Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Encyclopedia
The Ford Explorer Sport Trac, also known just as the Ford Sport Trac, is a mid-size sport utility vehicle
with a pickup truck
bed that was sold mostly in North America
. The Sport Trac was based on the Ford Ranger
pickup and was built by the Ford Motor Company
from 2000 to 2010. The pickup truck fell between the Ford Ranger
and Ford F-Series
in capability and price. It competed with crew-cab mid-size pickups and crossovers
, such as the Honda Ridgeline
, and was a smaller competitor to the Chevrolet Avalanche
. During the first year it sold in the US
, the waiting list grew to over 3 months. It was also the first body-on-frame sport utility truck. The Sport Trac was introduced at a time the Ford Explorer
and Ford Ranger
platforms diverged. The Explorer received its own chassis while the Sport Trac continued with the old Explorer's ranger-based chassis. The Sport Trac is a class 2 vehicle with a GVWR of 6250 lbs., and a maximum GCWR of 12,000 lbs. This makes it the most capable mid-size pickup, having a greater GVWR and GCWR than the Dodge Dakota, GM's Canyon/Colorado, and Toyota Tacoma.
The Sport Trac was discontinued in October 2010, even though it was announced in earlier press releases that production would end in 2011,[1] since the new generation Ford Explorer, advertised as a 'crossover SUV' on a unibody platform, was introduced in December 2010 as a 2011 model. The Sport Trac will sell through the 2011 calendar year as a 2010 model.
Cologne V6 producing 210 hp was the only engine
option. This generation Sport Trac remained in production through June 2005, when the final 2005 model year vehicle rolled off the line.
as an option. The second generation Sport Trac features an all-new reinforced frame and four-wheel independent suspension
, compared to the first generation. To improve safety over previous models, AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control has been added as standard features. The Sport Trac is currently available in only two trim levels (as opposed to the Explorer's four). There is no base model and no moderate luxury model, like with the Explorer. There is a mid-class model, the XLT, and a high-luxury model called the Limited. Both Limited and XLT are available on Explorer. Additional options include the SYNC
system in a new 2008 package.
A special SVT
version called the Sport Trac Adrenalin was planned for the 2007 model year, but was canceled. However, the Adrenalin sub-model returned for 2008 as a sportier version of the Sport Trac featuring a black-out grille and trim.
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
with a pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
bed that was sold mostly in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The Sport Trac was based on the Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
pickup and was built by the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
from 2000 to 2010. The pickup truck fell between the Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
and Ford F-Series
Ford F-Series
The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
in capability and price. It competed with crew-cab mid-size pickups and crossovers
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
, such as the Honda Ridgeline
Honda Ridgeline
The Honda Ridgeline is a mid to full size sport utility truck produced by the Japanese automaker Honda. The Ridgeline was released in March 2005 as a 2006 model and is Honda's intended first foray into the North American pickup truck market. Until 2009, the Ridgeline was built in Alliston,...
, and was a smaller competitor to the Chevrolet Avalanche
Chevrolet Avalanche
The Chevrolet Avalanche is a four-door, five or six passenger sport utility truck sharing GM's long-wheelbase chassis used on the Chevrolet Suburban and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Unlike the typical pickup truck, the open bed of the Avalanche opens to the back seat area through a folding panel and a...
. During the first year it sold in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the waiting list grew to over 3 months. It was also the first body-on-frame sport utility truck. The Sport Trac was introduced at a time the Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
and Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck produced by the Ford Motor Company. The "Ranger" name had previously been used for a premium styling package on the F-Series full-sized pickup trucks since 1965. The name was moved to this line of North American compact trucks for the 1983 model year.In North...
platforms diverged. The Explorer received its own chassis while the Sport Trac continued with the old Explorer's ranger-based chassis. The Sport Trac is a class 2 vehicle with a GVWR of 6250 lbs., and a maximum GCWR of 12,000 lbs. This makes it the most capable mid-size pickup, having a greater GVWR and GCWR than the Dodge Dakota, GM's Canyon/Colorado, and Toyota Tacoma.
The Sport Trac was discontinued in October 2010, even though it was announced in earlier press releases that production would end in 2011,[1] since the new generation Ford Explorer, advertised as a 'crossover SUV' on a unibody platform, was introduced in December 2010 as a 2011 model. The Sport Trac will sell through the 2011 calendar year as a 2010 model.
First generation (2001–2005)
The Explorer Sport Trac was introduced in 2000 as a 2001 model. It was built on a lengthened Explorer chassis, but with a small pickup bed behind the four normal SUV doors. To make up for the short box, a bed extender was available. The bed was made entirely of a plastic composite material, and a hard plastic tonneau cover was a common factory option. The tailgate was carried over from the F-150 Flare Side. The pickup had a more rugged-appearing front end, which the 2-door Explorer Sport also received. Midway through the 2001 model year, the engine design was changed. The "Job 1" 4.0L SOHC featured an alloy intake manifold. This was changed to a composite manifold in June 2000, and the oil filler cap moved from the driver side to the passenger side of the engine. For the 2003 model year, the "Explorer" badging was removed from the doors, and the "Sport Trac" badge on the tailgate was changed from red and white plastic to chrome along with an added notation of XLS or XLT trim level, and the B-pillars were now color keyed instead of black. For the 2004 model year, the bumpers and side skirts were changed to a darker gray color, and the option for factory color matched painted bumpers was added, as well as a new instrument cluster with digital odometer. The rugged look carried to the interior, where the only floor option was a full rubber covering. Carpet was not available, however berber carpet floor mats were standard. Instead of the usual sliding rear window found on most pickups, the Sport Trac had a power "Breezeway" window. The 4.0 LLitér
- External links :*...
Cologne V6 producing 210 hp was the only engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
option. This generation Sport Trac remained in production through June 2005, when the final 2005 model year vehicle rolled off the line.
Second generation (2007–2010)
A new Sport Trac was released in early 2006 for the 2007 model year. It was based on the new, larger fourth generation Explorer. Unlike its predecessor, it features the 4.6 L 24-valve Modular V8 engineV8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
as an option. The second generation Sport Trac features an all-new reinforced frame and four-wheel independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
, compared to the first generation. To improve safety over previous models, AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control has been added as standard features. The Sport Trac is currently available in only two trim levels (as opposed to the Explorer's four). There is no base model and no moderate luxury model, like with the Explorer. There is a mid-class model, the XLT, and a high-luxury model called the Limited. Both Limited and XLT are available on Explorer. Additional options include the SYNC
Ford Sync
Ford SYNC is a factory-installed, integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system that allows users to make hands-free telephone calls and control music and other functions using voice commands...
system in a new 2008 package.
A special SVT
Special Vehicle Team
Special Vehicle Team, also known as SVT, is an arm of Ford Motor Company responsible for the development of the company's highest-performance vehicles, much like Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, Chrysler's SRT division and GM's Performance Division. SVT is the successor to the SVO division.The current SVT...
version called the Sport Trac Adrenalin was planned for the 2007 model year, but was canceled. However, the Adrenalin sub-model returned for 2008 as a sportier version of the Sport Trac featuring a black-out grille and trim.