Story & Photos by Patrick P. Tulfo
WHEN Ford made a comeback in the country in the late 90s, they brought in three of their best-selling models from the US—he F-150 pickup, the Expedition SUV and the Lincoln Town Car. Of the three models, only the Expedition has remained in the lineup of Ford vehicles being sold in the country today, and for a good reason, as the Expedition remains to be in demand for those who are in the market for a full-sized SUV.
The current Expedition is now the fourth generation of the successful SUV, which was marketed in the US in 1997 as a replacement for the Ford Bronco. It is longer, taller and wider than the model it replaced, but it’s not obvious, thanks to its boxy profile and smaller greenhouse area.
The front fascia is now similar to its smaller sibling Explorer and F-150, which it was based on. The chrome grille melds with the headlamps, giving it a nice one-piece look. It also highlights the famous blue oval logo in the middle.
This design is also carried over in the rear with the chrome bar, where the inscription Expedition written on it, seems to connect with the rather smallish tail lights. The blue oval logo is located above it. The rear spoiler complements the overall boxy profile of the vehicle.
The choice of wheel design perfectly matches the elegant look of this SUV. Ford engineers should also be commended for the retractable step board, which only operates when one opens the door handle. They made sure that the step board doesn’t mar the clean side profile of this massive vehicle.
Inside, first timers will be perplexed with the number of knobs and switches on the dashboard, steering wheel and the middle. The instrument cluster is probably one of the biggest in the market today, as aside from the usual speedometer, tachometer, gas indicator, engine temperature, oil pressure there is also a gauge for the turbocharger measured in kPa, which shows how much boost the engine is getting depending on how one drives.
Meanwhile, there is no shifter anymore. Instead, the Expedition now features a rotary dial that is now common in Land Rovers, Jaguars and other luxurious vehicles. I didn’t get to try the plus/minus buttons though, which is located just above the rotary dial. This is like the paddle shifters that are usually located just behind the steering wheel. As this is the 4WD version, the 4×4 system is a push button affair. It is similar to the ones found on the Explorer and Everest.
The new Expedition comes with a plethora of features that justifies its lofty price. Aside from the sync entertainment system there are heated front seats that can also be cooled, which is a boon in a tropical country like the Philippines. The auto climate control system, with separate controls at the rear, makes short work of the hot interior when the vehicle is left baking in the sun. And one can even start cooling the car even before that, courtesy of the remote starter. Plus, the usual power, everything is a common feature on the past Expedition models—that even includes the third row and a lift gate that also opens via foot sensor located below the rear bumper.
But what really sets the Expedition apart from other SUVs from the very beginning is the size. Although this is just an eight-seater, one should remember that this is made for American market—as such it is long and wide. There are acres of space all over. In fact, it can carry as many as ten passengers on short trip with all their stuff, because even if the third row is up, there’s still a humongous space left at the rear for this.
Driving the Expedition is a hoot, although one must keep in mind that this is a long and wide vehicle to avoid accidents and miscalculations. Good thing there are sensors on the front, rear plus camera and the sides that aid the driver greatly in piloting this SUV.
The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 Ecoboost engine is the same engine that powers the Explorer, although it is more powerful with 375 hp and a mind boggling 637 N-m of torque. This is paired with a 10-speed automatic gearbox which can be gleaned on the dashboard.
The ride is supple. It still feels connected to the road giving the driver the confidence to drive faster. The engine is more than able to move this vehicle with urgency whenever the driver steps on the accelerator without any lag whatsoever.
Fuel consumption for city driving hovers between 3.5 to 4.0 kilometer to a liter based on reviews but I feel it’s much higher than that as the engine has an automatic start/stop feature when stuck in traffic.
In the highway though, it delivers more than 10 kilometers to a liter if driven at a steady 100 kph. I only spent P1,080 to bring fuel gauge up to full on our way to Clark in Pampanga where I shot it.
If you are interested in the new Expedition, be prepared to pay P4.479 million for lone EL Limited variant that is being sold in the country. If you ask me, that is a paltry sum to pay for such a fine SUV.
Image credits: Patrick P. Tulfo