Sport-utility vehicles – whether car-based crossovers or body-on-frame trucks – are more about what you can do with them than what they are. Ford knows that at least as well as any other manufacturer, and has teamed up with a leading accessory supplier to offer a range of outdoor sport racks for the new Explorer.

Similar to the catalog recently launched for the new Ranger pickup, the array of accessories from Yakima offered for the new Explorer includes racks for bikes, kayaks, canoes, skis, snowboards, and more. And they'll be available straight from your local Ford dealer.

The catalog includes both hitch- and trailer-mounted bike carriers capable of hauling up to four bicycles. The kayak and paddle-board carriers can hold one vessel in an angled position or two side-by-side. The ski holders can carry up to six pairs or four snowboards on either the roof or mounted to a trailer hitch. There's also a range of cargo boxes and baskets to mount on the roof, and even a 42-square-foot awning that fastens to the roof rails.

"Explorer drivers are doers, they're adventure-seekers," said Ford's SUV brand manager Craig Patterson.

"The availability of Yakima accessories in our Ford showrooms is one more way we can help people own the Explorer that best fits their adventure."

Now in its sixth iteration, the Explorer is billed as "America's all-time favorite SUV," standing as the best-selling three-row sport-ute in the US market. And the latest model stands to further cement that pride of place – especially with the additions of new hybrid and ST performance variants to join the base, XLT, Limited, and Platinum models. Offering all these (and other) accessories direct from the dealer can't hurt the Explorer's appeal either.