2013 Ford Explorer Vs 2012 Acadia Denali

[MikeTheExplorer]

Hello everyone,

It's that time again for me and my wife to search for a bigger vehicle that fits our needs (2 kids) and after research and test driving we have narrowed it down to both the Ford Explorer and the Acadia Denali.
Now, I know this is a Ford explorer forum and the answers would be a little bias, however, any input would be greatly appreciated.

To be quite honest, I never thought about buying a Ford, I've always had Honda and Acura and those cars last forever, I mean, I had a honda civic for 8 years and it never leaked or anything. Anyways, the Ford Explorer has really catch our attention, after test driving and seeing all the features it had.
So, should we jump on the Ford wagon or pass?, Denali offers some of the features but not all of them, Im mostly concerned on the ride comfort and space since we will be driving from San Diego to Las Vegas quite a lot once we move to California (we are military living in Hawaii)

Thanks in advance and looking forward to all your responses.

 

[VinceL]

We didn't shop the Expedition (too big for us), but we did shop the Chevy Traverse (which I assume is very close to the GMC). We found the Traverse to be less comfortable than the Explorer. More specifically the second and third rows. They seemed to sit very low to the floor, which I didn't like. I did like the fact that the 2nd row was so adjustable fore and aft (you could really scoot those suckers back and give your 2nd row passengers some monster leg room). That is why I would only recommend the 2nd row buckets in the Explorer WITH the center console (I wouldn't get the buckets without the center console as the buckets do not have built-in armrests). We also found the interior quality of the Explorer to be superior in design and materials (which is subjective of course). Plus, even with all of its quirks, we really like the functionality of MyFord Touch. I would assume the GMC will have a different interior design (which we didn't like, seemed too busy to us), so the Traverse comments may not fully apply. We like our Explorer, and cross shopped it with the Chevy Equinox, Chevy Traverse, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, and Toyota Highlander. Good luck in your search, and if you have any questions on specifics, feel free to ask

 

[spar]

This is the exact position I was just in 3 weeks ago. My wife if prego with twins and the car seats did not fit in my bmw 1 series so it was time for a new car. We wanted a suv but not a huge one and it had to have a third row so other people could fit or if we had more kids. the second row had to be bucket seats too since seats wont fold with car seats installed. In the end it came down to the limited explorer and Acadia.

I feel like the technology in Ford is really good plus there were things that came with the ford that were addons with the Acadia. my wife really liked the power 3rd row too. By the time you made an acadia match what you get with the ford it was quite a bit more. So for the extra money you're paying for the Acadia what are you really getting?

for my case we also had the x-plan which helped choose the explorer and on top of that we got the GM's car so it had a little bit of mileage on it and got it even more discounted.

 

[Justyman87]

Well one congratulations on the new additions to the family! Anyway, if you are looking at safety the Ford Explorer is definitely safe. Being that the Ford Explorer is my first car I wanted it to be safe and it sure is. I love the blind spot indicators, heads up display, backup camera, rear safety belts (for when your kids get older). I don’t know what the Acadia Denali has but I do know for sure the Explorer is safe and I love driving it.
- Justin

 

[socal302]

Very interesting topic. We are in the exact same boat (but cant afford the Denali trim). My only concern is cargo space. It appears the rear cargo area with all seats up is slightly bigger in the GMC.

 

[harlenm]

I came very close to trading my Explorer for an Acadia Denali. 2 things that I put me off on the denali was the ancient nav system and the traditional key. The screen on the Acadia for the Nav/Radio was awful. It's close in size to the Explorer, but only has a resolution of 480x320, it was very grainy and cheap looking. And I didn't want to go back to a traditional key, too used to the smart key as I've been using one for over 3.5 years.

 

[MikeTheExplorer]

We didn't shop the Expedition (too big for us), but we did shop the Chevy Traverse (which I assume is very close to the GMC). We found the Traverse to be less comfortable than the Explorer. More specifically the second and third rows. They seemed to sit very low to the floor, which I didn't like. I did like the fact that the 2nd row was so adjustable fore and aft (you could really scoot those suckers back and give your 2nd row passengers some monster leg room). That is why I would only recommend the 2nd row buckets in the Explorer WITH the center console (I wouldn't get the buckets without the center console as the buckets do not have built-in armrests). We also found the interior quality of the Explorer to be superior in design and materials (which is subjective of course). Plus, even with all of its quirks, we really like the functionality of MyFord Touch. I would assume the GMC will have a different interior design (which we didn't like, seemed too busy to us), so the Traverse comments may not fully apply. We like our Explorer, and cross shopped it with the Chevy Equinox, Chevy Traverse, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, and Toyota Highlander. Good luck in your search, and if you have any questions on specifics, feel free to ask

Hey VinceL, thanks for your comments. Yes, the traverse would be the equivalent of the Acadia through Chevrolet (same thing). We are still debating everything and separating our Pros and Cons, I'm still concerned on the MyFord Touch issues I've been seeing throughout the forum and also maintenance and quality, as we would like this vehicle to last for years, so im still researching these topics.

I'm thinking that if we do get the Explorer, we will get the Limited with all the options (except the DVD, can't really justify a $1300 dollars dvd player when we have an excellent aftermarket one). Also, we might go with the V6 AWD instead of the 4 cylinder. I really wish the V6 was Ecoboost as well.

I think this next question would be a little more difficult to answer, I haven't really seen anything on the website... Is the AWD Explorer normally a FWD until it really needs more traction and power? or is the AWD always on?

Very interesting topic. We are in the exact same boat (but cant afford the Denali trim). My only concern is cargo space. It appears the rear cargo area with all seats up is slightly bigger in the GMC.

Im pretty sure the cargo space is only 3 inches of difference with the third row up, however... the Ford is a lot deeper because of the room needed for when the third row folds. I was able to fit a big sized stroller in the Ford and still had space around for things like groceries and other stuff. Cargo space is really important to my wife, I always tell her that she is not gonna have 2 people sitting in the back all the time lol

 

[velanzia]

... Is the AWD Explorer normally a FWD until it really needs more traction and power? or is the AWD always on? ...

I'm also super interested in getting an answer for this question. Thank you for asking. (2013 Nissan Pathfinder comes with a dial to toggle between 4x2, 4x4 & intelligent - which made me to think about how Ex. is handling it).

 

[kaelin]

I really wish the V6 was Ecoboost as well

If you don't mind giving up a few luxury options, the Sport is still nicely equipped with the V6 Ecoboost.

 

[TxRanger351w]

If you don't mind giving up a few luxury options, the Sport is still nicely equipped with the V6 Ecoboost.

I was under the impression that the Sport was essentially a Limited with the addition of some serious running gear. If it's not, I don't think I want to pay that extra premium to get essentially an XLT with more power.


To the original poster -

We drove and evaluated the following vehicles before deciding on the Explorer:
2011 Toyota 4Runner
2011 Toyota Highlander
2011 Chevy Traverse / GMC Acadia
2011 Ford Explorer
2011 Honda Pilot

The Pilot seemed to have the largest interior overall. But the Highlander had the most 3rd Row head room (I'm 6'1" and fit with space available.) The GMC/Chevy had good cargo space, good room, but the interior build quality seemed lacking. The 4Runner was awesome, but rode like a truck (due to the body on frame chassis) and was unacceptable for a newborn to be in the 2nd row. The Explorer had the best real world MPG, build quality was above what was expected, the ride is extremely comfortable (as indicated by a recent long road trip), and I was able to get a good deal getting out of the door well below MSRP (Including TT&L).

I really liked the Pilot, but my wife is the one who drives the vehicle the most and she liked the styling of the Explorer. It reminded her of a Range Rover.

Needless to say, I'm happy with her choice.

 

[VinceL]

MFT can be annoying, but it is really cool when it works. We knew it was a work in progress when we bought the car, so when it freaks out, we don't. We simply wait for it to fix itself (which it has except one time, and I was able to get it to see the light). Once they get it right, and I have confidence they will, it will be awesome. I would rate us pretty heavy MFT users. We use voice commands every time we are in the car and have wrung the NAV out pretty well. We often use the fuel price, traffic, and weather features of Sirius with good results.

Of course, we only have 15,000 miles on the car, so we can't speak to longevity, but so far nothing has snapped, broken, fallen off. We don't have any squeaks, rattles, or buzzes. We have a seat trim piece that is fussy, but that will be addressed at the next oil change time. Everything on the car seems rigid and attached well. We shall see...

With the Sport you give up a number of luxury/convenience items that are available in the Limited. If you look in the Sport threads, a number of posts detail the differences.

The 4x4 folks around here who know about such things have said that the Explorer 4WD is basically FWD with power being sent to the rear as needed. If I said that incorrectly, it won't take long for someone to straighten me out!

 

[crazyflights]

It's a Ford thats the most important thing.

 

[Thub]

The new 4x4 system is really AWD and yes it is front wheel drive based. Once your wheels start slipping it will distribute power where it is needed. The Terrain management allows you to control how the transmission controls the torque sent to the wheels and when it shifts. My belief is that when you are in normal mode it is in a auto FWD-AWD. When you switch into snow or mud mode you are then locking the truck into AWD.

 

[MikeTheExplorer]

Thanks for your responses. I know about the sport trim, but we really want the comfort and quiet ride of the Limited.

I've been reading the forum more and more..... seems like there are tons of problems for a $45k plus vehicle, huh? the smell, the steering, MFT... anything else I need to know? I mean, I have driven foreign vehicles and never had to take it to a dealer, just oil changes; so I figured this time I would support the American Economy but I really don't want to take a chance

 

[Thub]

Most of those issues were on the first year models, that's going to happen on all completely new designs the 2013 MY cars have fixed all those issues or have ongoing TSBs.

I've heard good and bad about MFT, some people like it and others don't. This is what happens when customers want more junk in their cars, auto makers have to pack all these controls that a bunch of simple buttons and knobs controlled into 1 computer and get them to work together in harmony. I'll take buttons and knobs any day over electronic junk. MFT has made major strides and I'm sure that today it is 10x better than it was when they introduced it. They are selling a lot of cars with that system and I'm sure Ford will have your back if anything major goes wrong. I think the main thing is learning the system.

 

[VinceL]

Our 2013 only has the hard acceleration smell issue, and MFT I have already talked about, that concerns us.

Like others have said, all models have their own issues, and joining a few more forums would help you find them out.

As much as I don't like the smell thing, it is something that doesn't happen a lot. I can make it happen, but I also drive pretty relaxed, so I don't smell it often.

Any you thought buying a car would be fun! The internet is a neat place, where you can find out about all of these issues. But it also is a place that can paint a skewed portrait of anything, because usually the wheel with a problem squeaks the loudest. Most people find their way here to find a solution to a problem, and they write about those problems. I joined, like you, to find out more about the vehicle. The problem is we have no way to judge how big a sample the members of this board represent of all buyers overall. If you hadn't read this board and you bought an Ex, you might never have any of the issues talked about here and would have been none the wiser. The internets is a blade that cuts both ways.

So, now that I have blabbered on long enough, it comes down to this:

Join the biggest boards of the vehicles you are considering and read about all of their problems. Get down about buying the car. Recover. Then start deciding which problems you can live with the easiest and then buy that vehicle Then enjoy!

 

[MikeTheExplorer]

Our 2013 only has the hard acceleration smell issue, and MFT I have already talked about, that concerns us.

Like others have said, all models have their own issues, and joining a few more forums would help you find them out.

As much as I don't like the smell thing, it is something that doesn't happen a lot. I can make it happen, but I also drive pretty relaxed, so I don't smell it often.

Any you thought buying a car would be fun! The internet is a neat place, where you can find out about all of these issues. But it also is a place that can paint a skewed portrait of anything, because usually the wheel with a problem squeaks the loudest. Most people find their way here to find a solution to a problem, and they write about those problems. I joined, like you, to find out more about the vehicle. The problem is we have no way to judge how big a sample the members of this board represent of all buyers overall. If you hadn't read this board and you bought an Ex, you might never have any of the issues talked about here and would have been none the wiser. The internets is a blade that cuts both ways.

So, now that I have blabbered on long enough, it comes down to this:

Join the biggest boards of the vehicles you are considering and read about all of their problems. Get down about buying the car. Recover. Then start deciding which problems you can live with the easiest and then buy that vehicle Then enjoy!

Yeah you are right on a lot of things. I really want to like this vehicle, it is my favorite so far, it is so modern and futuristic, I guess I have until december to figure out which one would be best, hopefully by then Ford has fixed the smell issue, thats a deal breaker for me, the others issues ... if presented I can live with

 

[Helicopter]

Just want to chime in here...
2013 AWD Limited V6 - Flawless. No smell, perfect fit and finish, had only one very small "thing" with MFT turning all the buttons orange. No problems to speak of. Best of all it's a Ford.

 

[wikidhd]

Hands down the technology in the Explorer is superior to the Acadia. I shopped the Acadia and didnt like the interior, it didn't have enuff technology for me, and the cabin was a little tight for a 6'5" guy like me. For all the money they are asking for Acadia, it is lacking so much to me. The only problem I had with my 13 Limited was the vibrating A pillars, other than that the MFT has been working properly. With the right cell phone and learning the right commands for the MFT, the Explorer is SICK!!!!!!!In others words real nice......that's jus my 2 cents..... I have a family of 3 but my wife has MS so I have to carry around her power scooter and the ride this summer to Mississippi and then Florida was so comfortable with room to spare.......Mind you this was a round trip from Virginia to Mississippi to Pensacola, FL, then to Orlando, FL, then to Daytona, FL and back home to VA......the price of being a teacher......LOOOOOOOONG VACATIONS....lol

 

[MikeTheExplorer]

Just want to chime in here...
2013 AWD Limited V6 - Flawless. No smell, perfect fit and finish, had only one very small "thing" with MFT turning all the buttons orange. No problems to speak of. Best of all it's a Ford.

So there is hope!, I've been reading the Acadia forums and seems like they got it worse