The Ford Explorer has, in a relative flash, gone from being merely a replacement for the Bronco II to becoming a bona-fide model leader. With more than 300,000 sales annually over the past two years, the Explorer has taken over the lead from the Chevy/GMC twins and the JeepCherokee/Grand Cherokee in the market?s compact sport/utility segment.It has done so with a combination of crisp good looks, a larger cargo capacity than the competition, a long wheelbase (just under 112 in. for the 4-door) that delivers excellent ride characteristics, and a 4.0-liter V6 that offers a fine compromise between performance and fuel economy. Next Page