Introduction and Summary
Some of you living in the southern Gulf countries may have experienced the heavy storm that left streets flooded and damaged several properties. I on the other hand could not shake the huge smirk off my face as I plummeted this tank of a car into deep waters that left mere mortals submerged in their commuter cars. What seemed like the worst weekend for some was a perfect opportunity to test the car’s off-road capability in the muddy terrains of Oman.
Comfort and Practicality
The Expedition has bold looks to match its size. Standing higher than other SUV’s, the intimidating front end is home to a horizontal grille with large openings. Along the sides you’ll find windows so massive, it’s almost as if the passengers in the cabin are being showcased. Hop on the big side step to mount the beast, for the inside view. A neat layout with hard materials throughout to reinstate its toughness. A marriage of silver shading and beige leather are the gracious hosts that invite you in. One of the best parts is the almost bird’s eye view you get from towering over other cars.
Designed to fit 3 people, the 3rd row seats are the most spacious of its class with 37.7” of leg room. I was curious to try sitting in them while someone drove me around, and speaking on behalf of 6 ft tall adults, I was impressed. The seats erect from their completely flat stow away position at the push of a button. Although it would be a bit cramped for 3 people, 2 adults can easily grab some chips, set some drinks on the cup holders, and enjoy a movie on the ceiling mounted screen. The people in the middle row seats won’t be disappointed either as they can indulge themselves in luxuries such as reclining their seats, and adjusting climate controls.
Performance, Ride and Handling
Oman’s curvy, stretched out, scenic, mountainous routes are probably the most ideal place for a top down 500 horsepower vulgar Italian Racehorse shrieking profanities from its exhaust tips at the silent hills. But the ‘’Built Ford Tough” all American mammoth was a surprisingly nice alternative. Climbing up the steep highway at 1,500 RPM with little effort on the throttle meant that when cruising got too boring, the Expedition was a heavy foot away from a V8 rumble 500 Nm of torque that echoed in the rocky hills. But rest assured that won’t interrupt your movie time on the drive since the tall windows do a good job fending off wind noise at high speeds giving a bit of serenity to passengers.
The Expedition had an exceptionally smooth ride, with steering so easy to turn, it redefines one hand driving to 1 finger driving. Just like churning butter, the car would go where you choose with no resistance. It had a tad of understeer on 2 wheel mode RWD when taking those tight hairpin U turns which were a bit fun. The standard 4 wheel independent suspension proved capable and contributed to the smooth drive as it absorbed any rough, rocky trails on off-road terrains, especially with the 4WD setting turned on with minimal head bobbling from the rear passengers.
Let’s talk numbers. Although this Ford won’t be breaking any records on the Nurburgring or doing any jaw dropping 0-100 KM times anytime soon, the big 5.4 litre V8 puts out 300 horsepower but is more of a torquey engine for hauling triple its weight. But for those of you who are as curious as me, you’ll be somewhat surprised to find out that the Expedition does the 0-100 run in just over 8 seconds. The massive ventilated disc brakes bring the 2.5 tonne gargantuan to a halt smoothly and with no need to shift your whole weight on the brake pedal to stop it.
But the question on everyone’s mind is: “How thirsty is it?” All that power must come at a price. Well to be honest it isn’t going to give you anything close to your neighbours Toyota Yaris, but it all depends on how throttle happy you are. The Expedition driven on RWD mode does 13L on the highway and 17L in the city.
Verdict
For the few optimists that don’t let their automotive purchasing decisions revolve around the fuel consumption figures, then you’re seeing the fuel tank half full. The car is loaded from bumper to bumper with options like heated and cooled front seats, touch GPS and Media, back up camera, full canopy airbags for your loved ones in the 3rd row, independent suspension, a towing capacity of triple its weight, and seats that fold down flat enough for a second Expedition to squeeze in. It’s an exceptional family car that offers every luxury and practicality that one would expect from a large SUV. Its fully loaded price of AED 170,000 is AED 15,000 cheaper than the base Land Cruiser, although its long wheelbase doesn’t make it the best hill climber, it’s still a very capable off-roader and is great value for money.
