Road Tested

some people need a big suv maybe they'vegot a big family maybe they've got big toys to haul if your life is big maybeyou need a big suv too like that ford expedition right therethe ford expedition is a full-size suv that looks the partlong straight body lines and an imposing headlight slash grille treatment give ita strong hulking presence that belies a substantial drop in weight versus theprevious expedition like the f-150 the ford expedition rides on a strong steelframe it features a light aluminum body inside that aluminum body is space forup to eight passengers divided between three completely un-cramped rows yes eventhe third row unlike the chevy tahoe the

ford expedition uses an independent rearsuspension that allows a lower floor and consequently more comfortable rear seataccommodations notice my feet are nowhere near my butt with a widepass-through and an integrated grab handle reaching that spacious third rowis no problemo a task made even easier with optional automatic side steps andone-touch second row seat releases speaking of the second row these seatsslide and recline you can move them forward for access to the third row withthe child seat installed and the center seat slides really far forward givingfussy children easier access to their guardians upfront or fussy journalistseasy access to empty seats

behind this rare but cool lift up rearwindow hides nearly 21 cubic feet of luggage space expandable from the rearvia standard powerful-fold 3rd row seats second row seat releases are alsoavailable making it incredibly simple to switch from people to cargo haulingmode all seats folded capacity increases to one hundred and four pointsix cubic feet that's good but only six cubic feet larger than the mid-sizechevrolet traverse and the traverse actually offers more space behind thethird row if you like to avoid being upstaged by a midsize suv the $2,700pricier long-wheelbase expedition max boasts 36 cubic feet behind the thirdrow making it the superior choice for

hauling people and their stuffaesthetically speaking the interior has an upscale vibe especially on therange-topping platinum trim check out that stitching premium materials extendto the second row but in the back seats hard plastic dominates on thefunctionality front the cabin provides a massive lockable center console dualglove boxes five child seat latch points intuitive knobs and switches 15cupholders and lots of storage bins front and center a basic syncinfotainment unit comes on the lowest xlt trim but we suggest upgrading to thelatest sync 3 system that's standard on all other trims sporting an eight-inchtouchscreen smartphone integration by

way of apple carplay and android autoand a straightforward layouts sync 3 is a joy to use and now i will use it hmmturned up all the bass or visceral joys can be found with theecoboost 3.5 liter v6 that moves all expeditions before decrying the lack ofthe v8 note the output figures go ahead i'll wait choose the platinum trim and ford dialsthose already stout figures up a touch i mean really that should be enoughpower right to maximize that output ford teamed the v6 with a 10 speed automatictransmission that's controlled with this rotary knob and these gear selectionbuttons you might think the constant

gear changes of a 10 speed would beannoying but they actually just fade into the backgroundthe result is smooth strong acceleration for a large suv the ford expedition isquite efficient supplementing that efficiency is a defeatable enginestart/stop system that saves gas when you're stationary rear-wheel drive isstandard but as you'd expect four wheel drive is an option and a great way toexploit nearly ten inches of ground clearancethough at $3,000 it is pricey thanks to an independent rear suspension theford expedition rides with more refinement than its truck-based chassiswould suggest at the same time if you

hit a big bump like this one you willexperience a fair bit of bounce but i mean given its rugged capabilities theford expedition drives pretty great where are we? based on its size you might thinktight maneuvers with the expedition would be tricky but that's really notthe case okay yes it would be easier with the mini cooper but you have a goodsense from the driver's seat of the vehicles dimensions and light steeringthough it could benefit from a quicker steering ratiothanks to pretty easy to squeeze into spots there's no need to fear theparking lot nonetheless a full-size suv is a great platform for for itsexcellent optional one-button automatic

parking technology nervous aboutsqueezing in or out of that spot let the car do the work tack on the optional 360degree camera system and who knows how much parking related carnage you'llprevent one thing people love when driving an suv is a commanding view ofthe road that's definitely true in the expedition at least been looking forwardbut when you look over your shoulder not so goodwhat's crazy i'm talking about my left shoulderthis super wide grab handle equipped b-pillar is placed near the driver'shead blocking much of the view left once more technology intervenes an optionalblind spot warning and lane keep assist

making it easier to stay in your lane orwhen you want move to another for a base price just shy of 53,000 dollars aregular wheelbase rear-drive expedition xlt trim includes six airbags usb portsin the first and second rows power adjustable pedals backup sensors a backupcamera with its own washer and push-button start if you want passiveentry that costs extra but this little keypad does not that's not the code otheradded cost niceties include a foot activated tailgate 22 inch wheelsdeeply-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats a panoramic roof dualheadrest rear seat entertainment 2nd row captains chairs usb ports in the thirdrow wireless phone charging full-speed

adaptive cruise control pre-collisionwarning with active braking and pedestrian detection and a $1600 fx4 off-roadpackage with an electronic limited slip differential underbody protection andupgraded shocks spend recklessly and you can spec anexpedition max platinum trim to the tune of $83,000 dollarslastly do you wanna tow good news the expedition can tow a hefty 9,300 pounds but do so and you'll want the heavy-duty trailer tow packagebundles a heavy duty radiator integrated brake controller and an electroniclimited slip differential with ford's pro trailer backup assist a clever systemwhose knob controlled steering makes

backing of a trailer almost foolproofwhile well equipped in base form price wise the expedition and expedition maxslot an above their most direct competitors the chevy tahoe and itslarger suburban sibling as well as the nissan armada and toyota sequoia thoughperhaps a bigger question than price is whether you need a full sized suv at allbe honest you plan to tow big loads or venture offroad if not there are severalmidsize suvs that while smaller offer 8-passenger seating for thousands lessthan an expedition but if you really do live big and you need a big suv to matchthe ford expedition is a very capable choice

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