Need help narrowing your list of the new Ford SUVs for sale in Nederland? Philpott Ford has hometown people doing business the hometown way to guide you to the new SUV that best suits your crew. The 2026 Ford Escape and 2026 Ford Explorer are two compelling choices – each with their own strong suits.
Comparing the Ford Escape to the Ford Explorer
Which new Ford SUV is best for your family? That all comes down to driving routine, cargo capacity needs, and seating preferences. The new Ford Explorer is a family favorite with third-row seating, while the new Ford Escape is a fuel-efficient and maneuverable SUV for active households.
Seating
Smaller families may prefer the five-passenger Ford Escape for running errands and checking out the Nederland boutique shops along Boston Avenue. Larger families seating more passengers on rides to school or Collier's Ferry Park in Beaumont may prefer the three-row Ford Explorer.
With the new Ford Explorer, you can take the kids and their friends to the Nederland Swimming Pool by Doornbos Heritage Park or the big Lamar Cardinals game on campus in Beaumont. As a Nederland Ford SUV dealer, we have six-passenger Explorer models with second-row captain's chairs and seven-passenger Explorer models with a bench seat. The Ford Explorer offers exclusive PowerFold® third-row seats.
Cargo Space
Inside a new Ford Explorer, you have access to 85.8 cubic feet of cargo space, compared to 65.4 cubic feet in the Ford Escape.
Performance
The Ford Escape offers a pair of exclusive electrified models; the Ford Explorer lacks hybrid options. Choose the Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid and you can make it all the way from Nederland to Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Orange without any fuel consumption. With the Ford Escape Hybrid, you'll get 42 miles per gallon driving through the Oaks Historic District and Downtown Beaumont.
If your family vacations often involve a trailer, you'll benefit from the 5,000-pound towing capacity of the Ford Explorer. Offering multiple EcoBoost® engine options and generating 400 max horsepower, the Ford Explorer is the more powerful SUV. Powered by the 2.0-liter EcoBoost® engine, the Ford Escape delivers 250 max horsepower and a 3,500-pound towing capacity.
Tech
The Explorer was the lineup's first SUV to debut the Ford Digital Experience. A customizable 13.2-inch center touchscreen is also included. A 13.2-inch center display comes with select Ford Escape models. The Escape features SYNC® 4 with Enhanced Voice Recognition.
Test Drive These New Ford SUVs in Nederland
As a Ford SUV dealer serving Orange, we can help you compare features and capabilities for the Explorer and Escape. Both the Explorer and Escape can be found in our new inventory. Hurry to Philpott Ford to secure a Ford Escape before the compact SUV is sunset. The 2026 model year will be the last chance to buy or lease a new Ford Escape. All of the new SUVs for sale in Nederland at Philpott Ford are backed by a transparent Sonic Price®. Contact us to schedule a test drive in both the Ford Escape and Ford Explorer.