Ford Explorer vs Honda Element

The Element costs less to run, by the official figures: about $180 a year less in New Zealand, $150 in Australia, £110 in the UK and $140 in the US.

Ford ExplorerHonda Element

Side by side

Specs are for each car's newest version. The better figure is in green.

Ford ExplorerHonda Element

A typical year's fuel

New Zealand
$3,803
$3,622 (better)
Australia
$3,146
$3,000 (better)
United Kingdom
£2,310
£2,200 (better)
United States
$2,938
$2,798 (better)

Official figures

Uses
11.8 L/100km
11.2 L/100km (better)
UK
24 mpg
25 mpg (better)
US
20 mpg
21 mpg (better)
On a full tank
576 km (better)
536 km

Space

Seats
6
5
Boot
515 L
–
Towing, braked
2,404 kg
–
Length
5,050 mm
4,300 mm
Weight
1,971 kg
–

Engine

Engine
2.3 L 4-cylinder turbo petrol
2.4 L 4-cylinder petrol
Power
224 kW (better)
119 kW
Torque
420 Nm (better)
217 Nm
Gearbox
10-speed automatic
5-speed manual
Drive
RWD
FWD

Safety

Airbags
8
–

A typical year: New Zealand 11,000 km (Ministry of Transport's average for a light vehicle); Australia 11,100 km (ABS Survey of Motor Vehicle Use average); United Kingdom 11,265 km (DfT National Travel Survey average of about 7,000 miles); United States 21,726 km (FHWA average of about 13,500 miles). Real costs depend on how and where you drive. Work out a particular trip.

Explorer or Element?

Which is cheaper to run, the Ford Explorer or the Honda Element?

The Honda Element: about $180 a year less in New Zealand, $150 in Australia, £110 in the UK and $140 in the US than the Ford Explorer at today's average prices and a typical year's driving.

Which uses less fuel, the Ford Explorer or the Honda Element?

The Honda Element, at 11.2 L/100km (25 mpg UK, 21 mpg US) to the Ford Explorer's 11.8 L/100km (24 mpg UK, 20 mpg US), by their latest official figures.

Each on its own

Other comparisons

What will the drive cost?

Roadtrip works out the fuel or charging cost of any drive for your exact car, finds the cheapest stations on the way, and splits it between everyone in the car.

Rated 4.7 by drivers · 700,000 downloads

The Roadtrip app showing a drive into London that costs £4.81 each, with fuel prices along the way