My dad bought a Honda Pilot. My brother bought an Explorer. Both are '96 models.
I have driven each of them and I hate to say it, but the Explorer just feels "cheap" compared to the Pilot.
Adequate adjectives escape me when I try to explain the difference. The Pilot just felt snappier and I felt more in control of the vehicle. It was very well put together; the "fit and finish" were superb. The Explorer had the same old interior "features". Dull dashboard display, less comfortable seats, fewer of the little amenities (cupholders/storage etc. -all of which in the Pilot were well engineered IMO).
Simple things like the liftgate on the Explorer wouldn't latch without slamming it down hard.
I guess the best way to say it might be that I felt the Honda was built better than the Ford much like the way I have always felt that a Ford was put together better than a Chevy of the same vintage.

 

I think you mean they are both 2006 models. Pilot came out first as 03 model IIRC.

Clint

 

I've long contested that the Japanese imports aren't better than the domestics because of who is putting them togeather (A monkey can shoot screws in a door panel). But rather they are better than domestics due to superior engeneering, materal and quality of componets.

 

Sorry-normally hanging out in PSD forums and 96 is an oft typed or read number. You are absolutely correct-both models are 06's.

 

try hooking up some trailers or go off roading then come back, as for the interior for me the Piliot would be to tacky for me the Explorer would be much better.

 

You need to understand that not everyone buys an SUV/truck for their towing or off roading capabilities, half of the people that buy an Explorer or Piliot will never have a trailer hooked to it or see anything but pavement. Some people just want a nice comfortable ride to get from one place to the next. The Explorer and Piliot aren't even made to be doing alot heavy towing, and you'd be crazy to go play off road in a brand new vehicle.

Tim

 

You could say same thing about pickup truck owners.

 

Yeah, I meant to put that in there too...but forgot.

Tim

 

yeah its amazing how much people dont use there truck foir what it was made for hauling/towing, Its amazing ive towed a trailer 6 times with moy truck all tows 2000 pounds and up to about 5200 pounds with 400 pounds in the box, before i owned my 98 It had 189,000 now its got 217,000 the box when i bought it looked like it was used about 40 times a few dents scraches were un real me ive used my box more than 59 times hauling heavy scrap, furniture, wood, been loaded full of tools for winter thers 2 cinder block in the back for weight, also carry a trucker tool box this things hauls @$$ before i owned it it was owned buy a consturstion company and it towed a trailer aswell its a tough truck and i garentie 400,000 kms in roulghy 5-6 years

 

What's amazing is how you can conscrue EVERY topic down here to be about how much your truck has hauled-towed What do you want a cookie?


WOW 6 TIMES THAT'S AMAZING ,not! You don't want to know how many times/miles my old 91 Mazda MPV minivan with the 3.0 has pulled a 4000LB boat/trailer combo.

 

nope cause I dont belive it and if it did it was crappy perforence and you wearnt going up a hill trucks are about what it can haul so I let u know.

 

I garuntee that your V6 is just as underpowered as that van was pulling the same load. Remember your Extended cab truck is quite a bit heavier than the van was and the 4.2L engine is little more than a glorified minivan engine anyhow. The van that I had sported the factory tow package and was rated for 4300 lbs

Would it win any drag races with that load, NO, But neither will your super duper 4.2L But I had no problems maintaing the speed limits.

 

you feel special.

 

Boys, boys, boys.......
Let's play nice.
All I did was comment that I thought the Pilot was put together better than the Explorer.
Now were braggin' about what we can tow?

 

I'm not the one who gives a bill of lading for EVERYTHING they've ever hauled. In every single post I make.