The new powertrain used by the 2007 Ford Sport Trac is a major plus. So are the improved driving dynamics resulting from a stiffer frame adapted from the current Explorer, the longer wheelbase, the wider track and, certainly not least, the all-new, independent rear suspension. So much has changed, in fact, it's almost not fair to compare the new with the old. Suffice to say, then, that the new fixes just about everything that was wrong with the old.
Power from the optional V8 is at or near the top of the check list for most pickup buyers. In horsepower, Ford's V8 sweeps the class, including the Dodge Dakota's 260-hp, 4.7-liter, high-output Magnum V8. And without paying a significant premium at the gas pump. The Sport Trac's V8 EPA-estimated 14/18 city/highway miles per gallon easily beats the Dakota's top V8 in fuel economy ratings. The Frontier's 265-hp V6 betters it by 1 mpg in city driving but only equals it in the highway estimate. The Tacoma's 236-hp V6 earns an estimated 17/21 city/highway, the Ridgeline 16/21 city/highway. Topping them all, no surprise, is the Colorado's 220-hp inline-five, at 18/23 city/highway. Much the same holds for torque, where the Sport Trac's V8 trails only the Dakota, and by a mere 10 pound-feet.
How all this responds when the gas pedal is pressed isn't quite as impressive as the data suggest. (Those data are 292 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque.) Power comes on smoothly, yes, with no discernible phasings from the variable valve timing. But the torque peaks at a relatively high engine speed (3950 rpm), and while the six-speed automatic's lower gears work well in getting the engine up into its power curve for launching from a stop light, once underway, it doesn't answer the call for more power as promptly as expected. From a refinement standpoint, the engine feels somewhat metallic and there's a tiny jolt every time you take off from a stop as the slack in the driveline is taken up.
Brake pedal feel is solid, if not really firm, and the ABS keep everything under control in panic stops.
Ride quality is smooth and well damped, traits not widely shared by the live axle-outfitted competition. The Sport Trac has an independent rear suspension, a design associated with sports cars, a smooth ride and good handling. Indeed, the Ridgeline is the only other truck in this class with an independent rear suspension. Drive over seriously potholed or broken pavement and you're reminded you're in a truck, but it's good by pickup standards.
Directional stability is good. Steering response is quick, considering the weight of the vehicle. Understeer, where the truck wants to go straight instead of turning, is the default mode if a corner is entered whilst carrying too much momentum. In those cases, the electronic stability control helps keep things under control. Body lean is relatively controlled in corners. The Sport Trac feels a bit more confident in quick direction changes than the Honda Ridgeline, which is quite as sure-footed. The Dakota and Tacoma closely match the Sport Trac's planted feel.
The Sport Trac offers the tightest turning circle of the bunch, almost four feet tighter than the next-best Tacoma's and seven-and-a-half feet inside the last-place Chevy Colorado's. That's important when making a U-turn or in crowded parking lots and other tight quarters.
We haven't yet driven a V6-powered 2007 Sport Trac. It makes a bit more power than it did in its previous incarnation. The new model weighs nearly 500 pounds more than the old one, however, so we suspect that extra power won't be adding much punch, if any, to the 2007 model's performance numbers. On the upside, the new model enjoys all the other improvements, so save for speed and quickness, we expect it'll have much the same ride and handling dynamics as that of the V8.
