2007 saw Prius sales rise by 69% while the Explorer sold less than a third of the highest total it reached in 2000. A weakened economy, coupled with higher gas prices, is pushing many buyers to ignore the typical American penchant for large, big-motored vehicles and instead look towards smaller, more efficient offerings.

The Explorer is a holdout from older times. Though it helped to transition families from station wagons and minivans into SUVs, its body-on-frame construction and big V-8 motor are part of an older generation. The Prius on the other hand, is at the forefront of the changes in the automotive scene with its quirky design and reliance on hybrid technology to provide efficiency and guilt free motoring.

In the case of the Explorer, it can now be upwards of $70 to fill up as opposed to $30 during its sales peak in 2000.

Let don't let it be said that Ford doesn't change. At the Detroit Auto Show, Ford unveiled its new Explorer America, a crossover SUV of unibody construction, and powered by a smaller more efficient motor; none of which are shared with its namesake.

Our take? Times are truly changing when a name as synonymous with success as the Explorer has been outsold by a hybrid from overseas.