2026 Ford Explorer vs 2026 Honda Pilot:
Safety comparison — crash avoidance & crash test ratings

Side-by-side comparison of standard crash-avoidance technologies and NHTSA/IIHS crash test ratings. Driver assistance and convenience features are covered in the full comparison.

2026 Ford Explorer
99
MotiveGrid Safety Score
vs
2026 Honda Pilot
75
MotiveGrid Safety Score
2 advantages for Ford Explorer0 advantages for Honda Pilot4 tied featuresFull comparison

Quick take

The Ford Explorer leads in overall safety with a MotiveGrid Safety Score of 99 vs 75 — a 24-point gap driven by stronger crash-avoidance features and/or higher NHTSA/IIHS ratings. In crash avoidance, the Ford Explorer includes 2 more standard features (2 of 4 key technologies vs 0). Overall, the Ford Explorer has the stronger safety package, leading on 2 of 6 measured features versus 0 for the Honda Pilot (4 tied). Check the full comparison for cost of ownership, powertrain, and livability scores — safety is one of five pillars in the MotiveGrid Score.

Crash avoidance(2–0–2)

(Wins–Losses–Ties for Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot)

Crash avoidance comparison: 2026 Ford Explorer versus 2026 Honda Pilot
FeatureFord ExplorerHonda Pilot
Automatic emergency braking
Detects imminent forward collision and applies brakes autonomously to reduce or avoid impact.
 Yes Yes
Forward collision warning
Alerts driver to an impending forward collision with visual and/or audible warnings.
 Yes Yes
Blind spot monitoring
Warns when a vehicle is detected in the blind spot zone, typically with mirror indicators.
 Yes▲ No—
Rear cross-traffic alert
Alerts to approaching cross-traffic when reversing out of a parking space or driveway.
 Yes▲ No—

Crash test ratings(0–0–2)

(Wins–Losses–Ties for Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot)

Crash test ratings comparison: 2026 Ford Explorer versus 2026 Honda Pilot
FeatureFord ExplorerHonda Pilot
NHTSA overall
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration overall star rating (1–5). Crash test scores for frontal, side, and rollover.
5 ★5 ★
IIHS overall
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety top award — Top Safety Pick+ is the highest designation.
Top Safety Pick—

Data reflects standard equipment at the base MSRP. Optional packages like Ford BlueCruise, GM Super Cruise, and Tesla FSD are not scored (Tesla FSD is the lone curated exception). Crash test data from NHTSA and IIHS. ADAS data verified against manufacturer spec pages.

← Full 2026 Ford Explorer vs 2026 Honda Pilot comparisonSafety scoring methodology →

See the full Ford Explorer vs Honda Pilot comparison — all five pillars including cost of ownership, powertrain, driver assistance, and livability:

← Full comparison (all 5 pillars)Safety scoring methodology →Car safety ratings explained →MotiveGrid rankings →