I found this post from Ford Vehicle Capsule Reviews to be pretty informative:
Ford entered 2001 in jeopardy of losing the 4WD Sport Utility Vehicles wars. Pitted against its chief rivals, the Explorer makes for a better all-around 4WD Sport Utility Vehicles. 5 seats made it a player in the 4WD Sport Utility Vehicles segment.

Found at: Ford Vehicle Capsule Reviews