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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday August 30, 2006 - 15 EVERYTHING Auto your guide to everything auto in Oakville INSIDE: The evolution of Ford's SUV/pickup truck crossbreed Page 16 The new 2007 Explorer Sport Trac By Bradley Horn SPECIAL I'd wager a Loonie or two I'm not the only one who glosses over when manufacturers start jabbering about focus groups and other, ahem, well intentioned market studies. Listening to customers is paramount, but ultimately automakers need to remember they're the "experts" on car creation, otherwise they end up Aztek-ed, Edsel-ed or worse. For its new 2007 Explorer Sport Trac, Ford smartly worked towards that balance, providing the increased space, utility and power customers wanted, while recognizing the refinement needed against V8 Dakotas, 4door Tacomas, and, of all things, the versatile Honda Ridgeline. For uninitiated folks, since its 2001 introduction, the Sport Trac has relied heavily on Ford's Explorer SUV as a parts benefactor. Problem is, when the sport-ute was updated, the pickup remained largely unchanged. The 2007 model represents the Sport Trac's first major redesign and again, the recently redone Explorer was a major organ donor. For Sport Trac duty, the SUV's frame has been stretched (for interior and cargo box volume), making the pickup 42.4 cm (16.7 in.) longer than the '06 Explorer and 11.4 cm (4.5 in.) longer than its previous generation. The fully boxed chassis is 444 per cent stiffer (that's not a misprint) than the previous generation, and features an all-independent suspension, a first for Sport Trac and a rarity in the segment. Brakes are four-wheel discs with ABS and EBD, along with the Volvo-developed AdvanceTrac with the Roll Stability Control system. Two-wheel-drive is standard (pricing starts as $30,599), but Control Trac 4WD is optional on both XLT and Limited trims. It features an impressive low-range setting we sampled on a local off-road course. The system automatically transfers torque to the front wheels as needed, an advantage, says Ford, over Honda's Ridgeline, which is "front-wheel biased ... and lacks a low-range for heavy-duty use." The most significant customer-driven change to the '07 Sport Trac is its available V8 -- making it only the second mid-sizer to be so endowed (Dodge Dakota is the other). The 4.6- EVERYTHIN litre, single overhead camer (starting at $32,099), is plucked from the Explorer and makes 292 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 300 lbft of torque at 3,950 rpm. The standard engine is a 4.0-litre, SOHC V6 making 210 horsepower at 5,100 rpm and 254 lbft of torque at 3,700 rpm. According to Ford, it produces less smog forming emissions than Honda's Accord Hybrid. During our drive, Ford had only top-of-the-line V8 Limited models ($38,299) on hand. Surprisingly, even with its best-in-class horsepower claim and a class-exclusive 6speed automatic, the truck felt quite unhurried. Despite the engine's enthusiastic thrum, at times it doesn't feel like full power gets to the pavement. Ford is touting the V8's fuel efficiency, so early shifts may have toned down some of its jump. Manually shifting to third keeps the revs in the sweet spot, delivering that improved responsiveness we'd hoped for. On a more positive note, the Sport Trac's suspension geometry is one of the best in the segment. Ford says it's tuned "slightly stiffer" than Explorer, with larger stabilizer bars, which goes a long way towards improved handling. It's no Cayenne, but the rack and pinion steering has a communicative, weighty feel, and the pickup will settle down nicely through corners, with the new IRS ably controlling bumps. From the B-pillar forward, the Sport Trac is all Explorer sheetmetal. From there back it's unique, 4-door pickup truck country. Unlike Honda, Ford "never considered creating an integrated cabin and bed ... such a design was too car-like, and out of context with the Sport Trac's character." The four-foot cargo box is a neat bit of kit ­ 26.7 per cent larger than the last model. It's made of a corrosion-proof sheet moulded composite with a moulded-in scratch- and dent-resistant liner, that's 20 per cent lighter than a traditional steel box. The tailgate, from the F-150 Styleside, includes a torsion bar for easy closing. As before, the Sport Trac features a 12-volt power outlet in the bed, along with those six trademark tie-downs along the box rails. Like the Ridgeline, the Sport Trac has added weather resistant storage compartments with integrated drain plugs in the bed. There are two "six-pack sized" bins just Continued on Page 16 FORD EDGE Oak-land Ford Lincoln LINCOLN MKX EXPEDITION & EXPEDITION MAX 570 TRAFALGAR ROAD, OAKVILLE · AT THE QEW · WWW.OAKLANDFORDLINCOLN.CA 1-866-398-4270