The redesigned Ford Explorer has also been rated one of the safest utility vehicles at any size or price; it's the first vehicle in the world to offer rear inflatable seatbelts. Curve control--a more advanced version of electronic stability control--is also a Ford exclusive and Ford's MyKey system helps parents reel in teen drivers.
And now it also stands out for being one of the greenest picks; Ford claims best-in-class gas mileage for non-hybrids and notes that the Explorer EcoBoost will go 20 percent farther on a gallon of gas than the Honda Pilot.