In the fiercely competitive three-row SUV market, the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade stand as benchmarks of excellence, blending luxury, reliability, and value in ways that make rivals look outdated. Yet, Ford's Explorer continues to lag embarrassingly behind, a relic of poor decisions that highlight the American automaker's inability to keep pace. Despite a 2020 redesign promising a rear-drive platform for superior dynamics, the Explorer delivers a underwhelming experience riddled with cheap interiors, subpar ergonomics, and reliability woes that scream cost-cutting over customer focus. It's baffling how Ford, with its storied history, can't muster a vehicle that matches the Korean duo's polish.

Let's start with the interior: the Explorer's cabin feels like a budget rental, with plasticky materials and a tiny infotainment screen that pales against the Telluride's expansive, user-friendly displays. The Palisade elevates this further, offering a near-luxury ambiance with soft-touch surfaces and thoughtful features like collapsible cupholders that outshine Ford's clunky setup. Families will cringe at the Explorer's cramped third row, which lacks the adult-friendly space of the Telluride or Palisade, forcing passengers into uncomfortable contortions on long drives. And don't get started on reliability—J.D. Power scores put the Telluride at 85/100 and Palisade at 84, while Ford's history of recalls and mechanical gremlins leaves owners regretting their choice. 

Performance is another sore spot. The Explorer's turbo engines promise power, but they guzzle fuel worse than competitors, with test-worst economy that drains wallets faster than the efficient V6 in the Telluride and Palisade. Handling? Forget it—the Explorer's neck-jerking throttle and vague steering make it feel unrefined, while the Koreans deliver smooth rides and engaging dynamics without compromise. Off-road pretensions in models like the Tremor come at a premium, yet they're outclassed in value by the Palisade XRT, which offers similar capability for thousands less. 

Value seals the deal. Starting higher than the Telluride's $36,390 base, the Explorer demands more for less, skimping on standard features that the Palisade bundles in, like advanced safety tech and premium audio. Reviews consistently rank it last in comparisons, with Edmunds giving it a measly 7.5/10 against the Palisade's 9.0. Ford's stubborn adherence to outdated designs has let Kia and Hyundai dominate sales, proving that innovation trumps legacy.

If Ford finally woke up—ditching the cheap plastics, boosting space, and prioritizing reliability—they could craft a true contender. Imagine an Explorer with Telluride-level refinement: it would be a sales juggernaut, reclaiming lost ground in the family SUV wars. But until then, it's just another missed opportunity.

We ask WHAT’S taking them SO LONG?