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Overall: A Ford Explorer with a bed.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Recommended: Yes
The previous Sport Trac
placed last in IFCAR's comparison test of midsize crew-cab pickups. It was the
oldest vehicle in the group, and was built on a version of the Ford Explorer
that was introduced in 1991 and updated in 1995. While the new version isn't
exactly new either, it benefits from an extra decade of engineering over each
of those dates. The benefit of that time investment now makes the Sport Trac a
much stronger choice among four-door small pickups.
The Sport Trac's closest competitor is the Honda
Ridgeline, which tied for first place in the last IFCAR pickup comparison,
where the previous Sport Trac finished last. Both the Ridgeline and Sport Trac
are based on their parent company's midsize SUV model, the Sport Trac being
nearly identical to the Ford Explorer except for its bed, and the Ridgeline
being less-identical but still related to the Honda Pilot. (Both the Explorer
and Pilot finished in the top five of a twenty-vehicle IFCAR midsize SUV
comparison.) The difference is that the Pilot is derived from a
front-wheel-drive car platform, the Honda Odyssey minivan's, while the
Explorer uses a more traditional truck design. For this reason, the Sport Trac
is more capable in towing than the Ridgeline, but the front-wheel-drive based
all-wheel-drive Honda is more agile, more fuel-efficient, and more
space-efficient.
Like the Ford Explorer, the Sport Trac has
rather clumsy handling and numb steering feel, but a smooth and comfortable
ride that is noticeably better than most competitors, as well as its
predecessor. Its standard V6 provides adequate power, and unlike all
competitors but the Dodge Dakota, it offers an upgrade to a V8. The interior
is shared with the Explorer up to the rear seat, including the poorly-designed
instrument layout, good-quality dash, and well-shaped seats. Past the rear
seat is a 50-inch-long bed, shorter than every competitors'. Towing capacity
compares favorably to competitors with either engine.
One problem that the Sport Trac faces is its
price. While it is a roomier and more upscale vehicle than many other small
and midsize pickups, it also costs more than most, even with its $1,000
rebate. The Honda Ridgeline, and the larger but also similar Chevrolet
Avalanche (the Avalanche is closely related to the
Chevrolet Tahoe) are more money, but key
competitors like the strong-selling Toyota Tacoma are quite a bit less. Also,
unlike the Tacoma and others, the Sport Trac has no de-contended base version
for the price-focused shopper.
Overall, the Sport Trac brings the refinement
and interior space of a Ford Explorer into the small-pickup class. But
refinement in that class is not exactly a new idea, as the crew-cab pickup is
often used as a practical family vehicle. But the Sport Trac does a better job
at that than most, and includes more towing capacity (official and realistic)
than a Honda Ridgeline and even some truckier competitors, which can easily be
considered worth the price premium, lack of agility and fuel economy, and
short bed to the right buyer.
See Vehicle Overview
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