The 2002 Ford Explorer Sport continued to be overshadowed by its top-selling four-door Explorer sibling. It did appeal to people looking for a smaller, more maneuverable midsize SUV: the '02 Explorer Sport's 180-inch size was a little less unwieldy than the Explorer's 189 inches.

The small exterior size unfortunately translated into a less-than-generous maximum cargo capacity of 71.4 cubic feet. In the 'bigger is better' sport-utility market of the early 2000s, this wasn't too impressive. And Explorer Sport drivers couldn't even brag about their great gas mileage, with ratings of 15 city and 20 highway.

The 2002 Explorer Sport did offer a range of options packages, of which the most popular were the four-wheel drive and 'Leather Comfort' selections. Some people loved its casual-but-comfy interior, and it did garner praise for its handling.

But the writing was on the wall. Whatever market niche the Explorer Sport might have occupied was going to be usurped by Ford's newest SUV, the Escape, and the 2003 model year would be the Explorer Sport's last.