ST vs. The Competition

CareerFiremanGuy · Jun 24, 2022

*UPDATED TO CURRENT PRICING + WARRANTY BACKED FORD PERFORMANCE TUNE (taken from manufacturer's websites and my own data)

Okay, I've been wanting to do this thread for a while but I knew rounding up all the data was going to be a little tedious, so I relented.
Lazy no more!

Agree, Disagree, Flame to your hearts content ...

Ford Explorer ST (CD)
Base Price $48,510 *$50,875 ($50,005 + $880 FP Tune/Dealer Install)
*430 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: *4.7 sec
¼-mile: *13.15 sec @ 103 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 161 ft
Skidpad: 0.86 g
Observed MPG: *20 mpg

Chevrolet Tahoe RST (CD)
Base Price $61,500 ($70,415)
420 hp 6.2L V8
0-60 mph: 5.7 sec
¼-mile: 14.1 sec @ 100 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 113 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 188 ft
Skidpad: 0.75 g
Observed MPG: 14 mpg

Dodge Durango R/T AWD (CD)
Base Price $52,560 ($53,595)
360 hp 5.7L V8
0-60 mph: 6.2 sec
¼-mile: 14.7 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 120 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 193 ft
Skidpad: 0.78 g
Observed MPG: 16 mpg

Dodge Durango SRT 392 (CD)
Base Price $68,960 ($70,295)
475 HP 6.4L V8
0-60 mph: 4.1 sec
1/4 mile: 12.7 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (C/D est): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Observed MPG: 13 mpg

Acura MDX Type-S (CD)
Base Price $67,350 (SAME)
355 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 5.5 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.1 sec @ 100 mph
Top Speed (gov limited): 111 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 180 ft
Skidpad: 0.87 g
Observed MPG: 17 mpg

Audi SQ5 (MT)
Base Price $55,800 ($59,200)
349 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 4.7 sec
¼-mile: 13.4 sec @ 103 mph
Skidpad: 0.94 g
EPA 18/24/20 mpg

BMW X5 Drive40i (CD)
Base Price $62,900 ($63,900)
335 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 4.9 sec
¼-mile: 13.6 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 129 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 170 ft
Skidpad: 0.89 g
Observed MPG: 19 mpg

Cruising68 · Jun 24, 2022

Nice comparison!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KegsBdry · Jun 24, 2022

CareerFiremanGuy said:

Okay, I've been wanting to do this thread for a while but I knew rounding up all the data was going to be a little tedious, so I relented.
Lazy no more!

Agree, Disagree, Flame to your hearts content ...

Ford Explorer ST (CD)
Base Price $48,510
400 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 5.2 sec
¼-mile: 13.8 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 146 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 161 ft
Skidpad: 0.86 g
Observed MPG: 21 mpg

Chevrolet Tahoe RST (CD)
Base Price $61,500
420 hp 6.2L V8
0-60 mph: 5.7 sec
¼-mile: 14.1 sec @ 100 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 113 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 188 ft
Skidpad: 0.75 g
Observed MPG: 14 mpg

Dodge Durango R/T AWD (CD)
Base Price $52,560
360 hp 5.7L V8
0-60 mph: 6.2 sec
¼-mile: 14.7 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 120 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 193 ft
Skidpad: 0.78 g
Observed MPG: 16 mpg

Dodge Durango SRT 392 (CD)
Base Price $68,960
475 HP 6.4L V8
0-60 mph: 4.1 sec
1/4 mile: 12.7 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (C/D est): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Observed MPG: 13 mpg

Acura MDX Type-S (CD)
Base Price $67,350
355 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 5.5 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.1 sec @ 100 mph
Top Speed (gov limited): 111 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 180 ft
Skidpad: 0.87 g
Observed MPG: 17 mpg

Audi SQ5 (MT)
Base Price $55,800
349 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 4.7 sec
¼-mile: 13.4 sec @ 103 mph
Skidpad: 0.94 g
EPA 18/24/20 mpg

BMW X5 Drive40i (CD)
Base Price $62,900
335 hp 3.0L V6
0-60 mph: 4.9 sec
¼-mile: 13.6 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (gov limited): 129 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 170 ft
Skidpad: 0.89 g
Observed MPG: 19 mpg

Great job doing the legwork! The results are in: ST is the best bang for the buck!

Plus, the luxuries are an added bonus! How many of these SUVs come with massage seats & adaptive cruise control?!

CareerFiremanGuy · Jun 24, 2022

Cruising68 said:

KegsBdry said:

Thanks guys.

Yes, the ST is definitely the performance/price leader. The only one I think that came close was the Audi SQ5, 4 tenths quicker but costs over $7k more and its interior dimensions much smaller by comparison (SQ5 passenger volume + cargo volume 129 cu ft, ST Passenger passenger volume + cargo volume 167 cu ft).

st8 · Jun 24, 2022

Awesome write up! Nice go to for comparisons. But like I think many of us knew, our STs offer amazing bang for the buck that I don’t think has been matched. If only it wasn’t so “slow” lol

STFan · Jun 24, 2022

Great post

CareerFiremanGuy · Jun 24, 2022

st8 said:

STFan said:

Happy to oblige!

Yes, the ST is amazing for what it offers compared to it's competition.

And another thing, I personally don't even like the styling of some of the other one's all that much. The ST's looks are more aggressive/masculine.

st8 · Jun 24, 2022

Not to mention the gas mileage. The ST does very well with it. In fact it is very similar to all the other 3 row suvs such as the tellurides, traverse, pilot, etc. I know none of those are performance or even sporty vehicles but pretty amazing imo how the ST so much more powerful than all of those yet still get pretty damn equivalent gas mileage. I mean I get like the same gas mileage as my 2017 2.3L explorer.

STJIM · Jun 25, 2022

Great comp. Don’t forget the Audi does not have remote start even as an option!

TLST22 · Jun 27, 2022

CareerFiremanGuy said:

Agreed, love the way the ST looks, it has a mean and aggressive look to it. Wouldn't mind the BMW X5 M Competition though

CareerFiremanGuy · Jun 27, 2022

st8 said:

Seriously! I'm getting the same 20 mpg combined my KIA Stinger GT got, and the ST weighs 700 lbs more and makes another 45 hp.

STJIM said:

The Audi does not have the $7k price savings either!

TLST22 said:

Add another $66,790 to the ST's price, and the BMW X5 M Competition is yours.

KegsBdry · Jun 30, 2022

TLST22 said:

For only double the price of a ST.

STJIM · Jun 30, 2022

KegsBdry said:

Don’t forget about Quadruple the maintenance cost

CareerFiremanGuy · Jul 1, 2022

STJIM said:

It's really that much?

l1tech · Jul 1, 2022

CareerFiremanGuy said:

I've owned BMW's for the better part of the last 20 years and I don't understand why people say they cost so much to maintain. I guess if you are having a dealership do all of the maintenance then maybe, but that holds true for every vehicle. Now in the case of the X5M it does hold 10 quarts of oil whereas the St only holds 6 so there is more cost there.

hbalek · Jul 1, 2022

Explorer has much cheaper parts cost and the insurance cost is really low too. I pay about $700 per year for my ST. I went from a 7 year old Lincoln MKZ with 80K miles to a brand new ST and the cost was almost the same!

YetiMonkey · Jul 1, 2022

Agreed with @hbalek. Not to mention a lot of dealerships if they don't sell them, won't touch them. That being said you could have to do a drive to get it serviced.

CareerFiremanGuy · Jul 1, 2022

l1tech said:

Thanks for the info!

hbalek said:

From my 3 year old KIA Stinger GT to my 22 ST, my insurance dropped $20/month.

YetiMonkey said:

I realize no matter who you go to, every dealer's Service Dept will ask if you bought your car there. But if you say no, they'll still service it anyways!

I can't believe BMW (or any other dealer for that matter) wouldn't? Wow.

xr4tic · Jul 5, 2022

If you want a sporty 3-row SUV, you can narrow it down to just 3 (Explorer, Durango, Tahoe), and I don't even consider the Tahoe to be sporty (of all the V8 engines GM has to offer, you stick to the 5.3? Really? C'mon, take this seriously)

Money no-object, I'm taking the Durango SRT all day, every day. I had a 2018 SRT: better interior, better performance, better sound (engine and audio), better ride, more adjustability (eco/street/sport/track/custom/etc), and I got compliments everywhere I went.

Unfortunately, money is an object, and since my SRT was stolen, I went for bang-for-the-buck with the ST this time around.

I definitely do not miss the 11 mpg though.

CareerFiremanGuy · Jul 5, 2022

xr4tic said:

Heh, what's 11 mpg compared to the SRT's additional $17,000 asking price over the ST!

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