2023 head-to-head · Midsize & Large SUV
2023 Ford Explorer vs Toyota Highlander Hybrid
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas, it costs about $1,292 a year to fuel (36 MPG), versus $1,938 for the 2023 Ford Explorer (24 MPG). That's roughly $646 a year, or about $3,229 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- Ford Explorer
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Side by side
| Ford Explorer | Toyota Highlander Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|
| $1,938 | Your annual fuel cost | $1,292 |
| 24 MPG | Combined efficiency | 36 MPG |
| 21 MPG | City | 36 MPG |
| 28 MPG | Highway | 35 MPG |
| 370 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 245 g/mi |
| 5/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 7/10 |
| 5/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 7/10 |
| Gas | Powertrain | Hybrid |
| Regular gasoline | Fuel | Regular gasoline |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 2.5L 4-cyl |
| 10-speed automatic | Transmission | CVT |
| RWD | Drivetrain | FWD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
Ford Explorer vs Toyota Highlander Hybrid across model years
- Ford Explorer
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Among 73 2023 midsize & large SUVs, the Ford Explorer ranks 16th and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 9th for lowest fuel cost.
The powertrains differ: the Ford Explorer is a conventional gas model, while the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a full hybrid.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2023 Ford Explorer or the 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
Measured by cost to drive, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The Ford Explorer is rated 24 MPG combined and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 36 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2023 Ford Explorer vs. the Toyota Highlander Hybrid per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.10/gal regular gas, about $1,938 for the Ford Explorer and $1,292 for the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Ford Explorer vs Toyota Highlander Hybrid in other years
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