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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2004 ford sport trac problems - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By hstafford - January 20 - 3:49 am1 bought this suv new and have a lot of problems. always had a slight viberation then at about 70,000 miles the lifteres started rattling. took it to a dealer he said there was a sock in the valve cover which had falling down the cost would would be $300.00. aweek later they called said the timing chain was worn out now $1300.00.left it over a week i finally called them & the said fixted & was idling sitting ,then it broke agan, now we are over $3ooo.oo fixed & i took it home not very long & it stoped right in the middle of the road.in the shop again now the cam on the right side worm out. now price up to nearly $4700.00 fixedworkin ok . transmission went out then $2900.more fords for me.
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Nice truck but..... - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By Matt Cappadonna - December 25 - 1:53 amI purchased this truck from Car Max. I did a lot of research before purchasing the vehicle and came to the conclusion that this is the one. Unfortunately the vehicle has made me marginally happy. Was it because of Car Max or Ford build quality, I dont know, but here are a few of the pros and cons.
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Sport Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By Momof2 - December 13 - 7:03 amPurchased with 75 mi on it, now at 160000. Bought Gold Warranty, will never purchase again, it covered nothing. Transmission came "unsealed" at 16k mi, said it was normal wear and tear. Continued transmission issues, gaskets come unsealed often and the electrical issues are huge. Windows wont roll up and down, door locks wont work, even manually (can only get in through passenger manual key lock). Constant repairs.
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SporTrac - 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By Jared - May 15 - 10:36 amBought the vehicle out of necessity. We just had a new baby and needed bigger trunk space. Unfortunately, I traded quality for price and ended up paying for it in the end. Good power in the lower gears, so, youll get going pretty quickly, but then the power drops off quickly once you get into the upper gears. I always had an extremely hard time passing anyone above 50MPH without hammering down the gas pedal. A lot of plastic interior, comfortable seats for short drives, but horrible on your lower back on drives of 3 hours or more. SYNC feature is horrible! Even speaking slowly and clearly, Id have to repeat myself 2-3 times for the system to recognize what I was trying to say.
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2001 Ford Sport Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By Charles Shaffer - May 1 - 11:13 amIt will be a year in June 2008 since I bought it. Have had trouble with bad vibration in the whole truck, in the steering, and front end. Mechanic said the owners of the truck who had purchased it new had under the new warranty to get it fixed. The power steering pump has to be replaced with a bigger valve in it along with some other things concerning the pump. This is what is causing the vibration. Could cost me at least $1000 to fix it. Not a happy camper.
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Great looks, poor mileage - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By Torreadorered - April 6 - 2:00 amTotally disgusted with mileage. Ranges from 10 mpg in town to 15-16 on hwy. Does much worse than my full size GMC with similar driving. Great ride, lots of good features. Wife even likes ride and accessories.
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Transmission problems - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By Frank Grimes - February 1 - 6:16 pmThe SportTrac is a decent vehicle and served me well over a five year period. The trucks versatility and mix of luxury and ruggedness allowed it to handle most situations well. The windshield is prone to cracking when operating the defrosters in cold weather. There are a few sensors that have a tendency to fail. However, my biggest issue with the truck came at 95,000 miles when the automatic transmission ceased to function. The truck was well maintained, so the failure was quite a surprise. After much research, and expense, I found that this was common among these trucks. The automatic transmission has design flaws. Beware the blinking "O/D Off" light of death.
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Blackies been a good boy - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By lcattivera - December 18 - 1:26 pmi have always been a GM man, but after repeated fuel pumps and little gremlins in my last three Chevys, I stepped into my first Ford truck. I loved the design and looks from the start. Nice smooth ride compared to S-10 Blazers. Love the smooth shift while accelerating. Has good power when you are stupid enough to floor it and watch the fuel gauge drop. Overall, Blackie has been good dependable truck. Good styling, handy 4 doors, great stereo/6 cd changer, and love to open that rear window. I have 87,000 miles on him. I keep him garaged and drive him daily. I have had problems with repeated engine light, brakes, uneven tire wear, rattles.
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REAL truck wanted - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By CityslickerFramhand - November 30 - 2:00 amAn OK mom-mobile; kids in a true back seat with room for an antique chest in the toy-sized bed. 4.0 L engine: disappointing 16-17 mpg even with the 5-speed manual tranny, especially considering my 1991 5-spd Explorer DID get 20mpg. Still annoying: Fords windshield washer first wipes dry glass, THEN squirts fluid. New annoyance: Fords making AC cycle in all positions except heat-to-floor; no "fresh air to face."
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Accident waiting to happen - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
By stewywerf - May 26 - 10:00 amI have had multiple problems with my Sport Trac. The fuel pump went out on me at 3,000 miles and it almost caused a large accident. Since the dealership replaced the fuel pump it has stalled on my 5 other times but the dealership wont take the time to diagnose the problem. I asked them if a technician could drive the vehicle for a week so they could properly diagnose it. They also had to replace my steering pump, replace an interior light, adjust my hood so it would latch properly and add a missing label.
