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2008 Ford Expedition Review
A rational purchase for heavy-duty needs. As everyday transportation, monstrous sport-utilities will one day be remembered as just another laughable cultural curiosity of a bygone era. Long after they fade from the mainstream, though, there will still be a handful of people who need the size and strength of these beasts, and those folks could do worse than a Ford Expedition. First, let's be clear that the Expedition generally lives up to all the negatives of vehicles of its ilk. It's feels bulky and ponderous, and its tires squeal easily. The steering needs to be reminded how to drive in a straight line on the freeway, and parking is problematic (especially the extended-length Suburban-fighting Expedition EL model). It gets 13 miles to the gallon. What keeps the Expedition relevant is that it lives up to every promise a full-size SUV can make. It can tow up to 9,200 pounds, and thanks to Ford's decision to fit the Expedition with an independent rear suspension -- something that also pays dividends in ride quality -- it has adult-size seating in all three rows (truly a rarity). That third-row seat is also convenient, disappearing flat into the floor, much like in all the better minivans. This makes the Expedition a great solution for, say, an eight (or nine)-member family that tows a boat or carries massive cargo loads. The Expedition doesn't stand out so much in the smaller stuff, but it gets by. The interior design is pretty crappy-looking, but it works. The seats are allright. The Expedition rarely makes a wrong move on the road, and it seems to be getting more reliable. The price is also lower than it was a few years ago (starting in the low 30s), and you can probably count on rebate checks to make it lower still. If you can get by with a lighter duty SUV (like Ford's own Taurus X), do yourself a favor and go for it. But if you need something that can do it all, now you know where to look. What's new for the 2007 Ford Expedition: Redesigned; new model. What's new for the 2008 Ford Expedition: A new $41K King Ranch model becomes the top-end model, and a rearview backup camera is now optional. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com |
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