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Sunny Side Up
By:
Jason Muxlow
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"Lets take the Bonneville to Florida," somebody
says. "OK" came the unanimous response. Who wouldn't
take the opportunity to get out of the office for a
few days? Of course, the rest of us didn't know what
Executive Editor Dye had up his sleeve. "We'll make
it a working holiday!" he exclaimed. Some low
mumbling followed. So we packed up Assistant Editor
Vloet, which in itself is no small task, and readied
for the journey. Then, at the last moment, there was
a problem with availability. The Bonneville had
decided it needed to be at the other side of the
state. Being the flexible people we are, we readied
the next best of our armada of vehicles, a 2003 Ford
Expedition XLT.
We immediately found that the Expedition was the wiser
choice for the excursion, having approximately seven
times the interior volume of the Pontiac. Editor
Vloet, who is a 6 foot 4 inch Dutchmen, found that
he didn't even have to cock his head sideways while
he occupied more than his fair share of seats.
However, finding legroom for the big guy in all but
the front row became a problem as seats are mounted
low and his knees tended to occupy the same location
as his chin. Average height occupants won't have
this problem. As you'd expect, cargo space proved to
be abundant, and with the third row seat that folds
into the floor, there was no need for back-breaking
seat juggling. Two small levers and, poof, 60.9
cubic feet of suitcase holding, beverage toting,
lumber hauling and package carrying room becomes
available. If needed, the second row will also fold
flat for a maximum of 110.5 cu ft.
Exec Dye found the ergonomics the most noteworthy
complaint. The absence of a dead pedal kept our left
foot searching. The power adjustable pedals drew
praise however, as did the driver seat travel
range. Front seats were noted as comfortable and
supportive, though the rear seats would benefit from
more support than the straight-backed approach Ford
has taken. The massive front console garnered some
criticisms for its size, but those on this trip
found it to be a welcome storage tool for cell
phones, drinks, CD's and small dogs. The map also
found refuge there while not in use, because our
tester did not come with the optional navigation
system. The trip computer and compass did come in
handy though. "Keep that thing on the south!"
shouted Dye as yours truly found yet another turn
that led us away from the intended destination.
The Expedition's heft and size turned out to be quite
manageable on the freeway, though it can be daunting
come time to park. Our tester came equipped with the
232 horsepower aluminum block 4.6L V8. While
stronger then the anemic 4.6L from the original
Expedition, this engine still strains to keep pace
in Kentucky's hills. Performance on flat land proved
adequate. However, when the terrain climbed to
ear-popping heights in Kentucky's hill country, she
positively ran out of breath. Our tester also came
equipped with 4-wheel drive. While useful in January
(in Michigan), the extra weight just penalizes fuel
economy in the summer. Either way there is a
sacrifice. The new 4-wheel fully independent
suspension proved to be more responsive and
surefooted then the old rigid axle setup. Coil over
shocks all around managed wheel travel well, keeping
tire to the tarmac in all but the worst of
Michigan's roads. 17" wheels and tires smoothed out
road irregularities before they made their way
inside.
While we have enjoyed having the Expedition for our
weeklong trip to the Sunshine State, she didn't pass
the scrutinizing eyes of the AT staff unscathed. The
use of plastic body cladding is growing old. There
is just something about having 8 inches of gray
plastic wrapped around the bottom edges of a vehicle
that turns our
stomachs foul. Didn't anyone learn from the Aztec
and Avalanche?
Overall, the second generation Expedition is a vast
improvement upon the original. A good family
vehicle, and we'll vouch that it handles 2,000 mile
trips without a hitch.. Gas mileage isn't great, but
no SUV's is. For around $37,000 our XLT tester
represented a good value in the full-size SUV field.
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| The
Good: |
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Room for everyone and everything, no weather is too
much, did we mention there is a lot of space?
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| The
Bad: |
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Engine runs out of breath when trying to move
everyone and everything, no deadpedal.
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| The
Verdict: |
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A good value among the behemoths.
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