The second-generation Sport Trac uses Explorer sheet metal from the B-pillar forward, but is unique everywhere else, including the composite 4-ft box with its trademark tie-downs. This corrosion-proof box also has a moulded-in liner that's scratch- and dent-resistant. And, like the Honda Ridgeline, it has in-bed storage compartments -- two "six-pack" sized ones at the back of the bed and a hard-to-reach larger one up front. An aluminum cargo cage can act as a divider or be swung out as a bed extender. Inside the rubber-floored cab there's seating for five. Under the hood is a standard 210-hp, 4.0-litre V6, or an optional 4.6-litre V8 making 292 hp and allowing a towing capacity of 2,408 kg (5,310 lbs.).

V8 power, improved ride, quiet

Bed stowage bin hard to access, V8 thirst