But, as we've reported in the past, Ford is forging ahead with a crossover Explorer that's based on the platform that serves both the Taurus and Flex. No low gear ratios, although by offering Land Rover's Terrain Response Management, the smaller, lower-riding CUV won't necessarily be left to exploring the mall parking lot or the back way to Whole Foods. Power, it seems, will be ample, with a standard multivalve V6 engine and, for some extra cash, a turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost.

We're not saying the new Explorer won't be a good truck, er, CUV. However, why keep the Explorer badge on the thing? Why turn out a vehicle based on a totally different platform and call it the new iteration of an icon, especially when the Explorer is pretty close to losing its iconic status as is? Chevy didn't reinvent the Trailblazer -- it simply added the Traverse to the lineup.

I'm not saying the world needs more 7-passenger full-size SUVs, but some people do buy them. Why wouldn't Ford go in the opposite direction and ramp up the Explorer to the point that it can compete with, say, the Cadillac Escalade or the GMC Yukon?