Overview & Reviews

Pickup? SUV? How about both? The specialized Ford Explorer Sport Trac was 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 was, 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, was a much better package overall thanks to improvements in its power, cargo and towing capacity, and handling and comfort characteristics.

In most respects, Ford succeeded at its goal of building a vehicle that could 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 shoppers take a look at some competing automakers' crew cab midsize pickups of the same time period, however, as they fulfilled much of the same role and offered advantages in refinement, performance and cab/body style configurations.

Most Recent Ford Explorer Sport Trac Models
The most recent generation of the five-passenger Ford Explorer Sport Trac was offered from 2007-'09. It came in a single body style: a four-door crew cab pickup. Although it shared the fundamental structure of the Explorer SUV, the Sport Trac was nearly 17 inches longer. The added length came from its longer wheelbase, which allowed room for the 4-foot cargo bed as well as plenty of rear legroom.

The Sport Trac's bed was constructed from sheet-molded composite (SMC), which was lighter than steel and wouldn't rust or dent. There were three integral storage compartments, and options included a folding cargo-bed extender and a hard tonneau cover. The bed contained a 12-volt power outlet.

Two trims were offered: base XLT and luxury Limited. The XLT's standard features included power mirrors and windows, keyless entry, cruise control, air-conditioning and a CD player. The Limited adds larger 18-inch wheels, color-keyed bumpers and mirrors, foglights and side-step bars. Major options include a sunroof, dual-zone climate control and a navigation system.

There were two engines offered in this generation. The standard 4.0-liter V6 engine (210 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque) was matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. The available 4.6-liter V8 (292 hp and 300 lb-ft) came paired with a six-speed automatic. There was also a choice of either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.

In reviews of the Ford Explorer Sport Trac, we found the vehicle competent, with no major faults. Acceleration is average, even with the V8, and handling pleasant enough to fulfill Ford's target of carlike driving qualities. In addition, the cabin was comfortable and worked well enough. Although adequate in most respects, the Sport Trac wasn't outstanding in any one area. 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.

Changes throughout this generation's brief span were minor, with Ford adding the Sync system for 2008 and upgrading the optional navigation system for '09.

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.

User Reviews:

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  Great Vehicle - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Delta One - May 11 - 1:36 pm

  Excellent truck for my needs. Carries 4 to 5 persons inside with excellent total comfort. Truck bed suits my needs, carries my dive equipment, bicycles, small furniture, plants and small trees. I would not use this vehicle for major hauling or construction work. Rides great on the road and very good on roads that are not paved. Since this one is 2 wheel drive, I have not taken it way off road. I purchased this vehicle after extensive research and test driving all similar types. Whether this truck will hold up as good as the foreign makes over the the long long haul, only time will tell.

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  07 Sportrac - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Steve - May 9 - 7:30 am

  Have had the vehicle for a month now and am a big fan. Im 67" and have plenty of room inside. I have the V6, and power is acceptable although it is not the fastest around. Mileage has hovered around 19 mpg in the first 1200 miles in mixed driving I dont have any need to tow anything and the small bed accommodates my need to carry the occasional bulkier item. I did a lot of research prior to purchase, and this vehicle matched my needs at the price I wanted. The XLT Appearance package adds a nicer look with bigger wheels, etc. and is a fun ride.

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  Not perfect, but not bad - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By AA - May 2 - 12:43 am

  After 110000M, its still going strong without any mechanical failures. Just the basic maintenance required. It has excellent fuel consumption, compared to my Tahoe. Of course, you trade off horses when you go into a V6 but its enough to do most things that can be done with a 4 foot long box. Outside styling looks very sporty and the paint has a tough anti scratch coating. The suspension is a little too soft for spirited driving, but the truck still handles very well on the road. Very comfortable front seats. Dunno about back ones, never been on them. Havent heard complaints about them though. The tail of the truck is a extremely light (fiberglass box), but nothing some sand bags wont fix.

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  I LOVE MY SPORT TRAC - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Hillary - April 18 - 2:36 pm

  I traded in my Mustang GT for this truck and my only regret is the Sport Trac not having the power the GT had. Other than that I love it! And it does get a lot of looks on a hot summer day with all the windows down and clean as can be.

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  the siver beat - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By montoya - April 16 - 10:00 am

  comfortable seating and roomy

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  Kevins Sport Trac - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Kevin - April 9 - 3:03 pm

  I have owned this vehicle for 2 years, I have not had any mechanical problems, just routine maintenance. It has fairly comfortable seats, but could use a little more power.

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  Sport Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By LDG - April 2 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the vehicle used with about 24,000 miles. I have not had any trouble at all with the vehicle, except due to my slight negligence in letting the front brake pads get too low and it blew the front calipers out. Other than that, no problems. One curiosity that I do have with the vehicle, is that when I have the rer window down, I can hear a squeaking noise coming from the area between the bed of the vehicle and the cab. This can get to be slightly annoying, but not enough to get rid of the vehicle or have it looked at. It has been there since day one. I read a review in Consumer Reports, and it was noted in there as well.

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  Good truck - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By SunLover - April 2 - 10:00 am

  With 04 persons loaded, this got also cargo behind for many stuff. this loading works very strong and easy steering in loaded travels

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  Sport Trac comments - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By curt james - March 31 - 12:20 pm

  Installed a intake and exhaust, the gas mileage is incredible. I have an 03 Ranger, an 00 Excursion, and a 03 Focus; by far I like the Sport Trac the best.

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  Early Impressions - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Jack - March 28 - 5:50 pm

  I was about to trade in my 98 F150 for an 06 F150 King Ranch when I read the write up on the Sport Trac. I test drove one and was hooked. I bought the Limited, 4wd V8 and after 2000+ miles am absolutely delighted. It is peppy, handles great, is extremely quiet and pulls my boat out of the lake with ease. The best thing (or possibly the worst) is my wife also loves to drive it. She very seldom drove the F150 but I cant keep her out of the Sport Trac. This is a real winner, dont test drive one unless you are really ready to buy a new vehicle.