Expert Reviews
By Cars.com Staff
Cars.com National September 10, 2008Vehicle Overview
The Ford Expedition is a ladder frame full-size SUV that can carry up to nine people. The SUV comes in XLT, Eddie Bauer, Limited and King Ranch trim levels. It competes with the Chevrolet Tahoe, Toyota Sequoia and Dodge Durango. There's a longer version called the Expedition EL. It's about 15 inches longer and has a standard third row of seats. It competes with the Chevrolet Suburban.
New for 2009
For 2009, the Expedition receives a standard flex-fuel V-8 engine and can get Ford's Sync voice-activation system.
Exterior
The front features a squared-off four-bar grille and angular headlights, and the rear window can open independent of the liftgate. At 206.4 inches long and 78.8 inches wide, the Expedition is the longest of the group, though the Tahoe and Sequoia are wider. Regular-length and extended Expeditions sport the same exterior styling. At 221.3 inches long, the Expedition EL is about the same size as the Suburban.
- Available 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheels
- Available power liftgate (standard on Limited and King Ranch)
- Standard capless fueling system
- Standard fog lamps
- Standard exterior keypad system
- Standard power heated mirrors
- Optional rain-sensing wipers (standard on Limited and King Ranch)
- Optional power moonroof
- Optional power running boards
Interior
The Expedition can seat up to nine occupants across three rows of seats. The steering wheel, gauge clusters and climate controls are similar to those in Ford's F-150 pickup truck. Thanks to an independent rear suspension, the third-row seat folds flat into the floor — a feature not offered in all competitors. A power-folding mechanism for the third-row seat is optional on lower trims and standard on higher ones. With the second- and third-row seats folded, the Expedition's maximum cargo capacity is 108.3 cubic feet, which is about equal with most of the class, though the Sequoia beats all other competitors by a bit. The Expedition EL offers 130.8 cubic feet of volume, which is just a tad smaller than the Suburban's space (137.4).
- Standard auto-dimming mirror
- Standard power locks and windows
- Standard leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Standard Ford Sync (optional on XLT)
- Automatic climate control (Eddie Bauer, Limited and King Ranch)\
- Optional power-folding third row (optional on XLT)
- Optional GPS navigation system (Eddie Bauer, Limited and King Ranch)
- Optional DVD entertainment system
Under the Hood
When properly equipped, the Expedition can tow up to 9,200 pounds. Unlike the Tahoe and Suburban, the Expedition comes only as a half-ton truck. The 2500-series three-quarter-ton Chevys come with larger engines and higher towing and hauling capacities. The sole powertrain is now a flex-fuel system that can run on E85.
- Standard 310-horsepower, 5.4-liter V-8 with 365 pounds-feet of torque
- Standard six-speed automatic transmission
- Available rear-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel drive
- Optional load-leveling air suspension system
Safety
The Expedition has not been crash tested by our preferred source, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It scores five stars in government frontal-crash tests, which is the highest rating possible.
- Standard front-seat side-impact airbags
- Standard side curtain airbags
- Standard electronic stability control with antiroll mitigation
- Standard four-wheel-disc antilock brakes
- Standard SOS-Post Crash Alert System
- Available rearview camera (standard on Limited and King Ranch)
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