot |
| 2004 | 644 | 1,647 | Pilot |
| 2005 | 954 | 604 | Explorer |
| 2006 | 330 | 788 | Pilot |
| 2007 | 266 | 271 | tie |
| 2008 | 165 | 215 | Pilot |
| 2009 | 174 | 49 | Explorer |
| 2010 | 142 | 155 | Pilot |
| 2011 | 388 | 1,483 | Pilot |
| 2012 | 228 | 1,016 | Pilot |
| 2013 | 360 | 2,762 | Pilot |
| 2014 | 149 | 2,020 | Pilot |
| 2015 | 136 | 2,147 | Pilot |
| 2016 | 2,280 | 2,963 | Pilot |
| 2017 | 1,257 | 1,964 | Pilot |
| 2018 | 623 | 834 | Pilot |
| 2019 | 1,312 | 319 | Explorer |
| 2020 | 719 | 1,563 | Pilot |
| 2021 | 635 | 504 | Explorer |
| 2022 | 195 | 315 | Pilot |
| 2023 | 161 | 128 | Explorer |
| 2024 | 142 | 22 | Explorer |
| 2025 | 236 | 115 | Explorer |
Frequently Asked Questions
Honda Pilot vs Ford Explorer — the most common buyer questions, answered from NHTSA data.
Which is more reliable, the Honda Pilot or the Ford Explorer?
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Honda Pilot wins this comparison overall. Honda Pilot comes out ahead on 4 of 4 reliability metrics — including a 122% lower complaint rate. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Should I buy a Honda Pilot or a Ford Explorer?
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On reliability data alone, the Honda Pilot is the safer bet — but the actual condition of the specific car matters far more than the model average. Check the VIN of any vehicle you're considering for accident history, title issues, and odometer rollbacks.
What problems do the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer share?
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Top complaints for the Honda Pilot: Engine Problems, Electrical Faults, Transmission / Drivetrain. Top complaints for the Ford Explorer: Steering Defects, Transmission / Drivetrain, Tires:Tread/Belt. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Which has fewer NHTSA complaints, the Honda Pilot or the Ford Explorer?
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Across all model years, the Honda Pilot has 12,372 NHTSA complaints and the Ford Explorer has 42,507. Normalized for sales volume (complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold), the Honda Pilot has the lower complaint rate. Raw counts can mislead — a 2× more popular model will naturally collect 2× more complaints. Detailed normalized comparison: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/compare/honda/pilot/vs/ford/explorer
Which is safer in a crash, the Honda Pilot or the Ford Explorer?
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Crash-involvement rate from NHTSA complaints: Honda Pilot 4.1% vs Ford Explorer 5.5% — the Honda Pilot has the lower crash rate. NHTSA NCAP star ratings (frontal, side, rollover) for both models are also shown on the comparison page. Note: the per-VIN history matters more than the model average — a salvage-title car of any model carries higher crash exposure than the median.
Does the Honda Pilot or the Ford Explorer have more fires?
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Fire-involvement rate based on NHTSA complaints: Honda Pilot 1.20% vs Ford Explorer 2.30%. The Honda Pilot has the lower reported fire rate. Fire complaints are a relatively rare but important safety signal — they often correlate with electrical-system or fuel-system defects. Check specific recall campaigns at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/honda/pilot and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/ford/explorer
What years of the Honda Pilot are worse than the Ford Explorer?
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The comparison page renders a year-by-year head-to-head table — for each model year (where both models have data), it shows complaint count or per-10K rate side by side and marks which model fares better that year. Buyers cross-shopping a specific model year should always check the year-level VinItel pages: vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/honda/pilot/{year} and vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/ford/explorer/{year}.
Where does this Honda Pilot vs Ford Explorer comparison data come from?
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All complaint, crash, fire, and fatality data comes from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) consumer-complaint database — the same source insurance regulators and the federal government use. NCAP star ratings come from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. Sales-volume normalization (per 10K sold) uses US annual vehicle sales. Data refreshes every 6 hours. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
Related Reliability Comparisons
Other head-to-head matchups buyers cross-shopping the Pilot or Explorer also look at:
Comparison data refreshed 2026-05-04 from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.·Source: NHTSA ODI
A model average can't see the car you're buying.
Even the Honda Pilot has cars with hidden accidents, salvage titles, and odometer rollbacks. Check the VIN before you buy — full report $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Deep-dive into either model: