2017 Ford Explorer XLT

The 2017 Explorer is Ford's three-row family SUV, slotting between the Edge and the Expedition. It competes with the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, and Chevrolet Traverse in the midsize three-row segment. The Explorer drives with a composed, car-like feel, and the available turbo V6 gives it genuinely quick acceleration. Inside, there's room for seven, and the second-row seats fold and tumble for easy access to the third row. With the rear seats folded flat, the Explorer swallows bulky cargo like a full-size mattress with ease. The XLT is the volume trim, sitting above the base Explorer and below the Limited, Sport, and Platinum, and it adds features like the 10-way power driver seat and LED fog lamps. Its 3.5L V6 makes 290 horsepower and pairs with a six-speed automatic; front-wheel drive is standard, and it returns 20 mpg combined. The XLT comes with cloth seats and a single-zone manual climate system, which keeps the price down but means you give up the leather and dual-zone auto climate of higher trims.