The Ford F-Series lineup offers a plethora of models for every occasion or occupation, starting below $20,000 and climbing beyond double that. The F-Series line offers something on the order of 75 permutations, more than some car companies' entire lineups. All are capable of work or play, even those models with luxurious interiors, and all have four doors.

More than two decades ago, the Ford Ranger debuted as an answer to various compact pickup trucks being made available by Japanese automakers. The Ranger was cleanly styled and offered with a choice of a 6-foot or 7-foot bed. Ford boasted that the Ranger had more interior room than the best-selling imports and that 4-by-8-foot construction material could be carried in the bed.

The Ford Freestar is a solid, highly capable minivan that performs well and offers all the latest safety features. Much of the Freestar's structure and design came from the Windstar it replaced. Windstar offered class-leading safety and solid performance for its time. Freestar is the highest quality minivan it has ever built.

There's more to the Econoline's staying power than Ford simply sticking with a product that has been the No. 1-selling full-size van since 1980. The Econoline has received only minor changes over the years. The result is a cargo van that looks different, but is still very much the same. For many E-Series customers, that is the best news of all.

It seems that the days of the big boxy SUV might be numbered (at least temporarily). In the meantime, consumers are flocking to vehicles with SUV functionality and sedanlike handling characteristics. Ford's first attempt to hop aboard the "crossover utility vehicle" (CUV) bandwagon came in the form of the lackluster Freestyle.

The Ford Escape has been thoroughly updated, reinforcing the character and appeal that have made it America's perennial best-selling small sport-utility vehicle. The improvements nearly cover the spectrum, and inject a new level of refinement. We'd call the Escape a little truck among small SUVs. Its new styling deliberately invokes Ford's larger, truck-based SUVs.

Ford Explorer is a midsize SUV with body-on-frame construction. Available with V6 or V8 power, the Explorer competes against the TrailBlazer, Grand Cherokee, 4Runner, and Pathfinder. Explorer was completely redesigned in 2006 and we were pleased with the new steering, new suspension, and new brakes, all of which were vastly improved over the previous-generation.

True expeditions require additional transportation conveyances: horses, boats, cars, for example. With a towing capacity around 9,000 pounds, the Ford Expedition can tow any of these. Ford adds a new top end King Ranch model for 2008, as well as an available rear backup camera and power-retractable running boards. The Expedition is meant for utility, not posing.

In terms of size, the Ford Excursion is the king of big sport-utilities. Supremely stable at speed, it feels safe and secure on the open highway. Whether you have a lot of cargo to carry, a bunch of people to transport, a big trailer to pull, or all of the above, the Excursion is ready for whatever you throw its way. It can tow up to 11,000 pounds and seat 8-9.

The Ford Explorer Sport Trac is a four-door, five-passenger, midsize pickup. It was unique when it first appeared in 2000, but today it must compete with midsize four-door pickups from every major player. Essentially a Ford Explorer with a pickup bed, the Sport Trac offers plenty of room inside for people and out back for cargo.

The Ford Taurus X, so named because it shares the same platform as the Ford Taurus, is a 7-passenger mid-size crossover SUV. The car is positioned between the 5-passenger mid-size Ford Edge and upcoming 7-passenger full-size Flex crossover SUV. The design of the Taurus X closely resembles that of its sibling, the Ford Edge, creating a family face for its crossover segment.

Introduced in the mid-1990s, the front-wheel-drive Ford Windstar minivan campaigned with an emphasis on, and reputation for, safety. And in the hotly contested family minivan market of the time, that was an especially solid piece of ground to be on. As long as buyers didn't need to haul adults in back on a regular basis, the Windstar served a family's needs just fine.