Sport Trac is quite tall, so it doesn't handle like a car. The bushings, spring rates, shock valving and stabilizer bars have been modified, according to Ford, to improve ride, handling, and isolation relative to the old Explorer. Still, the Sport Trac pitches, weaves, sways and jounces. It's not uncomfortable, but these ride motions grow larger as the road gets rougher or as speed increases. And the power rack-and-pinion steering did not provide as much assist as we would have liked for parallel parking in tight spaces.
But the Sport Trac is quiet. A lot of effort went into reducing the noise level in the cabin, successfully.
Sport Trac's suspension works well off the highway and in light snow and mud; but we wouldn't call this a highly capable off-road vehicle. Payload is 1,525 pounds, with a 5,300-pound maximum towing capacity for two-wheel-drive models. Towing heavy loads (like a race car) frequently will likely put wear on a Sport Trac just as it did on the previous-generation Explorer.
The Sport Trac comes with bigger brake rotors than the previous-generation Explorer, using ventilated discs in front and solid discs in the rear. Disc brakes resist fade better than drum brakes, good when braking frequently down mountain grades. Next Page