If you want a good cold weather car for New England winters, get a Subaru. There is a REASON why there are so many of them on the roads in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, etc.

Compared to the Explorer, the Subarus all handle better, are better engineered, are safer in collisions, are more stable in extreme handling, have a lower center of gravity, are better better constructed, and are quite reliable. Low maintenance costs, plentiful supply of parts.

Subarus also last well, and since there are lots of them in New England, there are plenty of independent shops that do work on them.

Don't get the Explorer. I like Fords, and have owned a lot of them, but have heard these can be a real headache to own.

Cheers!