2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

2007 Finalist: Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Not bad, just missing in the oomph department
By Mark Williams

To say the second-gen Explorer Sport Trac was overdue is an understatement. The previous-generation Sport Trac, Ford's answer to the four-door-pickup truck craze of the late 1990s, was based on the Explorer SUV platform from 1996. This new one is based on the current four-wheel independent Ford Explorer platform.

The new Sport Trac is an improvement over the previous generation, benefiting from two significant Explorer SUV redesigns in the time it took Ford to redesign the Sport Trac once. The new model offers one of the few V-8 engines in the class, with the 4.6-liter SOHC V-8, producing 292 horses and 300 pound-feet--though it doesn't have the punch you'd expect from something so close to 300 horses. The six-speed is worthwhile, but slow to kick down and upshift, giving our drivers the impression the vehicle was overly tuned for fuel economy, rather than quick access to power or gearing. This put the Sport Trac at a disadvantage when compared with the Escalade EXT, which offers a six-speed transmission that brings its mated V-8 to life. Additionally, even though the Sport Trac is a much lighter vehicle (by 1000 pounds compared with the EXT, thanks in large part to the composite inner and outer bed), the little 4.6-liter V-8 gets the same fuel economy as either of the three heavier and bigger 5.3-liter GM V-8s in the test.

Regardless, the Sport Trac is faster to 60 mph than all the other V-8s, save the power-king Caddy. In terms of style, the look of the exterior won't light anyone's fire, but our judges did appreciate the overall look as well as the feel of the front seat interior and gauge layout. As with many SUV-platform pickups like the Sport Trac, rear-seat legroom and seating comfort are typically compromised. This is where the conventional pickup truck frame and crew cab option can offer more room. The bottom line? The Sport Trac doesn't offer enough in the significance or superiority categories to make it much of a threat.

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