Second-row legroom is OK when the front seat is pulled all the way back, and is quite roomy when the seat in front is slid into the middle of its range. Ambient noise in this row seemed to intrude a bit on our ability to follow a quiet conversation between those in the front row. A three-zone entertainment package allows, say, one second-row passenger to watch a movie, another to listen to Sirius satellite radio, and the driver to listen to a CD. (Or other combinations of that.) The rear of the center console offers second-row riders climate control (vents are in the headliner), a power point, and two cupholders. All doors have map and bottle holders.
Second and third row seats fold flat into the floor, and the second row slides. Front seats in our Limited tester were heated and cooled.
The Expedition drove nimbly enough to navigate the pull-up lanes of one of Oregon's many drive-thru espresso shops. Steering felt responsive, and the vehicle drives smaller than it really is, but not incredibly so. Ford says 40 percent of Expedition owners tow, but often no more than 5,000 pounds. So we took a turn pulling that weight in an enclosed trailer, and while the trailer did feel like the tail wagged the dog a little bit, it was no more than would be expected. An integrated trailer-brake controller would be a nice addition.
The bold, chiseled exterior styling is in line with the company's muscular-looking design philosophy, especially on the front, where it exhibits a three-bar grille inspired by the F-150. The interior design cues look squared off, contrasting sharply with the more flowing lines in other brands. Whether that's bad or good depends on tastes. It does give the Expedition a distinct look that appears to mean business.
It may be that America's love affair with big SUVs is waning, but the market still exists for do-everything utes like the Expedition. Our impression is that if you liked the previous-gen Expedition, you'll like this. The Expedition should be in dealer showrooms now. Look for more driving impressions on the Expedition right here in the near future.
Horsepower300@5,000 rpm SAE
Torque (lb-ft)365@3,750 rpm SAE
TransmissionSix-speed automatic
DrivetrainRWD or part-time 4WD with two-speed transfer case and electronic shift-on-the-fly
Axle Ratio3.31 (standard), 3.73 (optional); EL offers 3.73 only
SuspensionIndependent with coilovers (f), independent multi-link (r)
Brakes343mm rotor (f), 334mm rotor (r), ABS, electronic stability control with anti-roll
Turning (Curb-to-Curb)40.83 ft (43.93 ft for EL)
Height77.2 in (78.3 in for EL)
Curb Weight5,578 lbs (2WD), 5,803 (4WD) EL: 5,825 lbs (2WD), 6,053 lbs (4WD)
Max Trailer Weight9,200 lbs (2WD); 9,000 lbs (4WD)EL: 9,000 lbs (2WD); 8,750 lbs (4WD)
Payload1,750 lbs (2WD); 1,825 lbs (4WD)EL: 1,725 lbs (2WD); 1,775 lbs (4WD)
Interior Cargo108.3 cu ft (behind 1st row, other rows folded); 55 cu ft (behind second row, 3rd row folded); 18.6 cu ft (behind 3rd row)EL: 130.8 cu ft (behind 1st row, other rows folded); 85.5 cu ft (behind second row, 3rd row folded); 42.6 cu ft (behind 3rd row)