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WHEN the
Ford Expedition was introduced in 1999, it was hailed as
a shining example of the largeness that is typical of
American utility vehicles. But with jolting shifts in
the local economic movement of late, is this behemoth
still a relevant vehicle?
The new
Expedition isn’t all that proportionally different from
the previous model it replaces. It bears little more
than a passing resemblance to a hollow block of
concrete, save for a chrome grille that is a welcome—at
least to this writer—change from the graph paper-like
mug of its predecessor. Overall, the look is an
appropriately modern re-skin that distinguishes itself
from last year’s model without looking too much like a
truck derivative.
Arguably
the biggest change is to the insides. The circular
rotating air conditioning (A/C) vents and black-on-white
rev and speed counters were retained, but the dual-zone
controls have a new easy-to-understand layout and there
are three to four electrical outlets ’round the cabin.
The audio entertainment rivals that of Bose units in
certain vehicles, and the rearmost side windows have
power assist. The steering wheel has radio and A/C
controls. The light khaki-dark gray leather seats
provide a synergy of sorts with the light khaki-silver
interior colorway, but the faux wood inserts in the
dashboard’s middle and along the door armrests look
somewhat out of place.
Storage
is a given considering the SUV’s dimensions, but there
are also significant changes, too. The third row can
seat two six-footers in comfort, and has power assist to
make the backrests fold flat. The detailed instructions
on how to fold and tumble the second row (for third-row
access) is bigger and easier to read than in the
previous model. All cupholders (10 of them) can swallow
a one-liter bottle of water, and the center console can
fit a Canon EOS 400D digital single-lens reflex camera
with a 70- to 300-mm lens attached to it. The rear hatch
has separate handles for the glass and the hatch proper,
and a grab handle on the hatch’s inner lining for short
people to reach in order to close the hatch properly.
The 5.4L
V8 manages to move the SUV’s 6,818-kg curb weight around
without much difficulty, thanks to a six-speed A/T that
has even steps and smooth shifts, even on mountain
passes. Powerband entry (3,500 rpm) takes some time, but
when the V8 gets angry it can hit 175 kph. Consumption
is a given—4.15 km/l, four days mixed
driving—considering its heft, but you get to your
destination quickly and in comfort, too.
Large
SUVs with solid axle designs (such as the Expedition)
usually have a floaty ride, but the Expedition is
surprisingly the opposite. A unique five-link
independent rear suspension and body-on-frame
construction sends the rear-drive shafts through the
frame rails, thus soaking up bumps (especially at the
rear) with aplomb. Traction breaks at 50 to 70 kph with
traction control off, and the steering has a light feel
yet numbing in feedback.
Yet
another positive is the Expedition’s safety features.
The brakes grab hard, exterior lighting is bright,
there’s electro-chroming for the rear-view mirror (for
reduced glare at night) and turn signals within the side
mirror housings. The backup sensors are useful for
parallel parking, but is sensitive from one foot
onward—irksome when shoehorning the unit in cramped
Makati lots. Foot-brake grip is also a negative, too, as
decent bite is achieved with the pedal millimeters close
to the floor.
Comedian Yakov Smirnoff once said that “everything’s big
in America.” It may be opined that he may have seen a
Ford Expedition on his arrival at the airport, and the
hugeness of that American whopper might have had a
strong impact on him. Given what the current Expedition
has to offer, he may be right—spot-on, to be exact. |
