2007FordExpeditionELWhen our Road Test Editor Mark Halvorsen, threw me the keys to our long-term '07 Ford Expedition EL, I was both excited and apprehensive. After I had some experience with the previous-generation Expedition, and having owned several Chevrolet Suburbans that I liked immensely, I really didn't expect much from the new, longer Expedition EL. I had already heard from other staffers that the EL was wonderful. Again, being the skeptic, I waited to make my own informed decision regarding the vehicle.
The first thing I noticed was how the leather seats seem to envelope you without being too obtrusive in the bolster or lumbar areas. Our tester was completely loaded with every conceivable option that drove up the as-tested price considerably from the base price of $42,575 to $50,260. However, the EL's interior is simply wonderful. It looks unlike anything currently on the market. Personally, I like it better than the new Cadillac Escalade, and it isn't even Ford's competitor vehicle-the Lincoln Navigator is. Chalk one up to Ford for that.
Chalk a second one up to Ford for the power-folding third-row seats that fold completely flat into the floor when operating the power button, either from the dash or the rear D-pillar. In fact, when all of the seats are folded flat, a 4x8-foot sheet of plywood lays flat, thanks to the EL's 131-inch wheelbase.
The Ford's 300hp 5.4L V-8 is weak, due to the push toward better fuel economy that is affecting all automakers. Simply put, unless you are running hard at 50-65 mph, these engines have no bottom-end torque. Ford is not the exception, it is simply one of the followers. The engine's powerband is in the upper rpm range, but this vehicle weighs 6,053 pounds. A heavy SUV like this needs to have its powerband come in earlier and down low. The much rumored V-8 diesel that Ford has been developing will cure that problem, but the gas motor version will continue to suffer from poor low-end torque.
The Expedition EL is rated to tow 8,750 pounds. I towed my nearly 7,500-pound speedboat with the vehicle, although the EL isn't equipped with an electric-brake controller. Consequently, my trailer brakes didn't work and the entire load was placed on the EL's 343- and 334.5-millimeter front and rear brakes. The Expedition EL effectively stopped both itself and the boat, but electric brakes would have added welcome stopping power. Fuel economy went out the window during towing, due in large part to a lack of low-end torque. That problem was replaced with its ability to comfortably sit seven fullsize adults, a welcome contrast from a pickup truck that seats five people.
So, did I like it? Yes and no. I love the interior, the power-folding rear seats, and the overall exterior look. I don't like the lack of low-end torque, nor the $80 fill ups at the pump. Overall, I would recommend this to a family looking to haul the toys to and from and also for general comfort. The EL doesn't drive like a really big fullsize SUV. Who knows, I may even buy one in the future when my own family outgrows the smaller Chevrolet Tahoe they currently tool around town in.