Ford has taken the wraps off its 2018 Explorer, which is a mid-sized SUV and was first introduced by the carmaker in the 1990s.

On Monday, April 10, the refreshed iteration of the much-loved Explorer SUV was unveiled and will boost the carmaker's growing SUV lineup.

However, the updates and changes to Ford's most well-know SUV are minimal. The looks and exterior design pretty much remains the same as that of the 2017 Explorer. This may be a conscious decision from Ford to keep most features and design choices intact, as the Explorer is one of the best-selling vehicles from the company.

New Features Of The 2018 Ford Explorer

The few updates to the 2018 Explorer include a new grille and redesigned fog lamps. The Ford SUV will also be available in four new shades and five additional wheel choices. The new color options for the vehicle include Burgundy Velvet Tinted Clearcoat, Platinum Dune Tricoat, Blue Metallic, and Cinnamon Glaze.

However, perhaps the most important and noticeable change in the new Explorer is the inclusion of the embedded 4G LTE modem. This modem will be able to provide Wi-Fi hotspot to a maximum of 10 devices at once and has a range of 50-feet from the SUV.

The SYNC Connect feature will also allow drivers to check the location of their vehicles, as well as keep a lookout for the diagnostics of the Explorer.

The updated car has also been fitted with a Safe and Smart Package, which allows it to undertake functionalities such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, cross traffic alert, collision warning and brake assist, and rain-sensing wipers.

History And Growth Of Ford Explorer SUV

Sales of the Explorer hit an all-time high in 2000 when the company sold 445,000 units of the vehicle in the year. Almost 7 million of these vehicles have been sold since the Explorer first debuted in 1990. However, the rising cost of fuel forced Ford to rethink the design of the original vehicles.

In 2011, Ford redesigned the Explorer into crossover cars, which further increased its popularity among the general populace. In 2016, the company sold 248,000 Explorers, which is just 0.3 percent lesser than the 2015 sales.

It appears that Ford expects the popularity of the crossover SUVs to keep rising. However, the carmaker should brace itself to face stiff competition from other companies.

"Two sets of consumers — millennials and baby boomers — are driving this growth, and Ford will be ready with a full portfolio of SUVs to meet their needs," stated Mark LaNeve, VP of Ford's marketing, sales, and service department.

The 2018 Ford Explorer is being built at the company's Chicago plant and will make its way into showrooms by fall 2017.