Is the Ford Explorer more reliable than the Hyundai Palisade?

Slightly, yes. The Explorer draws 6.8 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, against 31.7 for the Palisade, and it makes fewer unscheduled shop visits. Both have good standing, though, and the Explorer's engine and transmission failures can be costly. The edge is small.

Which has more recalls, the Explorer or the Palisade?

The Explorer, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 117 across its 9 model years, compared with 33 across 7 for the Palisade. Check any VIN for open recalls, since owners of both report waiting on parts for recall repairs.

Which costs less to repair?

The Palisade. Independent repair-cost data shows $573 a year, against $732 for the Explorer. Over five years that is roughly $795 saved. The Palisade does visit the shop more often, at 0.4 times a year versus 0.2 for the Explorer.

What are the biggest Palisade problems?

Brakes, seat belts, and glass lead. ABS can trigger over bumps and let the car roll, and the brake area has 15 crash-linked complaints. Buckles unlatch while driving, and windshields crack within the first few thousand miles. Rear shocks also fail repeatedly.

What goes wrong most on the Ford Explorer?

Power train problems lead, with 618 complaints. Owners describe harsh or skipped shifts and sudden power loss. Engine failures are fewer but severe, with metal in the oil and quotes of $11,000 to $12,000. Loose exterior trim and rear camera recall delays also appear.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Ford Explorer

Good

Hyundai Palisade

Good

Reliability favors the Ford Explorer by a slight margin over the Hyundai Palisade. The deciding fact is owner complaints: the Explorer draws far fewer per vehicle sold. The Palisade is cheaper to repair each year, but it sends owners to the shop twice as often. Both sit in good standing.

How Do the Ford Explorer and Hyundai Palisade Generations Compare?

New generations hurt both models early. The Explorer's sixth generation ran from 2020 through 2023, and its first two years, 2020 and 2021, are the weakest on the page. The 2018 and 2019 models belong to the fifth generation, which ran from 2011 to 2019 and received a facelift in 2016. The Palisade's first generation ran from 2020 to 2025, with a facelift in 2022, and 2020 and 2021 are its weakest years as well. A shopper has good reason to look past the opening years of each design. Palisade 2025 and 2026 rate best, but they have had little time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Ford Explorer is more reliable than the Hyundai Palisade, scoring 67/100 vs 65/100.

Slightly ahead on reliability: the Ford Explorer. Its owners file far fewer complaints for every vehicle sold, and it needs fewer unscheduled shop visits. The Palisade pulls back some ground with lower annual repair costs and fewer recalls. Both land in good standing, so the gap is small. The Explorer's worst problems are expensive, though, with engine and transmission failures at the top of the list. Shoppers should treat this as a narrow call, not a clear win.

Key Differences

1Hyundai Palisade costs $159 less per year to repair
2Hyundai Palisade has 84 fewer total recalls
3Ford Explorer has 24.9 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

3Ford Explorer

—

2Hyundai Palisade

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair Frequency

Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade: Which Is More Reliable?

Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Ford Explorer	Hyundai Palisade
Reliability Score	67/100	65/100
Years Tracked	9	7
Total Recalls	117	33
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.8	31.7
Annual Repair Cost	$732/yr	$573/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.4/yr
Year Wins	4 (1 tied)	2 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Explorer and Hyundai Palisade?

Different systems fail on each, and the crash-linked areas differ. Harsh or skipped shifts, sudden power loss, and engine failures with metal in the oil lead the Explorer's list, and its power train area has 12 crash-linked complaints. Loose A-pillar molding and rear camera recall delays add to the pile. Palisade owners report windshields cracking within the first few thousand miles, rear shocks failing again and again, and seat belt buckles coming unlatched while driving. Its service brakes stand out: ABS triggers over bumps and the car keeps rolling, with 15 crash-linked complaints. Brakes are not among the Explorer's main problem areas.

Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade common problem areas comparison
Component	Ford Explorer	Hyundai Palisade
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	5.3Average
SEAT BELTS	—None	3.9Average
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	3.7Average
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.1Low	2.2Low
POWER TRAIN	1.6Low	1.6Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	2.1Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	2.3Low
STRUCTURE	1.1Low	1Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	1.4Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.9Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.7Very Low
TRAILER HITCHES	—None	0.4Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.2Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.2Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Ford Explorer or Hyundai Palisade?

A lower yearly bill favors the Palisade. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $573 a year, against $732 for the Explorer. That gap is $159 a year, or about $795 over five years. The Explorer does better on frequency, with 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.4 for the Palisade. The Explorer also has a 14% chance that any given repair is major, and its engine replacement quotes in owner complaints reach $11,000 to $12,000.

How Does Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade Reliability Compare by Year?

Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Ford Explorer	Hyundai Palisade	Edge
2026	70/1004R / 0C	72/1002R / 23C	Hyundai Palisade
2025	72/10014R / 65C	70/1003R / 139C	Ford Explorer
2024	73/1006R / 14C	63/1005R / 304C	Ford Explorer
2023	71/10012R / 84C	62/1005R / 326C	Ford Explorer
2022	65/10021R / 208C	65/1005R / 241C	Tie
2021	62/10022R / 354C	61/1006R / 354C	Ford Explorer
2020	54/10029R / 1066C	59/1007R / 521C	Hyundai Palisade

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Ford Explorer scored 73/100 and the 2022 Hyundai Palisade scored 65/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Ford Explorer vs the Hyundai Palisade?

Pick the Explorer if you want fewer headaches overall and can accept a higher repair bill when something does go wrong. It sends owners to the shop half as often. Look hard at transmission behavior on a test drive, and ask for proof that recall work, including the rear camera recalls, is done. Avoid 2020 and 2021, the weakest years. The 2024 and 2025 models rate well, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof they are the safest bet. Pick the Palisade if lower yearly repair cost matters most, or if you need the larger vehicle. Test the brakes at low speed over bumps and rail crossings, and check the windshield for chips and cracks. Ask whether the seat belt buckle recall repair was completed, since owners report parts on back order. Skip 2020 and 2021 here too. If you plan to keep the car past warranty, price the rear shock repair first, because one owner was quoted $6,000.

Ford Explorer vs Hyundai Palisade: Common Questions

Is the Ford Explorer more reliable than the Hyundai Palisade?: Slightly, yes. The Explorer draws 6.8 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, against 31.7 for the Palisade, and it makes fewer unscheduled shop visits. Both have good standing, though, and the Explorer's engine and transmission failures can be costly. The edge is small.
Which has more recalls, the Explorer or the Palisade?: The Explorer, by a wide margin. Federal recall records show 117 across its 9 model years, compared with 33 across 7 for the Palisade. Check any VIN for open recalls, since owners of both report waiting on parts for recall repairs.
Which costs less to repair?: The Palisade. Independent repair-cost data shows $573 a year, against $732 for the Explorer. Over five years that is roughly $795 saved. The Palisade does visit the shop more often, at 0.4 times a year versus 0.2 for the Explorer.
What are the biggest Palisade problems?: Brakes, seat belts, and glass lead. ABS can trigger over bumps and let the car roll, and the brake area has 15 crash-linked complaints. Buckles unlatch while driving, and windshields crack within the first few thousand miles. Rear shocks also fail repeatedly.
What goes wrong most on the Ford Explorer?: Power train problems lead, with 618 complaints. Owners describe harsh or skipped shifts and sudden power loss. Engine failures are fewer but severe, with metal in the oil and quotes of $11,000 to $12,000. Loose exterior trim and rear camera recall delays also appear.

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How we score the Ford Explorer and Hyundai Palisade

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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