There's nothing wrong with launching a redesigned midsized truck-based SUV in the middle of a collapsing market for those vehicles. Better to at least get as much of that shrinking market as you can. It's even better if you can do a good job and improve the SUV's handling and ride quality.

But why bother doing any of that if you then wrap it in a body so similar to the old one that only the most freakishly observant consumer would notice the difference?

As of last month, Ford Explorer sales had dropped almost 33 percent from the same time last year. This is not how a redesign should go.
-Peter Valdes-Dapena