From the logbook: Explorer Sport Trac

Off the track, most of my coworkers and I are homeowners. Hence, we're always looking to sign out any available pickup truck for weekend chores. One of the newest in our test fleet is the redesigned Ford Explorer Sport Trac. We opted for the four-wheel-drive XLT model with the 4.0-liter V6. So far, we've been filling the bed with loads of woodchips, bicycles, and other assorted stuff. But is it a truck or an SUV? Officially, Ford calls it a "sport-utility truck" - whatever that is.

How is at carrying cargo as well as people? Take a peek at the Sport Trac's progress thus far:

"Just like an Explorer to drive--very good ride quality for a pickup."

"[The V6] engine feels anemic."

"Badly designed turn signal/wiper stalk-- wind up flashing the lights when you want to spray the windshield."

"Lots of shabby fit and finish: bad fitting 'carbon fiber' center stack panel, sharp flash evident on the side of the center stack trim, and huge panel gaps near steering column."

"Like the plastic bed and many tie-downs, but the bed seems short for most uses. We should probably get the bed extender."

"Decent long-haul seat comfort."

"Biggest problem I see is that the [overall] package isn't all that practical or flexible. We filled it with our kayaks (sticking out of the short bed) and all of our gear/luggage/coolers completely filled the back seat (and the floor beneath it)-- and there were only two of us."

"An improvement over the original, with better and much smoother power delivery and a less 'trucky' ride."

"Very plasticy interior-- I expect more for a $30K truck."

"The Honda Ridgeline is a much better choice for this type of vehicle."

Stay tuned for a full test of this pickup/SUV concoction in the near future.

--Mike Quincy