2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV: MPG and fuel economy

This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

How the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV compares

The 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV returns 16 combined MPG. Cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD class for the same model year average 16.6 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 4%.

The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD class for the 2004 model year is the Ford Ranger Pickup 2WD at 21 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2004 model year (across all classes) returns 18.4 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2004 model year is on its own page.

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for E85, which is $2.63/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 937.5 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Year-over-year MPG for the Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV

The EPA has rated the Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV across 2 model years, from 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV through 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 15 MPG.

Compare against other Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD for 2004

If you are cross-shopping the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The Ford Ranger Pickup 2WD leads this group at 23 MPG, 7 MPG ahead of the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV.

Specifications

The 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV runs a 4-liter 6-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 5-spd, sending power through rear-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class

Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD

Engine

4L 6-cylinder

Transmission

Automatic 5-spd

Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Fuel type

Gasoline or E85

Annual petroleum use

18.6 barrels per year

Common questions about the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV.

• Is the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV fuel efficient?

  It is in line with the rest of the class. The 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV returns 16 combined MPG, and the average car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD class for the same model year sits at 16.6 MPG.
• What MPG does the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV get?

  The EPA rates the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV at 16 combined MPG, 14 MPG in city driving, and 20 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
• How much does it cost to fuel a 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV per year?

  The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,750 for the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
• What fuel does the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV use?

  The EPA lists the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity.
• How much CO₂ does the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV emit?

  Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 555 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 8,332 kilograms of CO₂.
• What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV?

  City driving returns 14 MPG and highway driving returns 20 MPG, a gap of 6 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.
• What engine is in the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV?

  The 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV has a 4-liter 6-cylinder engine (EPA description: FLEX-FUEL).
• What transmission and drivetrain does the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV have?

  The 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV comes with a automatic 5-spd transmission and rear-wheel drive.
• How does the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV compare to the best car in its class?

  The most efficient car in the Standard Pickup Trucks 2WD class for the 2004 model year is the Ford Ranger Pickup 2WD at 21 combined MPG. The Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV returns 16 MPG, a gap of 5 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
• How much more does the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV cost in fuel compared to an average car?

  The EPA estimates that over five years, the 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2WD FFV will cost about $8,000 more in fuel than an average new vehicle of the same model year. The difference accumulates because the car uses more fuel per mile, not because of any one-off charge at the dealership.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.