Believe it or not, I like the styling of the old Ford Explorer Sport Trac more than this new one. I'm not a fan of the 2007 model's chrome grille with inset support inserts, and I think the wheels are too busy and upscale for what is supposed to be a rugged truck. Plus, the Sport Trac shares its odd headlight design with the Explorer SUV, and the cargo bed can't decide if it wants to be a Flareside or Styleside. Despite my thoughts on the exterior design, it seemed plenty of people liked the Sport Trac's look. One F-150 owner looking to downsize and get better gas mileage quizzed me long and hard about the Sport Trac.

Inside, the Explorer Sport Trac is jarring. For example, just on the driver's side of the interior, there are five different colors and patterns to the plastic covering the dash and the A-pillars. With all these different parts and pieces, there are numerous panel joints which make the dashboard look too busy. The chrome surrounds for the gauge cluster and the vents look nice, but create bright glare in the windows. I give kudos, however, to the double-barreled gauge design and the two-tone seat upholstery.