2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Review by Terry Jackson

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Kelley Blue Book Retail $5,200
This price range reflects the Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail value for all trim levels, but not necessarily all available options.
The Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail value represents the amount an auto dealer might ask for a specific vehicle; the actual sale price will vary. A vehicle's popularity, condition, warranty, color and local market conditions are factors involved in determining a final price. The retail value is not a trade-in or private party value.
The Suggested Retail value assumes that the vehicle has been fully reconditioned and has a clean title history. The Suggested Retail value also allows for advertising, sales commissions, insurance and other costs of doing business as a dealer. Most vehicles offered at this price have passed an inspection, and some may carry a warranty. Vehicle mileage is assumed to be normal or below normal.

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Expert Reviews

By Terry Jackson

The Miami Herald August 15, 2000

The first thought that comes to mind about the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac is: Why?

In a Ford lineup that this year includes a four-door F-150 pickup in addition to extended-cab models of the Ranger and the F-150 with mini rear doors, the Sport Trac seems like overkill.

Of course, that doesn't mean it won't sell well.

Buyers seem to have an insatiable appetite for pickups and sport-utility vehicles, even in the face of $1.75-a-gallon gasoline and all sorts of government warnings about rollover issues.

And the Sport Trac is a very good vehicle, even if it defies easy categorization.

In some regard, the Sport Trac brings the Explorer full circle. When it debuted a decade ago and quickly became the most popular sport-ute ever made, the Explorer was built on a modified Ranger pickup chassis, just as the Expedition is built on the F-150 frame.

The Explorer was popular because it offered the comfort and convenience of a big sedan with the ability to carry lots of stuff in an enclosed area.

Now comes the Sport Trac, which has the comfort of an Explorer but the open-to-the-elements utility of a short pickup bed. The open bed means hauling tall cabinets and refrigerators won't be the problem they are in an Explorer.

Such conventional hauling is not what the Sport Trac is designed for, however. It's aimed at younger buyers who have an outdoor lifestyle, much like Nissan's successful image buildup of its Xterra sport-ute.

There are roof rails designed to accept four different types of crossbars to handle skis, kayaks and bicycles. There's a 12-volt outlet at the back of the cargo bed that Ford says will power a portable power saw, should the need ever arise. And the interior has a rubber floor covering that can be easily hosed down after a trip to the beach.

Other items that make the Sport Trac a diverse vehicle include options like a set of tubular bars than mount in the pickup bed and, when the tailgate is down, can be flipped over to extend the useful length of the bed to 74 inches.

On the exterior, the Sport Trac is more muscular-looking than the 2000 model Explorers, thanks to its new body-colored grill and wide fender flares. Aft of the hood, the Sport Trac uses the cabin of the four-door Explorer and then grafts on the 51-inch pickup bed. That increases the Explorer's wheelbase by nearly 14 inches.

Inside the cockpit, aside from the rubber floor covering (which can be covered up with the carpeted floor mats for a fancier look), the Sport Trac gets new black-on-white dials and a power rear cargo window.

The suspension is new to the Explorer line, featuring changes to the rear springs, all four shocks and the front and rear anti-sway bars that are designed to provide a smoother ride.

They work. For all its take-no-prisoners looks on the outside, the Sport Trac rides like a well-mannered sedan. Nonetheless, Ford pegs the vehicle's cargo capacity at 1,5 00 pounds and the towing limit at 5,260 pounds.

Unlike other Explorers, the Sport Trac comes with just one engine and transmission choice for now -- the 205-horsepower, four-liter V-6 coupled to a five-speed automatic gearbox. Ford promises to add an optional five-speed manual, but there are no plans to include a V-8 option.

The government rates the Sport Trac's mileage between 15-20 miles per gallon. Expect 0-to-60 acceleration in the nine-second range.

Base sticker prices range from about $23,000 for a two-wheel-drive Sport Trac to about $26,000 for a four-wheel-drive version. That puts the Sport Trac in the mid to upper price range for sport-utility vehicles and well above most V-6 pickups.

Based solely on utility, the Sport Trac defies logic at that price, no matter the positive performance.

But for buyers who value style over substance, the Sport Trac definitely offers a different way to go.

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Additional Reviews

Cars.com Expert Reviews

Rick Popely

Cars.com National

April 27, 2001

Affiliate Reviews

Tom Strongman	KansasCity.com	December 26, 2000
Bob Golfen	AZCentral.com	September 16, 2000
Terry Jackson	The Miami Herald	August 15, 2000
Larry Printz	The Morning Call and Mcall.com	May 21, 2000
Alan Vonderhaar	Cincinnati.com	May 20, 2000
Jim Mateja	chicagotribune.com	April 16, 2000
Tom Strongman	KansasCity.com	February 23, 2000
Warren Brown	washingtonpost.com	February 6, 2000
Tony Swan	Detroit Newspapers	February 3, 2000
Anita And Paul Lienert	The Detroit News	February 2, 2000