Ford Explorer Sport Trac Review

2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac XLT 4dr Crew Cab 4WD Shown

Pickup? SUV? How about both? The specialized Ford Explorer Sport Trac is a vehicle meant to offer the best of both worlds, which is to say the cargo-hauling ability of a pickup and the comfortable interior of an SUV. It is, in essence, an Explorer with a pickup bed grafted to the back.

There have been two generations of the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. We were never very impressed by the original. Though clever in concept, it lacked in execution. The first Sport Trac was low-tech, underpowered and saddled with poor handling characteristics. The redesigned second-generation model, which debuted for the 2007 model year, is a much better package overall thanks to its improvements in power, cargo and towing capacity, and handling and comfort characteristics.

In most respects, Ford has succeeded at its goal of building a vehicle that can act as both a pickup and an SUV. For consumers in need of a vehicle for hauling recreational gear or just something that can be used for light-duty trips to Home Depot, the Sport Trac should work just fine. We recommend that shoppers take a look at some competing automakers' crew cab midsize pickups, however, as they fulfill much of the same role and offer advantages in refinement, performance and cab/body style configurations.

Current Ford Explorer Sport Trac

The five-passenger Ford Explorer Sport Trac comes in a single body style: a four-door crew cab pickup. Although it shares the fundamental structure of the Explorer SUV, the Sport Trac is nearly 17 inches longer. The added length comes from its longer wheelbase and allows room for the 4-foot cargo bed as well as plenty of rear legroom.

The Sport Trac's bed is constructed from sheet-molded composite (SMC). According to Ford, SMC is 20 percent lighter than a traditional steel box. It also won't rust or dent. There are three integral storage compartments, and the Sport Trac can be optioned with a folding cargo-bed extender and a hard tonneau cover. There's also a 12-volt power outlet in the bed.

Ford intended the Sport Trac to capitalize on the standard Explorer's creature comforts, so even the base XLT trim is well-equipped with standard features, including power mirrors and windows, keyless entry, cruise control, air-conditioning and CD player. The premium Limited trim adds larger 18-inch wheels, color-keyed bumpers and mirrors and external hardware, such as foglights and side-step bars. For 2008, Ford's Sync system debuted, which allows voice activation of cell phones, PDAs and MP3 players. That year also brought a few more standard features, such as a power rear window and side curtain airbags.

There are two engines available for the Sport Trac. The standard 4.0-liter V6 engine is good for 210 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard with the V6. Those looking for more power might opt for the 4.6-liter V8 rated for 292 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The V8 comes with a six-speed automatic. For all models, Ford offers either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.

In reviews of the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, we've found the vehicle to be competent, with no major faults. Expect average acceleration, even with the V8, and handling pleasant enough to fulfill Ford's target of carlike driving qualities. In addition, the cabin is comfortable and works well enough; just don't plan on being pampered with exotic materials or outstanding craftsmanship.

Although adequate in most respects, the Sport Trac isn't outstanding in any one respect. Accordingly, we'd advise consumers shopping for a multipurpose crew cab pickup to check out the Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Frontier before making a decision. The Honda offers a more functional interior and better handling, while the Frontier is a bit quicker, not to mention more capable in off-road situations.

Past Ford Explorer Sport Trac Models

Sold from 2001-'05, the first Ford Explorer Sport Trac suffered from the launch-model blues. It was based on the old, second-generation Explorer and built around the Explorer's 4.0-liter V6 engine, chassis and suspension. At the time, we noted that we liked the vehicle's dual-nature configuration and many available features, but disliked its sloppy handling, limited towing and hauling capabilities, and subpar off-road abilities.

Changes to this generation were minor, so used-model shoppers should probably not feel a need to focus on any particular year.

SELECT A SPECIFIC FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC MODEL YEAR*

* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.