2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Despite its modest size, the open cargo hold possesses exceptional utility. Optional tubular extender flips fore and aft to match bed space with specific payload.

Although it will hardly accommodate a full cord of wood, the Sport Trac's mini-bed does possess serious utility. Unlike conventional counterparts, the one-piece structure is made entirely of molded plastic composite that's durable, dent- and scratch-resistant and, best of all, virtually maintenance free. Engineers—or stylists—liberally sprinkled tie-downs, inside and out, to help secure what will fit—and what almost won't.


Optional is a racy tubular "extender" which adds another two feet to the useable bed length when the tailgate is lowered. This hinged device also flips forward to create a small, contained space, sized for a half-dozen grocery bags. And, for those who do demand some occasional extra "coverage," the Sport Trac option list contains a lockable 2-piece hard-cover tonneau that both secures and weatherproofs the bed.

Sport Trac suspension is tuned to emphasize comfort and control on paved surfaces while still maintaining decent off-road capabilities.

As might be expected, the Explorer Sport Trac shares all of its basic mechanicals with the Explorer SUV, although the new truck's frame has been extended by some 14 inches, and it gains some 40 percent more lateral stiffness. At the nose, independent front suspension and rack-and-pinion power steering provide good road holding and ride smoothness. Out back, it's a basic live axle. However, 2-stage leaf springs help add a measure of control and compliance to the mix. Anti-roll bars are fitted fore and aft to trim out the package. The end result is that the Sport Trac behaves more like an SUV tuned for passenger duty than a rough-and-tumble, tail-happy work truck. Shod with M+S-spec 255/70SR16 Firestone Wilderness AT tires, the Sport Trac was far more inclined to exhibit understeer when pressed into even moderately challenging corners. On the plus side, that ride-biased all-season rubber worked well in consort with its ABS-abetted vented disc/drum binders, as evidenced by an impressive 128-foot best in our 60-0 mph stopping tests.


Sole engine in the Sport Trac's current powertrain portfolio is the 206-horse/4.0-liter SOHC V-6 found under the hood of most Explorers. Cranking out a respectable 240 lb.-ft. of torque, it's available with either a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an optional electronically controlled 5-speed automatic, as was found in our vehicle. While one can logically see a V-8 in the not too distant future, Ford contends that the V-6 is strong enough to make do for the time being—and it even meets passenger-car LEV (Low Emission Vehicle) standards. With a 9.0-second 0-60 mph time and a 16.9 second/82.7 mph quarter mile best, even the rear-drive version is not exactly primed for match racing (the 4x4 gains an additional 220 pounds in curb weight and feels commensurately slower). However, we found the Sport Trac fully able to cope with the rigors of daily commuting, regardless of its on-board payload. As far as towing is concerned, maximum limits range from 2,520 pounds on a 4x4 manual-trans version to 5,300 pounds on our 4x2 autoshifted variant.