Ford Explorer received the ‘Best mid-sized SUV’ title at this year’s Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA), the biggest independent car awards of the Middle East, in Sharjah.

MEMA, an initiative by Expo Centre Sharjah, with support from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, acknowledges leaders of the automotive industry. Running for the third consecutive year, the awards were judged by an extensive panel of judges comprising 17 expert automotive journalists from 10 countries representing the GCC, Levant and North Africa.

“Since its launch, the all-new Explorer has received recognition and praise from industry leaders as well as customers, and the addition of the 2012 Middle East Motor Awards title is another testament to the success of this superior product,” said Paul Anderson, Ford Middle East's Marketing director.

“This recognition is yet another proof that Ford is delivering vehicles that customers want, with industry-leading technologies, attractive design, as well as superior quality and driving dynamics.”

Ford Explorer, completely reinvented for 2011, features a standard 3.5-litre V6 with Ti-VCT provides as much as 25 mpg (10.6 km/litre) on the highway.

Replacing the traditional SUV transfer case configuration, the new terrain management system, is selectable by situation, rather than by employment of four-high, four-low and auto settings. The settings – available by shift-on-the-fly – include normal, mud and sand.

Named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Explorer brings a stiff unibody structure and a class-leading suite of active and passive safety features and technologies, plus another Ford safety innovation – the world’s first second-row inflatable rear belts.

The Explorer features class-exclusive technologies that take the driving experience further, such as SYNC with MyFord Touch, Active Park Assist, BLIS with Cross Traffic Alert and Adaptive Cruise Control, among others. – TradeArabia News Service