What's new for the 2007 Ford Explorer: Ford fixes the goofy inner door handles that debuted the year before, and all models get an MP3 input jack. The base XLS trim line disappears (leaving XLT, Eddie Bauer, and Limited). Higher-end models get optional power running boards; the DVD entertainment system gets a bigger screen.

There was a time when the popularity of the Ford Explorer outstripped the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and every SUV in the nation. Those days are long gone. Even with massive rebates, Explorer sales have fallen to a fraction of their peak as consumers step down into more efficient, carlike SUVs or jump out of the segment altogether.

Let's face it: the Explorer was designed for the (perceived) needs of a different time. It's long, it's tall, and it's built atop a boxed frame that pushes its curb weight past 4,500 pounds. The 210 horsepower from its unrefined 4.0-liter V6 engine barely passes for adequate, and 16 MPG is about the best mileage an owner can hope for. The low-limit handling doesn't inspire much confidence, either.

Yet when stacked up against other traditional, truck-based SUVs, the Explorer has a few things going for it. It's one of only two with an all-independent suspension, letting it shrug off bumps that upset most others. The 2002 redesign fixed the suspension and steering, making it almost as good a handler as the Nissan Pathfinder. It really can go off-road, and a max towing capacity of 7,300 pounds is as good as any.

More than that, the Explorer might be the smallest SUV that can tow a heavy load and hold seven people comfortably, thanks to an optional third-row seat that's roomier than usual. The other two rows aren't bad, either. Ford's ergonomics are a little strange and cheap-looking (especially after the 2006 update), but it's nothing you can't get over.

It's true that not many people need the extra utility of a truck-based, midsize SUV. But those who do should easily find the Explorer a more pleasant, comfortable, and refined choice than rivals like the Chevrolet TrailBlazer or Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Find out more about the 2007 Ford Explorer.