CD Article: 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

[CD_Editor]

First Drive:

After a one-year hiatus, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac returns as a 2007 model, now using the same chassis, engines and major components as the latest Explorer SUV, reports Paul Williams. Its short 50-inch long box is great for items "that you wouldn't want soiling the back of a conventional, closed SUV," he says, "but the tall, smallish box may prove restrictive for some applications."     More...

[a4_tom]

Both the proportions and interior quality look much better than outgoing car. It should be a formiddable competitor against benchmark Ridgeline.

[si]

The old version of this car had one of the highest likelyhoods of rollovers!

This thing doesnt look too bad.  Now ford, get rid of that senior Ranger.

[Benhaze]

I saw one at a nearby dealer and it looks even better than in these pictures. It was a V8 limited with the two-tone interior and what an eye pleaser. Definitely a huge improvement over the old one which I didn't care for.

Only one thing bothered me, and it's an issue I also have with the new Explorer V8: fuel economy rating... I know they are gas guzzlers but the city rating is 17L/100Km which is more than a Durango with a Hemi engine. Ouch! So you can expect real world number to be 18-19L/100Km for a truck that is not that big, and this with a 6-speed automatic??? Double ouch!

[Howswedeitis]

Much nicer ride than the Ridgeline if you're in the market for this kind
of truck.

[Shnak]

Much nicer ride than the Ridgeline if you're in the market for this kind
of truck.

NICER ride than the Ridgeline? Could you hate towards Honda be any more evident? 

[Howswedeitis]

NICER ride than the Ridgeline? Could you hate towards Honda be any more evident? 

Hate is a strong word but yeah I think Honda should stick to making the tin boxes
they have always made. Sure they are better of late as passive 'safety' features seem
to be a greater concern (ie selling point) but to my mind Honda is the maker of good powerplants
strapped to cars that aren't anything special.

[Bullet Blue]

The Sport Trac is one of those vehicles that I forgot existed. I haven't seen any around for about a year now.

[si]

Hate is a strong word but yeah I think Honda should stick to making the tin boxes
they have always made. Sure they are better of late as passive 'safety' features seem
to be a greater concern (ie selling point) but to my mind Honda is the maker of good powerplants
strapped to cars that aren't anything special.

It's okay guys, this guy just drives a Ford Volvo and wants to support his parent company, and not the stellar competition. 

[Bullet Blue]

It's okay guys, this guy just drives a Ford Volvo and wants to support his parent company, and not the stellar competition. 

Yeesh, quit raggin on the guy for having an opinion.

[Howswedeitis]

It's okay guys, this guy just drives a Ford Volvo and wants to support his parent company, and not the stellar competition. 

It's all good...it really is and for your information I've owned more than a few VW's and a few Saabs so
I could care less about the parent company ie Ford or GM for that matter. I buy what I can afford and
choose the car that I think is the most solid and reliable that's all. A car to me is like an appliance in many ways unless you're talking an aircooled Porsche 911 or a late 60's Alfa Romeo GTA then well that's another story.

[si]

I buy what I can afford and
choose the car that I think is the most solid and reliable that's all.

I hear yah.  So how have you found the V70?  Any (electrical?) problems?

We had just a couple issues with an 850.  And the TL would read - - - for the temperature, but that has been fixed.  No other issues on the TL, Si, or Honda Shadow.  I also like reliable, quality made cars.

[wing]

That is a pretty nice interior.  Not bad, Ford has stepped up a little with this iteration of vehicles.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I think it's a huge improvement on the previous one. That one had a horrendous ride IMO, and didn't look all that hot either.

This one looks better. I especially like the rear treatment - miles ahead of the Explorer itself. The newfound rigidity probably helped the ride a great deal too.

Who would want that creme coloured interior tho? The seating, centre stack, heck even the steering wheel would have dark marks in minutes. At least the carpeting is darker.

And in the last photo in the article, the proportions look odd again. The hood looks ungainly long while the passenger cab looks short and grafted by comparison.

Then there's the pitiful fuel economy...

To me, the new Explorer is a non-event and an embarrassment.

And I'd take the RidgeLine over this Sport Trac any day, but pricing does look very tight and attractive for top-line models.

[Howswedeitis]

I hear yah.  So how have you found the V70?  Any (electrical?) problems?

We had just a couple issues with an 850.  And the TL would read - - - for the temperature, but that has been fixed.  No other issues on the TL, Si, or Honda Shadow.  I also like reliable, quality made cars.

I have well over 210,000k on it and so far no electrical issues to speak of (aside from headlight bulbs that don't seem to last more than a year or so) and mechanically bulletproof. The one thing that I do find disapointing is the front end isn't as robust as my Saabs were (as confirmed by my mechanic also) which means I've changed balljoints etc more than previous Saabs and I went through 3 Saabs putting well over 500,000k on them and can only recall changing one tie rod end and never having to do a wheel alignment(really)...on the Volvo I've had to do 2 already. Of course I live in Montreal so if there was ever a test for that kind of thing this city and it's bombed out streets would be it.

[Simple]

I think Ford delayed the introduction of the Sport Trac so it wouldn't lose to the Ridgeline, in Motortrend's TOTY this year 

[G0dspd]

I think Honda did the same thing ... they planned the introduction of the Ridgeline so it wouldn'T coincide with any of the "big boys".  The "new" Ram wasn't a big problem since it was only a refresh and the bling bling Lincoln will never get it.  Anyway, everybody does it ... they all watch each other to make sure that nobody comes out with an "important" model at the same time.

Yeesh, quit raggin on the guy for having an opinion.

Honda purists are easily bothered by any negative opinions 

[a4_tom]

Audi and Lexus should learn this trick from Honda. They shouldn't launched new IS and facelifted A4 at the same time BMW launched 3-Series, since Bimmer is a default choice.

[Benhaze]

Audi and Lexus should learn this trick from Honda. They shouldn't launched new IS and facelifted A4 at the same time BMW launched 3-Series, since Bimmer is a default choice.

I was told by, allegedly by a credible source, the IS250s/350s are stock piling at Lexus dealers... Does anyone have an insight on this?

Maybe you're right, Audi Tom...

[a4_tom]

Audi doesn't have any problem selling B7, although A3 has taken some sales away from A4. As for IS, its true most people would rather go German when Lexus is charging premium prices.