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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  Nice truck. - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Duncan - January 16 - 5:16 am

  Bought the truck in July 04, have 10K miles in 6 months and LOVE it. Needs a little better suspension though. Just a bit shaky for such a well thought out vehicle. Perfect combination of city commuter and country hauler. Much better seating for 4 adults than a cramped car, not huge like an SUV, yet still very sporty. Only 1 problem in 6 months but it was a quick fix for the dealer. Bed extender is a "must have"

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  Love it but - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Lil Blu - January 9 - 8:36 am

  Overall, I Love the vehicles utility and versitility. I have done 105 K so far. It fits any size person. Air bag went bad (second time for Ford product). They are on national back order which translates to bad air bag product. Rear blower went bad as well. Needs better gas mileage. Bed with extended will haul drywall & plywood.

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  Luv my "Little Ugly Truck" - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Brenda Scott - January 4 - 3:50 am

  Ive wanted one of these since they first came out in 2001. Ive always said "they are so ugly that they are cute". I was finally able to purchase one in March of 2005. Mine has the bed extender, the split tonneau cover, the moon roof ... the works. It handles very well and I love the roominess. I also love the separate heating and cooling controls for the backseat passengers. I am not pleased with the gas mileage. The sticker promised 15-20 mpg. I usually get 13.2 miles per gallon. Quite a big difference from what was promised!

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  2nd time around - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Matthew W - December 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my 2nd Sportie, and for a good reason. Two weeks ago, I was involved in a crash that totaled my 2001 Sportie .... the safety features worked extremely well. I had my sportie for 3 1/2 years, and the only complaint is that it could use a few more horses. The convenience of the large cab (to haul a rottweiller or several friends) as well as the bed (to haul a cubic yard of topsoil or mulch with no problem), made this truck invaluable. When I first looked at it back in 2000, I wasnt too sure about the exterior styling, but its uniqueness grew on me ... now, most other trucks/SUVs just look, well, average.

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  2nd ST, nothing compares in its class - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By gdogg - December 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my second ST and I must say, after looking in its class for something else, there wasnt! The ST is alone the best in the class, save for having the option of a V8. If you are going to get 15mpg like I do with mine, you should atleast have the power!

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  Great Utility Vehicle - 2003 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Gbennett - December 12 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle. Needs a V8, climate control, and power passenger seat to be near perfect. Ford has come a long way!

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  Sport Trac Review - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By drkms - December 9 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this truck almost 2 years and still like it a lot. I like the versatility of having a smaller truck that I can haul stuff around in while not having to drive a big monster of a vehicle.

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  Fun to drive. No problems. Treats me well - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By UAFIJISPORTRAC - December 4 - 7:16 pm

  I have only owned mine for a few months, but going from a 95 Ranger to this, is great. It runs great, never had any problem, had to replace rear main seal, and just got new brakes all around. It treats me well and looks awesome on the road. I love the versatility it has, I can haul 5 people and lots of stuff in the bed. If you dont have one, get the bed extender, its great and gives you the extra space you need. I just moved and carried tons of furniture in it. I love this truck!

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  What a disappointment - 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Kenn Mag - November 24 - 2:00 am

  My NEW Sport Trac broke down 5 times in the first three months. Once it just died on me as I came onto a freeway. The mechanic first told me that they ran diagnostics on it and, "out side of the fact that it wouldnt start, there was nothing wrong with it." The finally got it running again. It also had a high pitch whine at highway speeds. Ford said it was a chain in the 4WD transfer case and that they knew of the problem but had no fix for it. Ford bought it back from me, thank God.

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  Good Vehicle - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By viceman - November 24 - 2:00 am

  I have put 28,000 miles on this vehicle already, and it has not been in the shop for ANYTHING. I change the oil regularly with Amsoil (synthetic). It has been a lot of fun and I enjoy the flexability. The only drawback is that the bed is small. I like the fact that it has a plug in the bed of the truck and the rear window is a power window. Overall I am very happy with this vehicle.