2007 Ford Expedition

A New Expedition

Ford's redesigned full-size SUV includes a new extended-length model aimed at those for whom size matters.

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Ford has redesigned its largest SUV, the Expedition, for added refinement, style, comfort and safety. It remains unashamedly big and bold for buyers who require a voluminous and powerful truck that's capable of serious towing, hauling and people moving. For the first time, an extended-length version, the Expedition EL, has been added and is set to compete with Chevrolet's Suburban and GMC's Yukon XL. As before, the Ford Expedition shares platforms, powertrains and components with its upscale sibling, the Lincoln Navigator. 

The new Ford Expedition EL is 14.8 inches longer than the standard Expedition and rides on a wheelbase that’s a foot longer. It seats as many as eight passengers and has 24 cubic feet more cargo space behind the third-row seat than the conventional-length Expedition for a total of 130.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

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Exterior styling is freshened, though it remains familiar. Evolutionary changes include a new dual-beam headlamp design, a bolder three-bar front grille that takes its cues from Ford's F-Series pickup and a raised power-dome hood. The Ford Expedition EL offers its own bodywork from the windshield rearward, and while it’s not that much different in appearance, it does have unique running boards, rear fascia, roof rack, rear-quarter glass and larger rear doors. Massive 20-inch six-spoke chrome rims are among the five available wheel designs.

The truck’s 5.4-liter V8 engine carries over from the previous generation and continues to channel 300 hp and 365 pound-feet of torque to the rear or all four wheels. Towing capacity is up slightly to a maximum of 9,100 pounds. An updated six-speed automatic transmission is standard and a welcome improvement over the prior generation’s antiquated four-speed gearbox. We expect the transmission to improve both fuel economy and performance.

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An all-new chassis, commandeered from the current F-Series pickup, is 10 percent stiffer than the prior version’s and promises a smoother and quieter ride. A revised suspension includes a new fully independent rear setup for the first time. Heavy-duty trucks traditionally have a solid rear axle, which can better handle serious towing, hauling and off-road duties but make for a rougher ride.

A new steering system is designed to reduce turning effort by about 15 percent. That and the new suspension should transform this burly SUV's ride and handling qualities, which used to be clumsy and heavy, especially in low-speed maneuvers like parallel parking. As before, you can expect the softly sprung suspension to effortlessly soak up bumps and potholes. Four-wheel disc antilock brakes are standard; the system is revised to provide shorter stopping distances with improved pedal feel and greater control than before.

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Ford's AdvanceTrak stability control with a rollover detection system is now standard and a welcome feature on such a large and lumbering beast. Front-side and side-curtain airbags are now included across the line. The latter deploy when sensors detect an impending rollover, and they stay inflated for a few seconds in case the vehicle flips multiple times.

Available in rear- and four-wheel-drive versions, the Ford Expedition’s 4WD system includes low-range gearing to tackle extremely rough terrain and can be fitted with an optional electronic shift-on-the-fly capability, which is controlled from a dashboard-mounted rotary knob.

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Both the standard and extended EL models are offered in XLT, Eddie Bauer and Limited trims. A redesigned interior features revised seats, with heating and cooling functions available on the up front two. The driver’s seat can now move farther back to comfortably accommodate motorists up to 6 feet 4 inches tall.The second-row seat moves fore and aft and the seatbacks are split 40/20/40 percent. They fold flat with the load floor for added cargo-carrying flexibility. A power-folding third-row seat and power rear liftgate are optional, the latter a new addition for 2007.

Ford Expedition Vehicle Summary

The Ford Expedition comes decently equipped, even in base XLT form, and now includes an auxiliary jack to connect iPods and other portable audio devices to the stereo system. Noteworthy available features include power heated/cooled leather seats, power-adjustable brake and accelerator pedals as well as a reverse-sensing radar system to help make parking this giant a bit easier. The available navigation system has an improved touch-sensitive color display and can be voice operated.

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The 2007 Ford Expedition has been given five out of five stars by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for driver and front-passenger protection in frontal crashes, and three stars with RWD and four stars with 4WD for rollover resistance.

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Did You Know ...

Even when gasoline sold for $1.50 a gallon, Ford's full-size Expedition SUV was the poster child for environmentally unfriendliness, given its size and gas-guzzling ways. It was also one of the automaker's most profitable vehicles and helped keep the company in the black at a time when its car sales were lagging, just as the Tahoe and Yukon did for Chevrolet and GMC, respectively.

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While their days as overgrown suburban family vehicles may be numbered, large SUVs like the Ford Expedition won't disappear altogether, no matter how pricey gas gets. More than likely, they'll return to their roots as big, powerful trucks used by those who have a legitimate need for heavy-duty hauling and towing.

The Expedition itself was once one of those modestly selling purposeful trucks, quietly sitting at the back of the average Ford showroom prior to the SUV boom of the 1990s — back when it came with only two doors and was called the Bronco. The full-size SUV was recast as the Expedition for the 1997 model year with four doors and comfort-oriented amenities that the comparatively Spartan Bronco never offered. It would become the basis for another popular Ford biggie: the Lincoln Navigator.

An even larger and less popular sibling was sold through the 2005 model year as the Ford Excursion; it has now been reborn as the Expedition EL, and for the first time has a Lincoln equivalent, the Navigator L.