Why the Ford Explorer Beats the Dodge Durango as the Best Three-Row SUV for Families
SUVs are known the world over for their versatility, safety, and comfort. They make the ideal vehicle for families because of the wide range of uses that will take you from the school pickup line to soccer practice to that summer road trip across the country. They’re practical so you can go about your life, but stylish so that you don’t feel like you’re driving around a minivan. If you’re in the market for a new SUV, you’re probably weighing the pros and cons of the 2024 Ford Explorer vs 2024 Dodge Durango.
There’s a reason that more than 186,000 Ford Explorers sold in 2023 compared with the significantly smaller 69,000 Dodge Durango units. Well, there are several reasons, in fact. Unless you’re specifically married to the Dodge brand, the feature comparison between the 2024 Durango and the 2024 Explorer will leave you in little doubt about which is the superior option. No matter if you have lots of kids, plan on adventuring, or want to make sure your family is as safe as can be on the roads, you’ll find the 2024 Ford model more impressive. It’s not even going to cost as much. Here are some of the top reasons the 2024 Ford Explorer wins families over more often than the 2024 Dodge Durango.
Seating and Space
When looking for a family vehicle, seating space is a big factor. Both the 2024 Ford Explorer and the 2024 Dodge Durango offer three rows of seating for up to seven people each. So whether you have a big family with lots of kids, are in charge of the occasional carpool, or just want extra space to bring your friends along for the adventure, you can be sure of enough space. In the Ford Explorer, you can choose bench seating for both back rows of seats, making a 2-3-2 configuration, or you can opt for super comfortable bucket seats in the middle row! This creates a 2-2-2 seating configuration.
Both the 2024 Ford Explorer and Dodge Durango have similar exterior sizes; however, the Durango is slightly longer and narrower compared with the ruggedly solid build of the Explorer. Despite being shorter, the engineers at Ford have managed to include more legroom in the SUV without sacrificing cargo capacity. This is mainly due to engine placement and an intelligent interior layout. You’ll get almost three more inches of legroom in both the front and back seats, an inch more headroom, as well as two additional inches of shoulder room. If you don’t want to listen to the kids complain about being crushed up against one another, getting a 3-row SUV with more space will help keep complaints to a minimum, even on the longest road trip.
As mentioned, cargo space is not sacrificed in the 2024 Ford Explorer to deliver that additional seating area, and it still beats out the 2024 Dodge Durango. In the Durango, your family can store their stuff in configurations of 17.2, 43.3, and 85.1 cu.ft, depending on which seats are folded down. When no rows of seats are folded down in the Ford Explorer, you get 18.2 cu.ft; with just the last row of seats folded down, you get an impressive 47.9 cu.ft of space. If you need to transport something big or oddly shaped (think a large Christmas tree of some timber for a DIY project), you can create 87.8 cu.ft of space by folding down both rows of rear seating.
Power and Performance
We think it’s kind of strange that even with the extra engine options available in the Durango, it still doesn’t manage to beat out what Ford has to offer. There’s only really a difference in power if you opt for the super expensive, gas-guzzling 6.2L HEMI Hellcat supercharged V8 in the Durango. If you’re looking for something that makes more economic sense in terms of efficiency without sacrificing overall power, the 2024 Ford Explorer is going to win. We want you to make the wise choice for your family, so here’s the breakdown.
In the 2024 Ford Explorer, you get two engine options. First is the 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged I-4 engine, which produces 300 hp and a solid 310 lb-ft or torque. This is the base engine, which comes standard in the lower trims. It beats out the base engine on the Durango, a 3.6L Pentastar V6, substantially, as the base Durango engine only offers 295 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. When you compare the fuel efficiency, Ford wins again. The base engine gets 21 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway with RWD, and 20 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway when AWD is equipped. This is better than the Durango’s V6 which only gets 19 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway with RWD, and 18 MPG in the city and 25 MPG AWD. So if you want more power and better fuel efficiency, go with the Ford. Seems like a no-brainer to us.
The Explorer’s Five-Star Safety Rating
Making sure that you get a vehicle that is highly rated and known to be a safe option should rank highly on your list of requirements for a new SUV. If you’re going to put your family in it every day, you want to make sure that they’re going to be safe. Right off the bat, the Ford Explorer gets five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), whereas the Dodge Durango has only been rated at four stars for overall safety. Sure, it’s a one star difference, but wouldn’t you want the safest car for you and your family?
Specifically, the safety technology in the Durango is lacking. The NHTSA calls out the Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, and Dynamic Brake Support as issues for the Durango. You don’t have these same warnings in the Ford Explorer. In new models, you get Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology, which is a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features that aid in safety and convenience. Available features include tools like Lane Keep Assist, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Alert. Adaptive Cruise Control will help you stay within the correct distance from vehicles driving in front of you, and IntelliBeam auto high beams will keep your visibility good without blinding oncoming traffic.
Get More for Less With the Explorer
When you compare the 2024 Ford Explorer to the 2024 Dodge Durango, there seem to be dozens of reasons that Ford comes out ahead. The obvious answer is that the Ford must be more expensive, right? If the seating, cargo room, power, fuel efficiency, and even safety ratings are better on the Ford, it must cost an arm and a leg. Wrong! Somehow, Ford has managed to keep their prices highly economical, which is a leading reason you see so many of these great vehicles on the road today. A new 2024 Ford Explorer has a base MSRP of $36,860.[a] The 2024 Dodge Durango will ring up at a minimum of $41,670.[a] It leaves you wondering, “What are you really paying for?”
Check out the 2024 Ford Explorer Today
Even though we might be biased, since we love Ford vehicles, it’s pretty obvious that the Explorer outperforms the Durango in several important specifications. When it comes down to keeping your family safe and comfortable while being able to flex easily between commuting, your kids’ activities, and adventures on the open road, the iconic Ford SUV can do it all and do it all economically. If you want to check out a new Ford Explorer, visit us at DePaula Ford, and we’ll be happy to set you up with a test drive!
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