I have never understood the popularity of Ford Explorers. The only reason I still drive this car is due to having little money to afford a better vehicle. The repairs have been costly over the years. Within the first 7 years the transmission died twice. The second transmission repair did the trick and there were no transmission problems again until just recently. I had to have it rebuilt. I have also had the engine repaired and the exhaust system replaced. There have been many other less costly repairs. The gas mileage is also awful. 15 miles a gallon if you are lucky. Also, the ride has never been comfortable. It kind of jostles you around. I would say the handling is okay for a larger car. I no longer feel safe driving it mostly because it is so old. I felt mostly safe during its first 10 years of life. I have noticed no blind spots that are specific to this model. Probably the best thing about this car is that you can put the seats down and haul a fair amount of stuff. I have moved an upright, spinet piano and managed to get a full size, boxed sleeper sofa in there. My friends often ask me to help them move. Also, I am tall and it has more headroom than a normal car. The 4 wheel drive has been useful occasionally when I traveled down unpaved roads or had to make my own road.

My car is an used 2008 Ford Focus. I got it from my fiancé's grandmother who upgraded to a different car. She only had 300 miles on it at the time so I considered brand new more than used. I love how comfortable it felt and how well it responds to my steering.