The 1993 Ford Explorer saw another redesign of its engine. This time, the revamp resulted in additional horsepower; the new version of the 4.0 liter V-6 delivered 160 hp.

More power under the hood wasn't the only lure Ford offered to bring buyers into the sport-utility vehicle fold, either. Trim choices for the 1993 model year included the Sport, XL, XLT, and Eddie Bauer, as in previous years, but a new high-end trim, the Limited, set a new standard for SUV luxury. The Limited, available only in a four-door, four-wheel drive version, was full of the latest bells and whistles, 1993-style, including automatic headlights, fog lights, and a navigation console including a built-in compass.

Buyers who weren't looking to be cocooned in comfort had other choices in the other trim lines, including two-door models and rear-wheel drive models (although most buyers chose four-wheel drive versions for their off-road abilities). But the '93 Ford Explorer was a harbinger of the ever-bigger, ever-more-luxurious SUV trend of the 1990s.

Not surprisingly, its gas mileage wasn't anything to write home about. With 15 to 18 mpg city, 20 to 23 mpg highway, the 1993 Explorer may not have been the greenest vehicle out there. But, hey, gas was only a dollar back then!