2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Review

PROS
Passenger space of a sedan, Cargo space of a pickup, Clear and easy to use controls

CONS Mediocre fuel economy, Hard-to-reach door pulls, Mushy brakes

Have your cake and eat it too?
Ford created the compact, crew-cab pickup craze in 2000 with the original Explorer Sport Trac. Since then, Chevy, Dodge, GMC, Nissan, Toyota, and even Honda have introduced similar models. Crew-cab pickups blend the passenger and cargo room of midsize sedan with the tough, go-anywhere utility of a pickup. Owner's lover this Jack-of-all-trades personality; critics claim the crew-cab pickup is a master of none.

For 2007, Ford completely redesigned the Explorer Sport Trac, giving it available V8 power, independent rear suspension, and additional safety features. Like the original, the '07 Sport Trac shares many components with the Ford Explorer, though the wheelbase is 16 inches longer.

The rear suspension is shared with the Ford Explorer and, for the first time in Sport Trac history, is fully independent. It also features coil springs instead of the traditional leaf springs that are found on most pickup trucks.

Standard safety equipment includes antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, antiskid control with rollover sensors, and front side airbags. Optional are curtain side airbags with rollover sensors. The 4X5-foot composite cargo bed has three in-floor covered bins that include drain plugs. Options include a hard tonnaeu cover, a bed extender, and a navigation system. Ford plans to add a power-down rear-cab window later in the model year.

Get up and Go
Though the 4.6-liter V8 is new to Explorer Sport Track, it's been around the block in a few other Ford products (F-150, Explorer, Mustang, Crown Victoria) and is a good truck engine. There's ample torque where Americans like it--below 3000 rpm--and, with the it's 3-valve heads, there's plenty of passing power. In Limited 4WD trim, expect to run from 0-60 mph in less than eight seconds. That's a tad slower than V8-rival Dodge Dakota, on par with V6 competitors like the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma, and a bit better than Chevy Colorado crew cab.

Sadly, the power of the V8 and the added weight of the automatic 4WD system conspire to limit fuel economy. EPA ratings for this vehicle are 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. That's comparable to other compact, crew-cab pickups, but a far cry from the 25 mpg ratings of most midsize sedans. Thankfully, the V8 runs on less-expensive, regular-grade gasoline.

From a price and fuel economy perspective, the standard V6 makes more sense. Still, the V8 does increase towing capacity by 1500 pounds to a maximum of 6800 pounds on V8 2WD models. For those looking to use the Sport Trac as both a daily driver and a weekend hauler, that's more than worth the price difference and fuel-economy penalty.

On the Road 
The biggest change for '07 in Sport Trac's demeanor is its driving dynamics. Gone are the sloppy steering and quivering suspension of the previous model. Ford's done a masterful job of stiffening the frame and bolting on the Explorer's more-refined independent front and rear suspensions. Along the way Ford also stiffened the steering rack and beefed up the brakes.

The '07 model isn't as easy to drive as a car, but is on par with Honda Ridgeline and Chevy Colorado. The steering no longer feels slow and has good weight. Adding a little more road feedback would be nice, but there's enough on-center feel to facilitate easy highway cruising.

Ford claims that the '07 Sport Trac's braking system is more powerful than the previous generation. Truth be told, there were still a few times when more pedal pressure was required than seemed natural in modest stops. In a few panic stops, it seemed the pedal had to be mashed to the floor before enough stopping power was found. It is likely Sport Trac's 4700-pound curb weight has something to do with this.

Owners of the original Explorer Sport Trac, know that the ride was much more akin to a compact pickup truck, than a midsize SUV. That's changed with the significantly stiffer frame and new, independent rear suspension. No, the ride's not anywhere near as smooth as a traditional midsize sedan, but it's much better than one might expect.

The new suspension absorbs most bumps with ease and only sends the body quivering on really rough roads. Occasionally, the truck heritage of the Sport Trac will come though on wavy or washboard roads with a buckboard ride. For the most part, the ride is composed and SUV-like--on par with the smooth-riding Honda Ridgeline.

Behind the Wheel If you are familiar with the Ford Explorer, then you'll be right at home behind the wheel of the Explorer Sport Trac as most of the controls, fittings, and materials are shared between the two vehicles. That's a good thing and means you get comfortable bucket seats with plenty of room for two large adults and a command-of-the-road driving position with well-placed, and marked, controls

One downside to the interior is front-door pulls located below the armrest. In their current position, they are awkward to operate and can leave you with a cramp in your wrist if you aren't careful. Ford has already said a redesign of the door pulls is in the works.

One advantage Sport Trac, and most other crew-cab pickups, have over traditional extended-cab pickups is enough rear-seat room for two adults. Sport Trac has ample head and leg room and more room than most of its competitors. Sadly, the rear-seat cushion is flat and mounted too low to the floor, forcing taller adults to sit knees-up. Still teens and children should be more than comfortable.

Folding the rear seats is a simple two-step process--pull the headrest release and then pull the seat release. In one motion, the split-rear seats fold flat and lock in position. There's no pass-through into the cargo area like Chevrolet Avalanche, but Explorer Sport Trac adds a few nice touches like a rear-seat power point and rear-seat air vents.

Another unique Sport Trac feature is a rubberized floor in the passenger compartment. It's a lot easier to clean than a traditional carpeted floor and doesn't seem out of place in a truck where versatility comes first.

Bottom Line At first glance, the idea of the Sport Trac seems outrageous. Why would anyone want the room of a midsize sedan with the cargo hauling capacity of a pickup truck? But that's exactly what makes Sport Trac so intriguing. You can have your cake and eat it too!

With the average purchase price for a new vehicle approaching $25,000 it's silly to expect consumers to buy a car for commuting and a truck for weekend trips to the cabin. The Explorer Sport Trac, and other crew-cab pickups, fulfill both of those needs--and many more. No it's not nearly as fuel-efficient as a sedan, but, when properly equipped, it's every bit as useful as a SUV.

The '07 Sport Trac is light years better than its predecessor. It's even a match for the refined Honda Ridgeline in many cases. Ford's upped its warranty this year, offering a class-leading 5-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, making Sport Trac even more attractive. In all, the Sport Trac isn't the most fuel efficient or smoothest riding choice. However, if you need the versatility of a crew-cab pickup you'd be hard pressed to find a better value than Explorer Sport Trac.