In the five years since the Sport Trac hit the scene, a shift in the new car market has occurred, in no small part due to the success of the Sport Trac. Every major American and Japanese car brand has added 4-door, crew cab configurations to their full size and compact pickup truck lineup. Hummer introduced an H2 "SUT." Suburu created the car-based Baja. The success of the Sport Trac demonstrated that consumers want a passenger compartment equal to that of an SUV, mated to a versatile pickup truck bed. Many Sport Trac owners graduate to crew cab F-150s because they are unwilling to forego the combination of a comfortable cabin mated to a pickup bed.

Mission accomplished for Ford and the original Sport Trac design.

The 2001 Sport Trac was a "parts bin" vehicle. Ford couldn't financially justify a new-from-scratch vehicle for the predicted sales volume. The platform is an extended version of the Ranger frame, borrowing mechanical, body, and interior components from the previous generation Explorer. While this efficient approach allowed Ford to bring the Sport Trac to market, it also placed many limits on the design. The styling, linked to a previous generation of Ford trucks and SUVs, has become a bit dated, and the mechanical execution, while sound, also shows its age. Minor tweaking has occurred every model year, but it is still very much the same Sport Trac.

Fast forward to 2005. The latest generation of Ford Explorer boasts numerous innovations in suspension, powertrain, interior, and particularly, safety. Borrowing a page from the 2001 playbook, Ford designers and engineers set out to create the second generation Sport Trac using the new Explorer's design and underpinnings as a base. The idea was to produce a more refined, more capable Sport Trac, leveraging the advances of the new Explorer.

Once again, Ford has succeeded, and in a big way.

In the powertrain department, Ford heard our many pleas: The 2007 Sport Trac will be available with a 4.6 liter, 3 valve-per-cylinder V8, mated to a six speed automatic transmission. Rated at 292 hp and 300 ft/lbs torque, the new motor should provide lots of get-up and go for the 2007 model. And because this engine is shared with the Mustang, performance enthusiasts can expect to see a huge array of Sport Trac compatible aftermarket items. I expect to see some heavily modified and capable street trucks developed from the 2007 Sport Trac. The new V8 doesn't carry much, if any, fuel economy penalty versus the base 4.0 SOHC V6. The V6 has been further refined for better smoothness and lowered emissions in the 2007 model year.

In the ride, handling and comfort arena, the Sport Trac will benefit from Explorer's through-frame independent rear suspension. Hardcore truck enthusiasts may be concerned by the departure from the traditional rear axle/leaf spring setup, but there is no denying that the Explorer's independent rear suspension is a world beater. It delivers ride and handling characteristics that cannot be achieved with a traditional suspension. Mated to the new, very stiff Sport Trac frame, Ford is promising a ride that equals or beats any SUV or pickup for handling, quietness and comfort. The turning radius has also been reduced by about 3 feet, a very welcome improvement.

All of the positive ride and handling changes wouldn't mean much if versatility had to be sacrificed. But, according to Ford's published numbers, nothing in the way of payload is lost. On the contrary: With the new V8, the Sport Trac will boast a 6800 pound tow capacity, and a max cargo load of over 1400 pounds, putting it in the realm of some full size pickup trucks.

The sheet metal on the new Sport Trac shows a strong family resemblance to the Explorer. The pickup bed remains the same composite material, but is wider and deeper than the current model, delivering a useful increase in cargo volume. The bed also has three in-floor compartments; two suitable for small items, and one capable of storing an assortment of useful items such as tools, a floor jack, tow ropes, etc. All three compartments are equipped with drains, allowing them to be used as coolers. The restyled tailgate adds a bit of a racey look, with a slight rearward flare near the top edge. The OEM tonneau cover is functionally similar to the current version, but has restyled lock covers and is a few pounds lighter. The tie downs have a new shape that should be less snag-prone for shirt sleeves and car wash hoses.

Perhaps the best but least visible breakthroughs are in the area of safety. In addition to better handling, the new ST will be available with bigger OEM wheels, up to 18". That also means bigger brakes. It will also have the roll stability control electronics and software introduced on the new Explorer. A sophisticated roll sensor feeds data about the vehicle's position to a computer that can activate or release breaking pressure at any of the four wheels, allowing the system to correct an impending roll condition. Intelligent front airbag controllers make adjustments during a collision, using sensors to determine occupant size, position and momentum. The system's computer can deploy the airbags with varied amounts of force and distance from the occupants, minimizing the risk of injury from the bags themselves, while delivering an optimized amount of impact cushioning. The steering wheel has a variable crush rate mechanism. The system can command the steering wheel to collapse with less force in order to further protect the driver from impact. Variable rate, computer controlled seat belt tentioning lets the computer further tailor the deceleration forces on the front occupants. Side curtain airbags offer side impact protection for both front and rear occupants.

Bottom line: This vehicle is less likely to get in accident because of its superior handling, braking and roll stability system. If it is involved in an accident, it knows how to customize occupant protection to minimize the chance of serious injury. It is a remarkable safety package, with most as standard equipment, and represents a huge leap forward over the current Sport Trac.

I didn't get any "hands on" time with the interior. I can tell you it is bigger due to the Sport Trac's extra 2" of width. The shifter has moved to the center console. The leather interior on the show model looks far more refined than the current product. Many things about the interior design are reminiscent of the latest Explorer and the F150. It will be a big step forward from our 1990s-era interior.

By now, you should have the impression that I respect what Ford has accomplished with the 2nd generation Sport Trac. It will be a more powerful, quieter, better riding, better handling, safer vehicle, and improves on several useful work/play capacities. It does everything the original Sport Trac did, but does those things a bit better.

Any downsides? Yes, a few.

The front tow hooks and mounting points are history. That may present some extra challenge for those of us who like to mount aftermarket gear up front.

The front grill is large and chrome, and seems to be a bit controversial. Some like it, some don't. The good news is the parts bin compatability with the new Explorer may make it easy to swap for a less "in your face" grill.

The new dash board removes a couple of gauges, making us ever more dependent on the indicator lights and the diagnostic computer. Most of the world is going in that direction, but it's still easy to be disappointed from an enthusiast view.

The independent rear suspension will present some challenges for lifting, lowering, and dual exhaust routing. There wasn't time to seriously examine the underpinnings, but as we get closer to the March 2006 availability to the public, we should get a better handle on the issues.

Overall, this truck looks like a winner for Ford and for many of us who kept asking Ford for "more and better." I think they've listened and delivered. Ultimately, the marketplace will decide if this is a better Sport Trac than the original. I look forward to seeing it on the street.