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:

• 

  PERFECT!!! - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Rusty Fan - March 21 - 10:00 am

  This truck is PERFECT. There is nothing more an average person could want in their truck. Great power, great reliability and fun to drive!

• 

  I LOVE MY STPORT TRAC - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By ASHLEIGH - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH MY SPORT TRAC. IT IS THE PERFECT TRUCK FOR A FEMALE.

• 

  Bonewitzr - 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By bonewitzr - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I love this truck. It is so fun to drive and there are so many features at such a low price. I recommend it!

• 

  SportTrac 07 Limited - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By DBrown - March 19 - 12:26 pm

  Have owned a 2003 SportTrac, but the 2007 is far superior in fit and finish. I purchased the 07 SportTrac at its introduction in fall of 2006. I have approximately 27,000 miles on this vehicle and its great to drive. Handling is excellent and it has great curb appeal and really draws a crowd. I am always complimented on "What a great looking Truck". Currently having problems with the ceramic brake pads installed on vehicle making a loud screeching sound. Upon servicing, dealer states pads are good and that problem was road debris in calipers. They shot compressed air to remove so called debris but screeching continues. Stay on top of this as pads are very expensive after dealer markup.

• 

  Review - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By MEC - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive, put a class III hitch an rent a trailer for big bulk jobs, handles towing with ease, nimble, fits in garage, 4wd a must. Overall interior appointments excellent when compared to Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, Dodge Dakota.

• 

  MY XLT - 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By BCBard - February 11 - 10:00 am

  I love this truck. It is perfect for all I need it to do. Not too big and bulky, as the gas sucking testosterone laden trucks out there. It carries my family and I comfortably, all 5 of us. My family and I enjoy its versitility. We use it for fishing and camping trips, the shorter, smaller bed being just the right fit for us. This is a great compact truck.

• 

  01 Sport Trac - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By carlton100c - February 9 - 2:00 am

  One of the first to buy this vehicle. It has not disapointed. We have been 4 whelling in Colorado Rockies and mudding in Kansas.. Full size back seat is a major plus. It is all we hoped for when we ordered the vehicle in March 2000. Will replace it with another Sport Trac, someday.

• 

  Transmission problems - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Frank Grimes - February 1 - 6:16 pm

  The 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.

• 

  Everything I Was Looking For - 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By Ray - January 30 - 1:13 pm

  Its the perfect vehicle - especially in Western NY. Great to take camping/fishing in the summer - holds all the family gear. The 4WD is awesome in the snow heading to the cabin for hunting. Got it brand new when they came out and will drive it into the ground - hopefully not for a very long time. Runs great - never had a problem with it.

• 

  The Import - Beater - 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
  By conhig61 - January 29 - 2:30 pm

  I traded an 05 Sport Trac 4.0 V6. The 08 w/ 4.6LV8 is far superior and fuel economy is 1 mpg less in town than the 6; same on hi-way. The ride is like that of a much more expensive truck and the handling and noise levels are top-notch. Sync system can be a problem at times (mine has gotten stuck in a RING cycle that forced me to pull over, shut everything down and re-start the car. Rear seat legroom is improved over previous model too. This truck is a sleeper, and Manf incentives are great; better check it out!