Some people say that SUVs are dead. Others just wish they were.
The truth is that SUVs still represent a large portion of revenues for manufacturers and as long as that is the case, SUVs will remain an integral vehicle segment.
When Ford introduced the second generation Expedition in 2003, it became one of the best handling full-size SUVs on the market but shared the smaller Explorer’s uninspiring design. For the 2007 model year, the Expedition was redesigned again to receive a much-needed makeover that now gives the Expedition aggressive looks to go along with its stellar handling.
The biggest advantage the Expedition has over its competitors is its rear suspension. While all of its competitors used a live axle in the rear, Ford switched to the independent rear suspension (IRS) in 2003 and improved upon it for 2007.
One common misconception about IRS is that the towing capability is much less on vehicles equipped than that of vehicles with live rear axles. With the IRS in the 2007 Expedition, Ford not only managed to improve the ride qualities of this behemoth but also greatly improved the towing capacity. With the heavy-duty trailer tow package, the maximum trailer weight is 9,000 pounds - 600 pounds more than a Dodge Ram Laramie 4x4 and 1,800 pounds more than Chevrolet Tahoe with identical tow package.
Power is derived from Ford’s 300-horsepower 5.4-liter Triton V8 that pumps out 365 lb-ft of torque. The six-speed automatic transmission replaces the outdated four-speed transmission and it shifts perfectly and smoothly. A dial to the left of the climate control gauges easily controls the four-wheel drive system. This powertrain allows the Expedition to feel at home whether dodging rush hour traffic or cruising at highway speeds.
On the highway, the Expedition shined. Michigan roads may be littered with potholes, but nothing can be more aggravating or uncomfortable than Florida’s wavy roads and bridges. The Expedition floated like a feather during a three-hour trip and averaged an acceptable 19 mpg. In city traffic, the Expedition handled incredibly well for its size and averaged 13 mpg.
The Expedition Limited is by far the most unique of the Expedition lineup as it offers blacked-out headlights and a monochromatic paint scheme to differentiate it from other models. The remaining three models include the XLT, Eddie Bauer and King Ranch - all receive reflective jeweled headlamps, chrome grilles and the latter two models feature two-tone paint schemes.
While the exterior appears to be no more than a much-needed mid-cycle enhancement, Ford completely redesigned the interior of the 2007 Expedition to offer comfortable and luxurious accommodations.
Small touches, such as chrome-trimmed gauges and dark faux wood trim, make the layout of the instrument panel attractive and inviting. Control buttons are easy to access and the large radio/navigation screen vastly improves the functionality.
The climate-controlled seats were a warm (pun intended) welcome on the black leather seats. While heated seats in Florida might be only useful a few weeks out of the year, the seat coolers for both front seats can be easily appreciated in warmer climates. The 10-way power seats offer a comfortable ride, not to mention a commanding view of the road.
While passengers over 6’2” may want to avoid the rear seats, all three rows of seating offer impressive comfort and legroom. The stadium style seating of the second and third row bench seats offers a good view of the optional rear seat entertainment DVD system (with an eight-inch LCD screen) for those “stuck” in the back. Individual A/C vents allows even those in the very back to remain comfortable. Exiting the third row can be tricky, however, since the second row seats don’t flip forward.
Behind the third-row seats, the Expedition offers 18.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity. When more cargo room is needed in place of eight-passenger seating, Ford’s innovative third row PowerFold seats disposes of the split bench at the touch of a button (or two). The second-row seats also fold down for a perfectly flat surface that offers a cavernous 108.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity that could easily swallow 4x8 sheets of plywood.
The power folding mirrors added a touch of convenience as well when it came time to squeeze the 7.5-foot wide SUV into a standard parking spot (the folded mirrors shave almost a foot off of the overall width!). One aspect of parking that the folding mirrors could do nothing to help with was trying to fit the 17-feet long and almost 6.5-feet tall Expedition into an average-sized garage.
Besides its mere size, the white sand tri-coat paint gave the Expedition a remarkable presence in the glaring Florida sun. The massive 20-inch, chrome-clad wheels added to the attention-grabbing looks by reflecting the sun in an almost strobe-like fashion while in motion.
While the touch-screen navigation system was by far the most helpful feature on the Expedition, a rearview backup camera would have helped immensely during tight backup maneuvers. Ford realized this and now offers a backup camera (with the monitor in the rearview mirror) on the 2008 model.
The safety aspects of the Expedition are numerous. The roof-mounted side canopy airbag allows head protection for all three rows while the front passengers get the dual frontal airbags and the seat-mounted side impact airbags. The 2007 Expedition received a five-star rating in frontal impacts and a four-star rollover rating* from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). No side-impact crash ratings were available.
Torque control is the main key with Ford’s most lauded safety feature: the patented AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control). AdvanceTrac redistributes torque to maintain the vehicle’s traction while the Roll Stability Control uses sensors to measure the inevitability of a rollover to apply individual ABS brakes and automatically reduce engine torque to keep the Expedition on all four wheels.
The as-tested MSRP for this fully equipped 2007 Ford Expedition Limited 4x4 is $48,795.
* Based on NHTSA information: A four-star rollover rating indicates a risk of a single-vehicle rollover between 10-20 percent. “A vehicle’s rollover resistance rating is an estimate of its risk of rolling over in a singe-vehicle crash, not a prediction of the likelihood of a crash.”
2007 Ford Expedition Pictures and Wallpapers
Review written by: Jeffrey Ross
All photos copyright Jeffrey Ross/Autotropolis.com © 2007