Review: 2007 Ford Expedition EL Limited 4X4
10-15-06, 02:51 PM
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Review: 2007 Ford Expedition EL Limited 4X4
http://www.fordvehicles.com/suvs/expedition/?v=html
In a Nutshell: The first GOOD Ford competition to the Chevy Suburban / GMC Yukon XL......almost everything that the ill-fated Excursion SHOULD have been and wasn't.
My Candidate for 2007 Truck of the Year.
I have not received any formal requests from CL members ( yet ) to review this vehicle, but one of my co-workers ( actually the son of one of my former supervisors ) is quite interested in it, had already test-driven one himself ( a new EL 4X4 Limited model ), wanted my opinion of it, and asked me to look it over and review it, so.....here you are. I decided that if I was going to do it for him, I might as well write it up at the same time and share it with you guys as well.
And this new extra-long Expedition model ( hence the designation EL ), besides just being another one of my reviews, is also a very signficant new large SUV, in that it is not only based on a new-generation Expedition model in general, but is also the FIRST time that Ford has introduced an extra-long Expedition model and offered good, credible competition to the long-established reign of the Chevy Suburban / GMC Yukon XL as the largest vehicles of their type in the U.S. market.
The Chevy Suburban was introduced in 1935 ( one of the longest-running models still in production ), grew vastly in both size and weight through the years, and, along with its GMC twin, completely dominated the extra-long full-size SUV market. Ford, strangely, even with its renowned success in trucks and SUV's,never saw fit over the years to try and compete directly with the Suburban, always producing vehicles that stopped short of equalling the Suburban in size and weight.
Same with Dodge......Daimler-Chrysler never saw fit, either, to make an extra-long version of a full-size Dodge Ram-Based SUV, instead being content to offer nothing larger than the mid-to-large size Dodge Durango.
Ford finally did attempt to market a Suburban-fighter......and the result was a disaster. Instead of doing it RIGHT, they hurriedly rushed through a poorly engineered version of their F350 Heavy-Duty truck as a people-mover to try and one-up the Suburban in size and weight ( which they did ) and ended up with a monster that that was harshly criticized not only by environmentalists for its extreme gas consumption but by Consumer Reports for its ungainliness as well. Though, of course, the tree-hugging crowd was correct that the Excurion was wasteful of fuel, its REAL problems ( at least in my opinion ) had little or nothing to do with mileage....you EXPECT a large, truck-based vehicle to use a lot of fuel. No, the Excursion's real problem was that it was simply too large and too heavy for the suspension and underpinnings that the Ford engineers gave it. I don't know if this was solely an engineering decision or one of Ford's infamous management-interference issues like with the safety defects of the Pinto and Crown Victoria fuel tanks. The Excursion simply had too much bulk and weight for its chassis...it weighed well over 3 tons empty and pushed virtually 4 tons loaded. When I test-drove one it several years ago, it had the driving dynamics of a battleship. It was somewhat oversprung on small, sharp bumps and WAY undersprung and underdamped on large ones. It would pound over things like pavement and bridge expansion joints but heave, wander, and bob up and down like a boat over larger undulations in the road. When coming to a stop, at low speeds, the nose would bob up and down and the horizon would go up and down in the windshield almost like a stunt plane. Not surprisingly, I wrote it up ( this was in my pre-CL days ) as one of the worst-handling and poorly-controlled vehicles I had seen in decades. Consumer Reports came out a few months later, tested it themselves, and pretty much came up with my conclusion....a poorly-engineered suspension. In addition, unlike the Suburban ( and even its own little brother the Explorer ) Ford did not give the Excursion a true All-Wheel-Drive automatic torque-on-demand system with a center differential...only the pickup-truck-based Part-Time 4WD system that was obviously cheaper and saved on production costs.
So.....not surprisingly, beset by intense criticism for its poor engineering and political pressure from environmental groups, the Excursion was quietly dropped and replaced with a MUCH better vehicle.....an extended version of the brand-new Ford Expedition. Although the power-steering, power-brake booster, paint job, and some of the exterior hardware could use some more work ( see my comments below ) this vehicle, for the most part, is what the Excursion SHOULD have been and wasn't......I was rather favorably impressed with it, and considering what a significant addition it is to the large SUV market and Ford's first GOOD Suburban-fighter, I think the Expedition EL deserves consideration for the 2007 Truck of the Year award.
This new vehicle, though, like the former Excursion, does NOT come cheap......open up not only your hearts but your wallets, brothers and sisters, if you want to take one home. Right now, for the most part, Ford dealerships are getting only top-dog, loaded, Limited models ( like the one I reviewed ) that start at 42-43K and list for 50K and up. Even the upcoming less-expensive Eddie Bauer and XLT models will cost a good chunk of cash ( see the attached Ford website for pricing details ). But in this ase, your money buys a LOT of vehicle.....the Expedition could easily, in my opinion, pass for a Lincoln-badged vehicle with its opulent interior full of power-operated and convienence features and its numerous safety features throughout. Professional athletes and rap artists who are used to Cadillac Escalades and Lincoln Navigators are going to feel right at home in the Expedition EL...in fact, its interior, in some ways beats even the previous Navigator. However, both the Escalade and Navigator are also new this year, with better interiors than before.....( I have not reviewed either one, though I did review the new 2007 Tahoe. The Expedition, inside, in contrast to many previous Ford models, has trim and hardware that not only LOOKs nice but IS nice....and in contrast to the new Tahoe / Suburban where GM did a nice job on the new dashes but put the same old GM cheap junk for hardware in the rest of the interior, The new Expedition EL has nice, classy, well-built, attractive hardware and trim EVERYWHERE inside, with the possible exception of the steering wheel.....more on this later.
The new Expedition EL also pampers you in the convienience department. Little is asked of you that some gadget or electric motor doesn't handle. Even the lack of a power-tilt ( manual-tilt only ) or any telescoping function on the steering wheel is made up for the fact that you can power-adjust the brake and gas pedals to any position you want. And the rear seats and hatchback lift go up and down with electric motors....something that until now only the Escalade and Navigator offered. This new Ford is basically now, for the most part, a Lincoln......at a Lincoln price.
So...now for a look in detail:
Model Reviewed: 2007 Ford Expedition EL Limited 4X4
Base Price: $43,395 ( Includes freight )
Major Options:
20" Chrome wheels with Pirelli Scorpion tires: $995
Second-Row Captain's Chairs: $795
NAV package: $1995
Convienence Package: $675
Heavy Duty Tow Package: $350
Front/Rear rubber floormats: $55
SIRIUS radio: $195
Rear self-leveling air suspension with message center: $485
Skid Plates: $100
Daytime running lights $45
Power moonroof $950
Power liftgate $495
Chrome luggage rack with black crossbars $95
Video rear-seat entertainment DVD with headphones $1500
Price as reviewed: $52,125
Exterior color: Black Clearcoat
Interior: Charcoal / Black leather
Drivetrain: 5.4L 3-valve Triton V8, 300 HP@ 5000 RPM, 365 ft.lbs. torque @ 3750 RPM
6-Speed automatic transmission wih Overdrive.
4-Wheel-Drive with electronic dash-activated 2H, 4A, 4H, 4L settings
PLUSSES:
A huge improvement over the poorly-engineered Excursion:
Could easily pass as a Lincoln-badged vehicle, especially inside.
SOLID, bank-vault doors.
Quiet on the road with good wind and road noise isolation.
Luxurious-looking, classy, well-done interior trim. ( Nice high-contrast 2-tone on Eddie Bauer models )
Well-designed gauges, controls, and NAV system.
Generally good hardware inside...a big improvement over previous Ford SUV's.
Standard Roll-Stabilty system for safety.
Relatively smooth ride for a truck.
Power-adjustable pedals compensate for non-telescoping steering column.
Very high level of standard equipment.
Nice, power-operated convienences almost everywhere.
Versatile, multi-use cargo area.
4X4 system ( finally ) has a auto mode/center differential like GM's that can be used anywhere.
Classy, though somewhat dull, paint colors. ( my favorite was the Dark Copper Metallic )
Roomy, fairly comfortable seats with plenty of head and legroom.
New 5-Year/ 60,000 Ford drivetrain warranty ( Finally ).
Off-Road packages available for trekkers.
MINUSES:
High-effort, Sponge-O-Matic power brake booster.
Minor creaks and rattles in the interior and body structure over sharp bumps.
Excessive slippage in the automatic transmission during cold shifts.
Poor steering response, especially on sharp curves.
Vague, sticky, rubbery-feeling power steering and without steering wheel self-centering.
Power-operated tailgate doesn't give you much time to get your head out of the way when lowering.
Typical Ford cheap, poor-quality exterior hardware; flimsy-feeling outside mirrors.
No lock for the gas cap or filler door.
Engine cold-idle speed too high.
Limited model is quite expensive, especially with options. ( note the as-reviewed price over 52K )
Second-rate paint job...again typical of Ford products.
Lightweight, flimsy-feeling hood.
High roofline and luggage rack limits low-ceiling clearances.
Goofy-shaped steering wheel.
Tow-Your-Own-Gas-Pump fuel mileage better than Excursion's but still no econobox.
As always, we'll start with the first impression you get as you walk up to it, which is exactly what the name implies....a regular Expedition with a longer overhanging rear end, a longer wheelbase ( this helps the ride somewhat, as we'll see later ) and larger rear-quarter windows. It exterior size, unlike the larger Excurion, is almost a dead ringer for the Suburban it now will compete against.
In my opinion, it is not only a handsome vehicle inside but outside as well.....much better looking than previous Expedition models. In fact, I think the not-yet-released Eddie Bauer models are the best-looking ones of all.....better than even the more expensive Limiteds. The Eddie Bauer models have a big chrome grille and two-tone paint outside and high-contrast two-tone leather inside, where everything on the Limited is much more monotone inside and out.
If only Ford could paint a car like Lexus or Acura. Such, unfortunately, is not the case. It has the same old orange-peel and cheap-looking application that virtually every other Ford-designed U.S.-market vehicle does...indeed, as with most domestic-designed vehicles in general, except for maybe some Cadillacs. My test vehicle was black and therefore had a little more luster to the paint than some of the lighter colors did, which, with the lighter colors, is about like what you would find on a kitchen appliance. Exterior hardware, particularly the flimsy-feeling plastic outside mirrors, headlight lenses, and gas cap cover, was also unimpressive....and the gas cap cover was non-locking....strange in a $50,000 vehicle. The hood could also feel more impressive. While I understand the efforts of the engineers not to repeat the mistake of the far-too-heavy Excursion, the hood feels like a tin can.
The doors, however, are like bank vaults..........they feel and shut like what Mercedes used to give us back in the 1980's. They are heavy, sturdy, and SOLID.......and come with Ford's well-known keyless push-button entry where you push on the numbered code buttons. Mt test vehicle had the massive, chrome-plated 20"six-spoke wheels with Pirelli Scorpion tires.....probably the most ostentatious-looking thing on the outside, since the Limited model does not have the two-tone paint and chrome grille that the Eddie Bauer model does. The roofline is way up there, especially with the roof rack...I am 6' 2" and it is taller than me, so caution is needed when driving under low-hanging obstacles. Yet the high center of gravity does not induce body roll.....as we will see in a minute.
As expected in a vehicle this size, there is plenty of room in the cargo area in back. The power-operated liftgate ( an option ) is operated by a button on the left wall...it gives you about a second or two to step back and get your head out of the way, then down it comes. It also latches and locks automatically...you don't have to push it the last inch or two. The 50/50 third seats fold down manually; the 60/40 second-row seats by a power-button in the rear of the cargo area. Second-row seat headrests cleverly tilt back on a built-in hinge and grooved tracks....no having to take them both off and fumble around putting them back on again.
The floor of the cargo area ( well-carpeted and well- finished ) has a tent-like fold-up section that separates it into two sections, front and rear.....useful for holding upright grocery bags. Underneath the regular cargo floor are additional storage compartments and cubbyholes, and more are built into various other places in the rear end.
The interior, in general, is perhaps the vehicles's nicest feature....something that has been sorely lacking in a lot of domestically-designed vehicles. As mentioned in the introduction, Ford didn't just use classy and well-done trim and hardware on the dash and put junk in the rest of the interior like GM did with te Tahoe / Suburban, Ford did it right and put classy, luxurious-looking, well-done trim inside everywhere. No cheap flimsy stuff here.....the switches, *****, panels, all have at least a reasonably solid feel, classy chrome, brushed-metal, or wood trim, and are all well-integrated.
And with all of the equipment that is both standard and optional, there are controls and switches everywhere....front and rear and left/right climate controls, rear-seat DVD entertainment with headphones, SIRIUS radio, NAV systems, power-switches for just about everything you could imagine.....I am a licensed pilot and have flown airplanes that were far less complex.
The front seats are comfortable, have reasonably high-quality leather ( somewhat short of Lexus or Jaguar-quality leather of course ), and have loads of headroom espcelaiiy with the multi-power-adjustable ( even power-lumbar-support ) seats all the way down...as I usually need. The captain's Chair rear seats ( an option ) likewise are comfortable, well-made, and roomy both in head and leg room. With my 6' 2", 280-lb. frame, I did not squirm my way back to the third-row seat to actually try it out, but it appeared to have enough room for at least small adults....not people my size.
Up front. the gauges and air-vents were well-designed and constructed and had nice, chrome-rings on them.....better-looking than the ones GM now uses. The gauges, , like those in most vehicles nowadays, are clear and legible. A rotary switch to the right of the steering column controls the ( FINALLY! ) multi-adjustable 2WD / 4WD / AWD system with low range for off-roading and difficult situations. This system, good as it is, still has not been integrated into Ford's F-series or Ranger pickup lines like it has now with Ford SUV's...this is one area where GM still is way ahead of Ford.
So, overall, a great job on the interior......all except for the steering wheel, which, in my opinion, is somewhat goofy-looking, with four un-symmetrical spokes and a cheap-looking apperance except for the nice wood trim on the upper third of the rim. It looks out of place with the rest of the classy interior, and Ford would do well to consider a redesign on the 2008 models to three symmetrial spokes instead....this would be a minor issue and not cost much to do, even with the airbag integration.
OK...start her up. The new Expedition, on the road, is also a huge improvement over the Excursion, just as the interior is, but a few things still need some work...we'll get to that in a second. The big ( by today's standards ) 5.4L Triton V8 is smooth and quiet, but the idle speed when cold is annoyingly high....Ford supposedly did this intentionally and re-programmed the engine computer due to customer complaints about the engine not warming up fast enough to get heat inside quickly ( the Expedition, of course, has a large, hard-to-heat interior ) but I suspect the real reason is quicker warm-up for lower emissions.....most emissions occur with cold engines. Anyhow, the idle speed, for the first several minutes, is rather annoying, and you have to keep a lot of pressure on the vehicle's underboosted and excessively spongy brake pedal, which feels almost exactly like the brake pedal in the Tahoe / Suburban.
Anyhow, the 300 HP V8 with 365 ft.lbs. of torque, while not making this large, heavy, vehicle exactly a dragster, gives it enough power to get out of its own way...it is notably more responsive than the heavier Excursion was, and with the towing package, can tow up to Class IV 9200 lbs. on 4X2 models......9000 with the tested 4X4. The engine itself, aside from the annoying cold idle speed, is seamless.......smooth and quiet.
So is the transmission, except for a tendency to slip excessively during cold shifts.....this lessens somewhat as the transmission warms up. When cold, there is a noticeable surge in engine RPM, followed by a soft re-engagement as the PM drops. Again, this could have been programmed by Ford engineers either for emissions to prevent rapid RPM drops during shifts ( which hurts emissions ) or just for comfort slippage tends to smooth out the shifts. The slippage, however, is not good for either acceleration or gas mileage.
The ride/handling combination is an area where, even with a few faults, the Expedition EL is an ENORMOUS improvement over the Excursion. The Excursion was just gross to drive...it had the dynamics of a battleship.
The Expedition, mostly due to its much better chassis and suspension, and the much better suitability of that chassis to the vehicle's weight, provides a relatively smooth ride for a truck, combined with good tracking. The ride, helped by the longer wheelbase, was in general a little smoother than on regular-size Expeditions or Tahoes, without as much SUV-style porposing. Small bumps could be heard and felt, but without much reaction due to the excellent sound insulation and long suspension travel. Vehicles as large as the Expedition EL, of course, have plenty of room all throughout the structure for sound insulation, and it shows.
Large bumps and undulations are also smoothly dealt with and well-controlled, without the incessant corkscrewing and bobbing motions one had to put up with in the Excursion. The ride, on smooth surfaces, was more or less comparable to some Cadillac and Lincoln luxury cars. A few minor squeaks and rattles from the hardware and the somewhat-less-than-Mercedes body solidness make themselves known over small bumps.
Steering response, though, is not quite up to the rest of the rest of the suspension. The steering wheel not only looked somewhat goofy, as noted earlier, but steered less than perfectly as well....though again much better then the Excursion did. Steering response was quite slow and understeer quite pronounced, even with the enormous 20" wheels and Pirelli Scorpion tires. While, of course, full-size, truck-based SUV's are not intended to be sports cars, you soon learn that you do not.......repeat, do NOT try to throw this vehicle around turns. It tends to plow straight ahead until the wheel is turned way-off center, and then comes around reluctantly. Michael Shumacher would not be at home in this vehicle.
But then again, he just might be, with this vehicle's noted lack of body roll for its and weight and high center of gravity. I think this might have at least partly to do with the Volvo-designed Roll-Stability-System that was introduced on the Volvo XC-90 and that Ford, being Volvo's owner, is adapting to its own SUV's. The RSC is standard on all new Expeditions, standard-length and EL, and I think that is one reason why the steering response may be so slow. The RSC, besides monitoring yaw angles and steering input like a regular stability system does, but also takes body roll rate into account. So, when this heavy and high-center-of-gravity vehicle TRIES to roll in sharp turns, the RSC immediately brakes the affected wheels and tries to lessen the vehicle's turn rate to compensate and get the body level again, and the vehicle tends to fight the steering wheel, so you more or less have to force the steering wheel to keep the vehicle turning. Normally, with a stability system, the computer would try to eliminate the understeer by tightening up the turn rate, but by tightening up the turn rate, you get more body roll as a result. So, by controlling the body roll quite well, the system seems to feed in more understeer. I'm not an engineer, but it seems to me that this is just one of the areas where no piece of technology can overcome all of the laws of physics, and you must accept some compromise as a result.
You also learn NOT to tailgate other vehicles in this vehicle and NOT to drive with your head up your a * *. Large, full-size truck-based SUV's have never been known for effective brakes, and this one is no exception. The brake pedal, thanks at least partly to the under-boosted and inefficient power-braking system, and even with the large brake rotors with the 20" wheels, has about the same feel and responsiveness of wet spaghetti. Again, this has been commonplace in big GM SUV's for years, but I have driven Navigators before and don't remember it from the last-generation Navigator, which was Ford F-150-based just as this vehicle is. Outside of the Wet-sponge fel of the pedal, though, the brakes work fine if, like with the Tahoe / Suburban, you put enough pressure on them.
The verdict?
As alrady repeated several times, a tremendous improvement over the Excursion, which was an absolute bear to drive, even for people like me who are used to jumping into and driving many different kinds of vehicles. The new Expedition EL, finally, is worthy Ford competition to the Suburban, and is almost a plush inside as the new Escalade.....and even beats the Escalade's quality of interior hardware and door solidness, except for the dash where both do a superb job.
But with that Cadillac and Lincoln-like plushness and luxury comes a Cadillac and Lincoln price, especially for the top-of-the-line models that Ford is sending to the dealerships now.( Fortunately, that is the model my co-worker wants ).
The Expedition EL pleases quite well with its generally smooth ride ( for a truck ), cavernous and flexible cargo area, impressive interior fit-and-finish, well-designed controls, and large towing ability. It falls down somewhat in exterior fit-and-finish, the power steering and power braking systems need more work, the transmission shift characteristics need to be tweaked a little, the engine idle speed lowered, and the Roll-Stability computer adjusted to allow a little less understeer without excessive body roll. Otherwise, a really nice vehicle......for a price.
In a Nutshell: The first GOOD Ford competition to the Chevy Suburban / GMC Yukon XL......almost everything that the ill-fated Excursion SHOULD have been and wasn't.
My Candidate for 2007 Truck of the Year.
I have not received any formal requests from CL members ( yet ) to review this vehicle, but one of my co-workers ( actually the son of one of my former supervisors ) is quite interested in it, had already test-driven one himself ( a new EL 4X4 Limited model ), wanted my opinion of it, and asked me to look it over and review it, so.....here you are. I decided that if I was going to do it for him, I might as well write it up at the same time and share it with you guys as well.
And this new extra-long Expedition model ( hence the designation EL ), besides just being another one of my reviews, is also a very signficant new large SUV, in that it is not only based on a new-generation Expedition model in general, but is also the FIRST time that Ford has introduced an extra-long Expedition model and offered good, credible competition to the long-established reign of the Chevy Suburban / GMC Yukon XL as the largest vehicles of their type in the U.S. market.
The Chevy Suburban was introduced in 1935 ( one of the longest-running models still in production ), grew vastly in both size and weight through the years, and, along with its GMC twin, completely dominated the extra-long full-size SUV market. Ford, strangely, even with its renowned success in trucks and SUV's,never saw fit over the years to try and compete directly with the Suburban, always producing vehicles that stopped short of equalling the Suburban in size and weight.
Same with Dodge......Daimler-Chrysler never saw fit, either, to make an extra-long version of a full-size Dodge Ram-Based SUV, instead being content to offer nothing larger than the mid-to-large size Dodge Durango.
Ford finally did attempt to market a Suburban-fighter......and the result was a disaster. Instead of doing it RIGHT, they hurriedly rushed through a poorly engineered version of their F350 Heavy-Duty truck as a people-mover to try and one-up the Suburban in size and weight ( which they did ) and ended up with a monster that that was harshly criticized not only by environmentalists for its extreme gas consumption but by Consumer Reports for its ungainliness as well. Though, of course, the tree-hugging crowd was correct that the Excurion was wasteful of fuel, its REAL problems ( at least in my opinion ) had little or nothing to do with mileage....you EXPECT a large, truck-based vehicle to use a lot of fuel. No, the Excursion's real problem was that it was simply too large and too heavy for the suspension and underpinnings that the Ford engineers gave it. I don't know if this was solely an engineering decision or one of Ford's infamous management-interference issues like with the safety defects of the Pinto and Crown Victoria fuel tanks. The Excursion simply had too much bulk and weight for its chassis...it weighed well over 3 tons empty and pushed virtually 4 tons loaded. When I test-drove one it several years ago, it had the driving dynamics of a battleship. It was somewhat oversprung on small, sharp bumps and WAY undersprung and underdamped on large ones. It would pound over things like pavement and bridge expansion joints but heave, wander, and bob up and down like a boat over larger undulations in the road. When coming to a stop, at low speeds, the nose would bob up and down and the horizon would go up and down in the windshield almost like a stunt plane. Not surprisingly, I wrote it up ( this was in my pre-CL days ) as one of the worst-handling and poorly-controlled vehicles I had seen in decades. Consumer Reports came out a few months later, tested it themselves, and pretty much came up with my conclusion....a poorly-engineered suspension. In addition, unlike the Suburban ( and even its own little brother the Explorer ) Ford did not give the Excursion a true All-Wheel-Drive automatic torque-on-demand system with a center differential...only the pickup-truck-based Part-Time 4WD system that was obviously cheaper and saved on production costs.
So.....not surprisingly, beset by intense criticism for its poor engineering and political pressure from environmental groups, the Excursion was quietly dropped and replaced with a MUCH better vehicle.....an extended version of the brand-new Ford Expedition. Although the power-steering, power-brake booster, paint job, and some of the exterior hardware could use some more work ( see my comments below ) this vehicle, for the most part, is what the Excursion SHOULD have been and wasn't......I was rather favorably impressed with it, and considering what a significant addition it is to the large SUV market and Ford's first GOOD Suburban-fighter, I think the Expedition EL deserves consideration for the 2007 Truck of the Year award.
This new vehicle, though, like the former Excursion, does NOT come cheap......open up not only your hearts but your wallets, brothers and sisters, if you want to take one home. Right now, for the most part, Ford dealerships are getting only top-dog, loaded, Limited models ( like the one I reviewed ) that start at 42-43K and list for 50K and up. Even the upcoming less-expensive Eddie Bauer and XLT models will cost a good chunk of cash ( see the attached Ford website for pricing details ). But in this ase, your money buys a LOT of vehicle.....the Expedition could easily, in my opinion, pass for a Lincoln-badged vehicle with its opulent interior full of power-operated and convienence features and its numerous safety features throughout. Professional athletes and rap artists who are used to Cadillac Escalades and Lincoln Navigators are going to feel right at home in the Expedition EL...in fact, its interior, in some ways beats even the previous Navigator. However, both the Escalade and Navigator are also new this year, with better interiors than before.....( I have not reviewed either one, though I did review the new 2007 Tahoe. The Expedition, inside, in contrast to many previous Ford models, has trim and hardware that not only LOOKs nice but IS nice....and in contrast to the new Tahoe / Suburban where GM did a nice job on the new dashes but put the same old GM cheap junk for hardware in the rest of the interior, The new Expedition EL has nice, classy, well-built, attractive hardware and trim EVERYWHERE inside, with the possible exception of the steering wheel.....more on this later.
The new Expedition EL also pampers you in the convienience department. Little is asked of you that some gadget or electric motor doesn't handle. Even the lack of a power-tilt ( manual-tilt only ) or any telescoping function on the steering wheel is made up for the fact that you can power-adjust the brake and gas pedals to any position you want. And the rear seats and hatchback lift go up and down with electric motors....something that until now only the Escalade and Navigator offered. This new Ford is basically now, for the most part, a Lincoln......at a Lincoln price.
So...now for a look in detail:
Model Reviewed: 2007 Ford Expedition EL Limited 4X4
Base Price: $43,395 ( Includes freight )
Major Options:
20" Chrome wheels with Pirelli Scorpion tires: $995
Second-Row Captain's Chairs: $795
NAV package: $1995
Convienence Package: $675
Heavy Duty Tow Package: $350
Front/Rear rubber floormats: $55
SIRIUS radio: $195
Rear self-leveling air suspension with message center: $485
Skid Plates: $100
Daytime running lights $45
Power moonroof $950
Power liftgate $495
Chrome luggage rack with black crossbars $95
Video rear-seat entertainment DVD with headphones $1500
Price as reviewed: $52,125
Exterior color: Black Clearcoat
Interior: Charcoal / Black leather
Drivetrain: 5.4L 3-valve Triton V8, 300 HP@ 5000 RPM, 365 ft.lbs. torque @ 3750 RPM
6-Speed automatic transmission wih Overdrive.
4-Wheel-Drive with electronic dash-activated 2H, 4A, 4H, 4L settings
PLUSSES:
A huge improvement over the poorly-engineered Excursion:
Could easily pass as a Lincoln-badged vehicle, especially inside.
SOLID, bank-vault doors.
Quiet on the road with good wind and road noise isolation.
Luxurious-looking, classy, well-done interior trim. ( Nice high-contrast 2-tone on Eddie Bauer models )
Well-designed gauges, controls, and NAV system.
Generally good hardware inside...a big improvement over previous Ford SUV's.
Standard Roll-Stabilty system for safety.
Relatively smooth ride for a truck.
Power-adjustable pedals compensate for non-telescoping steering column.
Very high level of standard equipment.
Nice, power-operated convienences almost everywhere.
Versatile, multi-use cargo area.
4X4 system ( finally ) has a auto mode/center differential like GM's that can be used anywhere.
Classy, though somewhat dull, paint colors. ( my favorite was the Dark Copper Metallic )
Roomy, fairly comfortable seats with plenty of head and legroom.
New 5-Year/ 60,000 Ford drivetrain warranty ( Finally ).
Off-Road packages available for trekkers.
MINUSES:
High-effort, Sponge-O-Matic power brake booster.
Minor creaks and rattles in the interior and body structure over sharp bumps.
Excessive slippage in the automatic transmission during cold shifts.
Poor steering response, especially on sharp curves.
Vague, sticky, rubbery-feeling power steering and without steering wheel self-centering.
Power-operated tailgate doesn't give you much time to get your head out of the way when lowering.
Typical Ford cheap, poor-quality exterior hardware; flimsy-feeling outside mirrors.
No lock for the gas cap or filler door.
Engine cold-idle speed too high.
Limited model is quite expensive, especially with options. ( note the as-reviewed price over 52K )
Second-rate paint job...again typical of Ford products.
Lightweight, flimsy-feeling hood.
High roofline and luggage rack limits low-ceiling clearances.
Goofy-shaped steering wheel.
Tow-Your-Own-Gas-Pump fuel mileage better than Excursion's but still no econobox.
As always, we'll start with the first impression you get as you walk up to it, which is exactly what the name implies....a regular Expedition with a longer overhanging rear end, a longer wheelbase ( this helps the ride somewhat, as we'll see later ) and larger rear-quarter windows. It exterior size, unlike the larger Excurion, is almost a dead ringer for the Suburban it now will compete against.
In my opinion, it is not only a handsome vehicle inside but outside as well.....much better looking than previous Expedition models. In fact, I think the not-yet-released Eddie Bauer models are the best-looking ones of all.....better than even the more expensive Limiteds. The Eddie Bauer models have a big chrome grille and two-tone paint outside and high-contrast two-tone leather inside, where everything on the Limited is much more monotone inside and out.
If only Ford could paint a car like Lexus or Acura. Such, unfortunately, is not the case. It has the same old orange-peel and cheap-looking application that virtually every other Ford-designed U.S.-market vehicle does...indeed, as with most domestic-designed vehicles in general, except for maybe some Cadillacs. My test vehicle was black and therefore had a little more luster to the paint than some of the lighter colors did, which, with the lighter colors, is about like what you would find on a kitchen appliance. Exterior hardware, particularly the flimsy-feeling plastic outside mirrors, headlight lenses, and gas cap cover, was also unimpressive....and the gas cap cover was non-locking....strange in a $50,000 vehicle. The hood could also feel more impressive. While I understand the efforts of the engineers not to repeat the mistake of the far-too-heavy Excursion, the hood feels like a tin can.
The doors, however, are like bank vaults..........they feel and shut like what Mercedes used to give us back in the 1980's. They are heavy, sturdy, and SOLID.......and come with Ford's well-known keyless push-button entry where you push on the numbered code buttons. Mt test vehicle had the massive, chrome-plated 20"six-spoke wheels with Pirelli Scorpion tires.....probably the most ostentatious-looking thing on the outside, since the Limited model does not have the two-tone paint and chrome grille that the Eddie Bauer model does. The roofline is way up there, especially with the roof rack...I am 6' 2" and it is taller than me, so caution is needed when driving under low-hanging obstacles. Yet the high center of gravity does not induce body roll.....as we will see in a minute.
As expected in a vehicle this size, there is plenty of room in the cargo area in back. The power-operated liftgate ( an option ) is operated by a button on the left wall...it gives you about a second or two to step back and get your head out of the way, then down it comes. It also latches and locks automatically...you don't have to push it the last inch or two. The 50/50 third seats fold down manually; the 60/40 second-row seats by a power-button in the rear of the cargo area. Second-row seat headrests cleverly tilt back on a built-in hinge and grooved tracks....no having to take them both off and fumble around putting them back on again.
The floor of the cargo area ( well-carpeted and well- finished ) has a tent-like fold-up section that separates it into two sections, front and rear.....useful for holding upright grocery bags. Underneath the regular cargo floor are additional storage compartments and cubbyholes, and more are built into various other places in the rear end.
The interior, in general, is perhaps the vehicles's nicest feature....something that has been sorely lacking in a lot of domestically-designed vehicles. As mentioned in the introduction, Ford didn't just use classy and well-done trim and hardware on the dash and put junk in the rest of the interior like GM did with te Tahoe / Suburban, Ford did it right and put classy, luxurious-looking, well-done trim inside everywhere. No cheap flimsy stuff here.....the switches, *****, panels, all have at least a reasonably solid feel, classy chrome, brushed-metal, or wood trim, and are all well-integrated.
And with all of the equipment that is both standard and optional, there are controls and switches everywhere....front and rear and left/right climate controls, rear-seat DVD entertainment with headphones, SIRIUS radio, NAV systems, power-switches for just about everything you could imagine.....I am a licensed pilot and have flown airplanes that were far less complex.
The front seats are comfortable, have reasonably high-quality leather ( somewhat short of Lexus or Jaguar-quality leather of course ), and have loads of headroom espcelaiiy with the multi-power-adjustable ( even power-lumbar-support ) seats all the way down...as I usually need. The captain's Chair rear seats ( an option ) likewise are comfortable, well-made, and roomy both in head and leg room. With my 6' 2", 280-lb. frame, I did not squirm my way back to the third-row seat to actually try it out, but it appeared to have enough room for at least small adults....not people my size.
Up front. the gauges and air-vents were well-designed and constructed and had nice, chrome-rings on them.....better-looking than the ones GM now uses. The gauges, , like those in most vehicles nowadays, are clear and legible. A rotary switch to the right of the steering column controls the ( FINALLY! ) multi-adjustable 2WD / 4WD / AWD system with low range for off-roading and difficult situations. This system, good as it is, still has not been integrated into Ford's F-series or Ranger pickup lines like it has now with Ford SUV's...this is one area where GM still is way ahead of Ford.
So, overall, a great job on the interior......all except for the steering wheel, which, in my opinion, is somewhat goofy-looking, with four un-symmetrical spokes and a cheap-looking apperance except for the nice wood trim on the upper third of the rim. It looks out of place with the rest of the classy interior, and Ford would do well to consider a redesign on the 2008 models to three symmetrial spokes instead....this would be a minor issue and not cost much to do, even with the airbag integration.
OK...start her up. The new Expedition, on the road, is also a huge improvement over the Excursion, just as the interior is, but a few things still need some work...we'll get to that in a second. The big ( by today's standards ) 5.4L Triton V8 is smooth and quiet, but the idle speed when cold is annoyingly high....Ford supposedly did this intentionally and re-programmed the engine computer due to customer complaints about the engine not warming up fast enough to get heat inside quickly ( the Expedition, of course, has a large, hard-to-heat interior ) but I suspect the real reason is quicker warm-up for lower emissions.....most emissions occur with cold engines. Anyhow, the idle speed, for the first several minutes, is rather annoying, and you have to keep a lot of pressure on the vehicle's underboosted and excessively spongy brake pedal, which feels almost exactly like the brake pedal in the Tahoe / Suburban.
Anyhow, the 300 HP V8 with 365 ft.lbs. of torque, while not making this large, heavy, vehicle exactly a dragster, gives it enough power to get out of its own way...it is notably more responsive than the heavier Excursion was, and with the towing package, can tow up to Class IV 9200 lbs. on 4X2 models......9000 with the tested 4X4. The engine itself, aside from the annoying cold idle speed, is seamless.......smooth and quiet.
So is the transmission, except for a tendency to slip excessively during cold shifts.....this lessens somewhat as the transmission warms up. When cold, there is a noticeable surge in engine RPM, followed by a soft re-engagement as the PM drops. Again, this could have been programmed by Ford engineers either for emissions to prevent rapid RPM drops during shifts ( which hurts emissions ) or just for comfort slippage tends to smooth out the shifts. The slippage, however, is not good for either acceleration or gas mileage.
The ride/handling combination is an area where, even with a few faults, the Expedition EL is an ENORMOUS improvement over the Excursion. The Excursion was just gross to drive...it had the dynamics of a battleship.
The Expedition, mostly due to its much better chassis and suspension, and the much better suitability of that chassis to the vehicle's weight, provides a relatively smooth ride for a truck, combined with good tracking. The ride, helped by the longer wheelbase, was in general a little smoother than on regular-size Expeditions or Tahoes, without as much SUV-style porposing. Small bumps could be heard and felt, but without much reaction due to the excellent sound insulation and long suspension travel. Vehicles as large as the Expedition EL, of course, have plenty of room all throughout the structure for sound insulation, and it shows.
Large bumps and undulations are also smoothly dealt with and well-controlled, without the incessant corkscrewing and bobbing motions one had to put up with in the Excursion. The ride, on smooth surfaces, was more or less comparable to some Cadillac and Lincoln luxury cars. A few minor squeaks and rattles from the hardware and the somewhat-less-than-Mercedes body solidness make themselves known over small bumps.
Steering response, though, is not quite up to the rest of the rest of the suspension. The steering wheel not only looked somewhat goofy, as noted earlier, but steered less than perfectly as well....though again much better then the Excursion did. Steering response was quite slow and understeer quite pronounced, even with the enormous 20" wheels and Pirelli Scorpion tires. While, of course, full-size, truck-based SUV's are not intended to be sports cars, you soon learn that you do not.......repeat, do NOT try to throw this vehicle around turns. It tends to plow straight ahead until the wheel is turned way-off center, and then comes around reluctantly. Michael Shumacher would not be at home in this vehicle.
But then again, he just might be, with this vehicle's noted lack of body roll for its and weight and high center of gravity. I think this might have at least partly to do with the Volvo-designed Roll-Stability-System that was introduced on the Volvo XC-90 and that Ford, being Volvo's owner, is adapting to its own SUV's. The RSC is standard on all new Expeditions, standard-length and EL, and I think that is one reason why the steering response may be so slow. The RSC, besides monitoring yaw angles and steering input like a regular stability system does, but also takes body roll rate into account. So, when this heavy and high-center-of-gravity vehicle TRIES to roll in sharp turns, the RSC immediately brakes the affected wheels and tries to lessen the vehicle's turn rate to compensate and get the body level again, and the vehicle tends to fight the steering wheel, so you more or less have to force the steering wheel to keep the vehicle turning. Normally, with a stability system, the computer would try to eliminate the understeer by tightening up the turn rate, but by tightening up the turn rate, you get more body roll as a result. So, by controlling the body roll quite well, the system seems to feed in more understeer. I'm not an engineer, but it seems to me that this is just one of the areas where no piece of technology can overcome all of the laws of physics, and you must accept some compromise as a result.
You also learn NOT to tailgate other vehicles in this vehicle and NOT to drive with your head up your a * *. Large, full-size truck-based SUV's have never been known for effective brakes, and this one is no exception. The brake pedal, thanks at least partly to the under-boosted and inefficient power-braking system, and even with the large brake rotors with the 20" wheels, has about the same feel and responsiveness of wet spaghetti. Again, this has been commonplace in big GM SUV's for years, but I have driven Navigators before and don't remember it from the last-generation Navigator, which was Ford F-150-based just as this vehicle is. Outside of the Wet-sponge fel of the pedal, though, the brakes work fine if, like with the Tahoe / Suburban, you put enough pressure on them.
The verdict?
As alrady repeated several times, a tremendous improvement over the Excursion, which was an absolute bear to drive, even for people like me who are used to jumping into and driving many different kinds of vehicles. The new Expedition EL, finally, is worthy Ford competition to the Suburban, and is almost a plush inside as the new Escalade.....and even beats the Escalade's quality of interior hardware and door solidness, except for the dash where both do a superb job.
But with that Cadillac and Lincoln-like plushness and luxury comes a Cadillac and Lincoln price, especially for the top-of-the-line models that Ford is sending to the dealerships now.( Fortunately, that is the model my co-worker wants ).
The Expedition EL pleases quite well with its generally smooth ride ( for a truck ), cavernous and flexible cargo area, impressive interior fit-and-finish, well-designed controls, and large towing ability. It falls down somewhat in exterior fit-and-finish, the power steering and power braking systems need more work, the transmission shift characteristics need to be tweaked a little, the engine idle speed lowered, and the Roll-Stability computer adjusted to allow a little less understeer without excessive body roll. Otherwise, a really nice vehicle......for a price.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-15-06 at 03:15 PM.
10-16-06, 09:21 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Here's some interesting news. Looks like Lincoln may actually have a version of this vehicle coming out......a Navigator L extended-length model. I checked with Lincoln marketing and they couldn't give me a release date for it....so I guess we'll just wait and keep eyes peeled.
LexArazzo, our CL news flasher, will probably post anything he sees on it anayway.
http://www.sportruck.com/news/2007-L...ator/index.htm
LexArazzo, our CL news flasher, will probably post anything he sees on it anayway.
http://www.sportruck.com/news/2007-L...ator/index.htm
10-18-06, 08:27 AM
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10-18-06, 12:44 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
OK...I'm sorry if I misinterpreted you.
This is a pretty good vehicle that only needs some work on its power steering and power brake boosters, paint quiality, and ( maybe ? ) the Roll Control System programming.
This is a pretty good vehicle that only needs some work on its power steering and power brake boosters, paint quiality, and ( maybe ? ) the Roll Control System programming.
10-18-06, 12:51 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks, GS3. Even with the less-than-perfect power steering and power brake systems on it and the annoyingly high idle speed, this vehicle was a pleasure to drive after the Excursion a few years ago. The Excursion, while a master of heavy-duty towing and hauling, had the driving dynamics of a battleship with a drunken sailor at the helm. I found it more difficult to handle, at times, than flying an airplane manually on instruments ( I am a licensed pilot ).
10-21-06, 11:20 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I think enough people, though, WILL be in the market for one that it will be a successful vehicle for Ford....especially with gas prices way down.
And....by giving the Suburban and Yukon XL good credible competition, both Ford and GM will have to watch their pricing lest they drive customers away to each other's dealerships....although like I said earlier, the Limited EL 4X4 here is anything BUT cheap. This specific vehicle, for the most part, competes more with the GMC Yukon XL Denali more so than with basic Suburbans. The Extended-length Navigator, of course ( if Lincoln actually builds it ) will take on the Extended-length Cadillac Escalade.
Cheaper versions of the Expedition EL like the XLT ( not at dealerships yet ) will go more head-to-head with the basic Suburban.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-21-06 at 11:24 AM.
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