2000 Ford Explorer

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Awesome 5-ton towing capacity
Leather-lined comfort for eight
Automatic 4WD system

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Crowded parking lots require a harbor pilot
Too high for small kids to easily enter/exit
Thirsty, thirsty, thirsty

Ford Explorer XLT 4x4
The World's Best-Selling SUV
Ford Motor Company was one of the first vehicle makers to fully exploit the market potential in sport/utility vehicles when it introduced the '91 Explorer as a replacement for the two-door Bronco II. But Ford marketers freely admit they never guessed almost a decade ago what an incredibly popular vehicle this rugged truck wagon, based on the Ranger pickup, would eventually be.

In '98, it was the best-selling sport/utility in the United States by a huge margin with an absolutely stunning total of 431,488 units (up from 383,852 in '97). Holy profit margin! Could that many 'ute customers possibly be wrong?

The Explorer sits squarely on the high-value ($25,000-$34,000) sport/utility sweet spot. There have always been bigger, mechanically slicker, even more powerful, and more comprehensively equipped 'utes out there. But they also cost significantly more. Today, the high-value compact 'ute market, which Explorer clearly dominates, is under fresh attack by hybrid all-wheel-drive vehicles like the Lexus RX 300 and sleek all-weather wagons like the Volvo V70 AWD XC.

But Ford's designers have held a nice, tight focus on what folks really want and are willing to pay for. These include available V-8 engine muscle, five- to six-passenger seating, good build quality, large cargo-carrying capacity, park-easy dimensions, and handsome looks. In addition, the Explorer offers the safety benefit of a rigid, heavy truck chassis with many of the safety features of a passenger sedan, including side-impact airbags for '99.

Customers like powertrain choices. The Explorer has three: a 4.0-liter/160-horsepower OHV V-6, a 4.0-liter/210-horsepower SOHC V-6, and, a smooth and torquey 5.0-liter/215-horsepower OHV V-8. Any of these engines will get the job done, but we prefer the excellent power, smoothness and fuel efficiency of the 4.0-liter SOHC V-6 in our test vehicle.

Although we've never actually seen one, Ford offers a 60/40 front split-bench seat that enables the Explorer to carry six passengers. For the vast majority of owners, it seems the five-passenger capacity is enough. If you need to transport more than that, you can always go to a minivan or one of the larger full-size 'utes.

But the Explorer is handy nonetheless. Fully loaded, a four-door Explorer with the rear seat folded can carry as much as 81.6 cubic feet of cargo. Even the two-door is good for 69.4 cubic feet. So if you can't pick it up with your Explorer, maybe you should really just have it delivered.

Comfortable and load friendly, the Explorer is a tough, high-value vehicle which should continue to dominate this segment.-Jack Keebler

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Handsome styling
Good value
Easy to maneuver and park

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Grim off-road ride
Narrow interior
Tough to find yours in a crowded parking lot

Honda CR-V EX
The Best "Sport/Mini" Gets Even BetterWe've been solid CR-V backers since Honda introduced the capable mini/ute in the '97 model year. Despite a few minor shortcomings, our long-termer impressed two of our staffers enough that each bought one for his personal stable. A whole lot of other folks feel the same way about this affable vehicle. Sales topped the 100,000 mark in '98, making it the most popular mini-SUV on the market. And Honda predicts the changes for '99 will add another 20 percent to that total, which should ensure the CR-V continues to dominate its peers.