However the engine seemed smoother and quieter than some past Explorers equipped with a V6 that I have driven. The transmission shifted smoothly, even under hard acceleration, though downshifts were a bit slow. What impressed me most was the overall responsive handling. Steering feel was very good, losing some of the vagueness experience with early Explorers. OK, I won t lose my head, the Sport still had a good amount of body roll when tossed hard sided to side.
Trucks do have their limits.
As far as ride quality improvements go, I wasn t convinced that they were significant enough for the amount of changes that Ford put in place to lessen the truck-like ride of the past. What was missing however, was the shudder of the steering wheel that used to be inevitable whenever you drove over rough pavement. Overall the Explorer Sport s ride was firm but comfortable. When it came time to end the fun, I found stopping distances were good for a truck, and OK overall. It s when you hit the brakes that you realize the Sport is still no lightweight, even though its missing two doors.