Here are four words I never thought would pass through my lips: “I like this truck.” Actually, I liked the Sport Trac the first time I saw it. Though many critics questioned the need for an SUV with a small pickup bed (the same people who now question the Sport Trac’s lack of a mid-gate), I thought it was a great way to combine the attributes of a pickup and the enclosed passenger compartment of a SUV in a single vehicle. Especially since many folks will rarely or never use the full capacity of their pickup beds. And it doesn’t hurt that the Sport Trac is handsome to boot.

Yet, there are many things other than the styling to like about this truck. For example, the rear window is split into three sections. The large center segment is powered (but lacks a defroster grid), and can be lowered slightly for venting, or completely to improve flow-through ventilation. Except for the absence of a reverse-slant roof section, it is very reminiscent of Mercury’s “Breezeway” top of the mid-1960s. And, with all of the windows down, the Sport Trac’s interior draws enough air to test ¼-scale wind tunnel models. Don’t worry about any dust or dirt flying through the windows soiling the carpet, though. There isn’t any…carpet, that is. Instead, the floor is covered by coarse-weave floor mats over a rubber floor. As they say in floor cleaner commercials: “Clean-ups are a breeze.” The optional leather seats, however, may need a more delicate touch.

Then there’s the pickup bed. Made entirely of plastic, it eliminates worries about rust, dents, or the need for a bed liner. Our test Sport Trac also was fitted with the optional hard tonneau cover ($590) and cargo cage ($195), both of which increased the bed’s versatility. With the removable tonneau and tailgate locked in place, the bed becomes a secure storage area. And the cargo cage – a U-shaped device made up of three aluminum tubes that can be extended over the open tailgate to increase load length, or swiveled into the bed to create a separate space for small or fragile items – is light and locks into place easily, eliminating any excuses for not using it.

If there’s one major flaw with the Sport Trac, it has to be its extra length. Darn near the length of a full-size pickup, the Sport Trac is less maneuverable than its full-SUV brothers. Not only does the 4x4 system occasionally bind when the steering is at full lock, the in-the-air ride height makes it more difficult to determine exactly where your vehicle stops and the one behind you begins. However, it’s a small price to pay if you want an SUV, but need the versatility of a pickup.

Speaking of price, the Sport Trac we drove cost $31,035. This for a vehicle built on the previous Explorer’s platform. If it included that vehicle’s independent rear suspension, V8, and lower ride height, it might be worth it. And I might be moved from “like” to “love.”