2025 Dodge Durango vs 2025 Ford Explorer

The 2025 Ford Explorer continued its sleek design with a rear-wheel-drive platform, offering balanced proportions and a modern appearance. The refreshed model featured a restyled front end, giving it a wider and more rugged look. New LED taillights and a variety of wheel designs enhanced its aesthetic appeal. Inside, the Explorer saw significant improvements with upgraded materials and design, making it competitive in its segment. The trim levels in Canada were reduced to four, ranging from the base Active to the performance-tuned ST, with prices between $52,830 and $71,430.

The 2025 Dodge Durango, particularly in the SRT Hellcat variant, showcased a bold design with the Silver Bullet special edition package. This included a satin black hood, unique wheels, and dark badges, adding visual attitude. Inside, the Durango maintained a subdued yet premium feel with dark red Nappa leather and a suede headliner. Despite its solid construction, some plastic surfaces detracted from the overall luxury feel. The Durango's design emphasized comfort and practicality, with thoughtful features enhancing its appeal.

The 2025 Ford Explorer offered two EcoBoost engines: a 300-horsepower 2.3-litre four-cylinder and a 400-horsepower twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6. All models in Canada featured a 10-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The Explorer's driving modes included Eco, Normal, Sport, and more, catering to various conditions. Fuel economy ratings were competitive, with the base engine achieving 11.9 L/100 km in the city. The Explorer's performance was commendable, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, especially in the ST-Line with the Street Package.

The 2025 Dodge Durango streamlined its powertrain offerings, with the SRT Hellcat boasting a 710-horsepower supercharged 6.2-litre V8. This engine delivered 645 pound-feet of torque, accelerating to 96 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Despite its power, the Durango's fuel economy was poor, with ratings of 20.5 L/100 km in the city. The SRT Hellcat featured a full-time AWD system, adaptive damping suspension, and Brembo brakes, providing a thrilling driving experience. Its performance was likened to a taller Charger, with impressive grip and braking capabilities.

The 2025 Ford Explorer seated six in its standard configuration, with an optional second-row bench increasing capacity to seven. The interior featured comfortable seating, with the ST-Line offering heated front seats and a wireless charging pad. Cargo space was generous, with a maximum of 2,429 litres. The Explorer's design prioritized practicality, though third-row comfort was limited for adults.

The 2025 Dodge Durango excelled in comfort and practicality, with heated and ventilated front seats and a spacious interior. The second-row captain’s chairs provided good leg support, and the third row was accessible and comfortable for adults. Cargo space was ample, with a maximum volume of 2,409 litres. The Durango's thoughtful features, such as rear climate controls and multiple charging ports, enhanced its functionality.

The 2025 Ford Explorer featured the new Ford Digital Experience with a 13.2-inch touchscreen and Google Built-in. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a B&O sound system. The system was user-friendly, with Google Assistant providing reliable voice recognition. The Explorer's technology focused on practicality rather than excessive features.

The 2025 Dodge Durango came with Uconnect 5, featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen and wireless smartphone integration. The SRT Hellcat included SRT Performance Pages for tracking performance metrics. The Harman Kardon audio system provided excellent sound quality. While the voice recognition required specificity, the system was generally effective and user-friendly.

The 2025 Ford Explorer included Ford CoPilot 360 Assist+ with adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist. Higher trims featured BlueCruise, a hands-free highway driving system. The Explorer received mixed safety ratings, with some trims having less effective headlights.

The 2025 Dodge Durango's safety features were basic, with forward-collision warning and blind-spot monitoring. Its safety ratings were mediocre, with a four-star overall rating from NHTSA. The Durango's performance in crash tests was concerning, reflecting its older engineering.