By Matt Bennett

I recently had an opportunity to represent Ford Truck Enthusiasts and fly out to Laguna Beach, California to test drive the all new 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The “Sport Utility Truck” that I was driving was a 4.6L V8 (yes, you read that right, more on that later) equipped with a class exclusive 6 speed automatic transmission and 4x4. It was a Limited model. XLT is also available.

The first part of the test drive was on road driving. We drove down the highways and in the city. On the highway is where the 4.6L 3 valve (per cylinder) V8 shone the brightest. The engine provides you with 292 horsepower (at 5,750 prm) and 300 foot-pounds of torque at 3,950 rpm. When mated with the 6 speed automatic transmission (the only transmission available with this engine) getting up to speed and passing people was not a problem at all. The engine and transmission provide nice smooth shifts and there is definitely more than enough power for the truck.

When traveling at 65 miles per hour I was doing approximately 1500 rpms. Ford claims that you should be able to get more than 20 miles per gallon on the highway from the 4.6L V8. Most competitors can maybe get that from their V6 engine. The 4.6L V8 definitely gives you the most bang for your buck.

The vehicle I drove was equipped to tow 6640 pounds. You can tow up to 6800 pounds with the 2 wheel drive model. A Class II integrated trailer hitch comes standard on all models with a 2” Class III/IV optionally provided. It comes with a 7 pin connector as well as a 4 pin for trailer lights. The 4 pin connector should have been located beside the 7 pin connector. Instead, it was located under the hitch where it could become corroded from salt, snow and water. But, that could be a minor customer concern.

We also did some off-roading at a course that Ford set up. During this part we tested the 4 wheel drive as well and the Control Trac feature. First, we put the truck in 4 high and climbed a hill that was covered in mud, dirt and small boulders. I was surprised that it climbed it with NO problems at all. The Control Trac worked flawlessly. If you started to lose any bit of traction you could feel the power transfer to the other tires that had it. The hill we climbed was on, at least, a 45 degree angle and over 200 feet long.

Once we were at the top we were told to put the truck in 4 LOW and proceed down the hill without using the brakes. Now, that might be a difficult task in another vehicle but not in one that had the Control Trac feature. I went down that hill at a very slow speed and did not use the brakes at all. It worked very well.

In addition to 4x4 HIGH and 4x4 LOW there is also 4x4 AUTO or A4WD. This mode (which is the default one) will detect if traction is lost and automatically engage when needed.

The frame on the 2007 Explorer Sport Trac is designed and built the same way as the 2006 Explorer SUV. It utilizes the frame through frame design from the F-150. This results in a 444% increase in torsional stiffness compared to the previous Sport Trac which helps reduce rattles and squeaks. The 2007 Sport Trac is 16.8” longer than the Explorer. It also features an independent short- and long- arm (SLA) design with coil over shock front and rear suspension.

At the end of the test-drive we ended up driving up and down winding roads. This gave us a great chance to see how the vehicle brakes and steers when cornering. The 4 wheel ABS disc brakes performed well in all conditions. Because of the new redesigned front end the Sport Trac now offers optional 17 and 18 inch wheel and tire packages. The low-friction rack- and-pinion steering provides precise control when moving on the road or in parking lots.

Safety was a HIGH priority when Ford decided to redesign the Sport Trac. All known safety requirements, through 2010, have been met. 10 standard advanced safety features are available. Below are some of them.

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) – This feature monitors all the tires separately and alerts you when an air loss is detected.

• Side-Impact Air Bags – These are for the driver and front passenger in the event of a side impact. Safety Canopy^TM side air curtains are optionally available which help all passengers in the event of a roll-over or some side-impact collisions.

• Belt Minder – This gives the driver an audio and visual (in the instrument panel) warning to help remind them to buckle up.

Many more safety features have been implemented to help give the Sport Trac it’s NHTSA five-star front and side impact crash rating for both the passenger and driver. It also received the highest front crash test rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Click here for part two