RSS
The arrival of the unibody 2011 Ford Explorer signaled an end to previous generations of body-on-frame Explorers. In doing so, Ford gave the axe to the Mercury Mountaineer SUV (with Mercury’s demise around the corner) as well as its hybrid SUV/pickup, the Explorer Sport Trac.
The Sport Trac never sold in number as high as the Explorer itself, but the model was successful enough to be renewed and updated in the nine years after its 2001 introduction. According to Automotive News, the Sport Trac accounted for up to 20 to 25 percent of total Explorer sales. In a volume year, when it was common for the Explorer to sell over 250,000 units, that’s not insignificant.
With the 2011 Explorer, Ford has chosen not to renew the Sport Trac. During its life, the Sport Trac faced competition from conventional pickups, as well as the car-based Honda Ridgeline. Now that the Explorer is based on the same platform that underpins the Taurus, does the Sport Trac deserve a new lease on life?
Today’s Snap Judgment:
Could Ford breathe new life into a reimagined Explorer Sport Trac?
Let us know what you think over the weekend.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)
Ford should keep the current SportTrac in its truck-based form for those people who want a rugged, durable SUV. For people like me who value comfort over ruggedness, there’s the new Explorer
Well, yeah. Doesn’t Honda have a unibody “truck”? I think the SportTrac was more about style than practicality anyway. Go for it, Ford! And while you’re at it, how about an Ecoboost powered SVT model?