Ever since the original Star Trek hit the small screen in the late 60s, many memorable starships have appeared over the course of the long-running franchise. From the mold-breaking USS Defiant, all the way to the heavily armed USS Titan, there have been a wide variety of spacecraft shown onscreen.
Among the ships that fans know and love, perhaps none os more iconic than the USS Enterprise. The classic ship's many iterations have featured in many movies and TV shows. While this ship may take the limelight most of the time, there is another that stole the heart of audiences: The USS Voyager, lost in the Delta Quadrant under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway. Of these two ships, which is more advanced?
The USS Voyager featured throughout the aptly named Voyager series, which began airing shortly after the finale of The Next Generation. Many fans feel the show lacked substance, especially compared to the much darker Deep Space 9, which aired at the same time. Still, there seems to be nothing bad said about the starship Voyager itself. It was a wonderfully designed, slick-looking vessel, a far cry from the slightly misproportioned Enteprise-D of TNG. The ship saw the crew though many battles, and it helped them (barely) return home to the Alpha quadrant, securing it in the Starfleet hall of fame.
The biggest difference between Voyager and the Enterprise-D was that they belonged to different classes. Picard’s ship was a Galaxy class vessel, a gigantic beast of ridiculous proportions that was more akin to a flying city than a ship. It had a lot more in common to a cruise ship than a Starfleet military vessel. It was outfitted with all the latest mod cons for crew and civilian comport, including a holodeck, concert halls, and ample space for families.
Voyager, however, was an Intrepid class, giving it a different purpose. It was designed to be much smaller, cutting out many of the comforts found on the Enterprise-D. Instead, it focused on scientific discovery and research. Voyager's small size also allowed for an increased maximum speed, and made it better at maneuvering and escaping desperate situations when the time came. This gave it a massive advantage in battle. Voyager's acceleration was faster as well, ensuring they were able to get away from anyone chasing them.
The question of which ship is more advanced, then, is a problematic one. Voyager has more scientifically advanced technological marvels on board, pioneering some of the Federations newest gadgets and gizmos. However, it wasn’t Starfleet's flagship like the Enterprise-D was. Although several years had passed, the Enterprise was still one of the best ships in their fleet, as it was able to do everything. The weaponry aboard Voyager was nothing to be shunned, but was inferior to that of the flagship. The Enterprise-D was a tank, able to win against most foes. Voyager's struggles with the Kazon during the first season is a prime example. These battles posed significant threat to Janeway and her crew, but would have been easy for Picard and his armada of weapons.
Winning a fight, however, is not the only thing that makes a ship more advanced or better. Although the Enterprise-D could blow most enemies out of the water, mostly due to their sheer mass, they were not the best when it came to survival or endurance. They had great shields, but time and again they needed repairs and updates to stay on top. Voyager, for obvious reasons, was not able to do this. Yet, it fared well despite the circumstances.
The crew of Voyager was able to repair the ship when necessary, and maintain long distance travel. The ship is efficient, where the Enterprise had a lot of unnecessary extras. While the crew could (and often did) cut power the taxing subroutines and luxuries when power rationing was required, it still took considerable energy just to move the enormous vessel, lugging along dead weight. On the other hand, Voyager was far more compact. It carried the necessities for space exploration and scientific discovery, unburdened by the Enterprise's extra features.
The answer, as is often the case within the Star Trek universe, is contextual. Voyager was more advanced in terms of scientific discovery and research, as this was what it was designed to do. Everything about the ship supported its purpose. Meanwhile, the Enterprise-D was made to be a jack of all trades. It was able to do everything well, but perhaps not as expertly as those designed to do specifics. Voyager takes the crown for scientific advancement over the Enterprise, much like the USS Titan takes the militaristic lead for firepower. But overall, the Enterprise could still outrank them both.