2004-2005 Midsize SUV Comparison

Deciding which new vehicle to buy is seldom easy. After researching the likely prospects and narrowing down the choices to a handful of models, picking out one of them can be the toughest task of all.


With dozens of sport-utility vehicles on the market, the decision is even more daunting. If you're interested in a midsize SUV, however, this comparison of four popular models should help in taking that final step.


Each of the SUVs described is a base model, with a V-6 engine. Except for the Honda Pilot, all are available with optional V-8 power. Each comes in rear-drive or four-wheel-drive form, apart from the Pilot, which is all-wheel-drive only.


External dimensions don't differ by much, and each base-model SUV is sticker-priced in the upper-$20,000 neighborhood. Eight-passenger seating is standard on the Pilot, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee carries only five occupants. The Ford Explorer and Toyota 4Runner may have either two or three rows of seats, for five- or seven-passenger capacity.

Ford Explorer XLS
When Ford first launched the Explorer as a 1991 model, it was compact in size. Redesigning for 2002 transformed it into a midsize model, which has been the top-selling SUV in the U.S.