Performance-oriented SUVs with three-row seating are pretty rare. The supercharged HEMI V8-engined Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat comes to mind, a special addition that numbers approximately 3,000 units.
The seven-seat utility vehicles we’re covering today are the opposite of exciting, but nevertheless, you probably won’t guess which is the quicker over the quarter-mile. In the blue corner, we have a Ford Explorer with the 2.3-liter turbo four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. It’s a fine automobile that features a rear-/all-wheel-drive platform and a ten-speed automatic transmission, but on the other hand, it’s riddled with quality-related issues.
Recalled way too many times already, the mid-size SUV develops 300 horsepower on the nose and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) of torque on full song. It’s a far cry from the Hellcat mentioned earlier, yet it’s more than adequate for daily-driving scenarios with the family and the dog onboard.
Even though it’s based on a front-/all-wheel-drive platform, the Nissan Pathfinder on the other side of the track is a little heavier at 4,638 pounds (2,104 kilograms) compared to 4,345 pounds (1,970 kilograms). Fitted with a nine-speed automatic, the Japanese challenger makes do with a free-breathing V6 that boasts 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet (351 Nm).
Right off the bat, it’s pretty obvious which vehicle has the upper hand in a straight line. The real world, however, differs a lot from the number on a piece of paper. On the first run, the Pathfinder launches a little better off the line, although it ultimately loses the race by the smallest of margins. With sport mode turned on, the Pathfinder takes revenge on the second outing.
For the final run, which is a 50-kph (30-mph) roll race, the Nissan wins yet again. The Pathfinder would get walked if the Ford Explorer had the optional twin-turbo V6, but as they are with their base powerplants, neither family-hauling utility vehicle is really meant for strip-slaying shenanigans.
Recalled way too many times already, the mid-size SUV develops 300 horsepower on the nose and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) of torque on full song. It’s a far cry from the Hellcat mentioned earlier, yet it’s more than adequate for daily-driving scenarios with the family and the dog onboard.
Even though it’s based on a front-/all-wheel-drive platform, the Nissan Pathfinder on the other side of the track is a little heavier at 4,638 pounds (2,104 kilograms) compared to 4,345 pounds (1,970 kilograms). Fitted with a nine-speed automatic, the Japanese challenger makes do with a free-breathing V6 that boasts 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet (351 Nm).
Right off the bat, it’s pretty obvious which vehicle has the upper hand in a straight line. The real world, however, differs a lot from the number on a piece of paper. On the first run, the Pathfinder launches a little better off the line, although it ultimately loses the race by the smallest of margins. With sport mode turned on, the Pathfinder takes revenge on the second outing.
For the final run, which is a 50-kph (30-mph) roll race, the Nissan wins yet again. The Pathfinder would get walked if the Ford Explorer had the optional twin-turbo V6, but as they are with their base powerplants, neither family-hauling utility vehicle is really meant for strip-slaying shenanigans.