Power and finesse in the timeless Expedition

The Ford Expedition has always been blessed with an undeniable snob appeal that obviously primarily lay in its sheer bulk as a full-size SUV. It quickly gained popularity as a celebrity’s (or politician’s) ride – much like the way the Escalade is to a baller or rapper.

My limited engagement with the Eddie Bauer Expedition for a multi-day review was a mind-opening awakening into the intoxicating world of horsepower (lots of it, to be precise) and space (lots of it, as well). For indeed, the second you insert the key into the ignition and the driver’s seat whirs under you to move into its preset position, you feel like you’re at the reigns of some huge beast of burden that follows your whims with the steering wheel. The bestial analogy, of course, begins and ends with the engine and the vehicle’s size. At the heart of this experience is a monstrous 5.4L Triton 24V V8 engine that deceptively purrs its way to a hefty 300 horses of power.

Inside and out, the attempt at refinement is clear. The leather-covered captain’s chairs are standard in the first row, so you feel sublime – in addition to the 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Standard niceties such as beverage holders are of ample supply.

Parking’s a cinch with the parking assist, which beeps to indicate proximity to obstacles. It automatically quiets your sound system, too, while engaged. Speaking of the sound system, it can put other aftermarket setups to shame – taking in six CDs (standard format or MP3) in the dash, and an auxiliary jack for your iPod or any input of choice. The music comes out through six premium speakers and a, get this, subwoofer – collectively capable of delivering 340 ear-shattering watts of audio output. You can control the audio (and A/C) through buttons on the steering wheel. Isn’t that grand?

The dashboard gauges meld a little old-school and new-school – analog meters surround the digital message center that delivers info such as average fuel economy and outside temperature. It even has a digital compass that tells you where you’re heading.

My only beef with the Expedition was the rather loud interior schematics. Silver, wood, tan, gray, white… it was a little too confusing for me. My mom’s 4x2 Escape had a more elegant color idea, truth to tell. Understatement is the wave of the future – and we’ve known that for the longest time.

Still, it was a minor setback that didn’t dampen the overall exemplary experience.

The nagging question, though, remained. This was what I was hoping to solve with my date with the Expedition. How relevant is this five-kilometer-a-liter vehicle in these gas-damned days of astronomic prices?

Granted you can afford to gas it up for the daily commute, the Expedition will reward you well. For one thing, it will smoke all those mean-looking cars around you. With ground clearance of 221 millimeters, we were almost at eye level with those buses we could make eye contact with the commuters. That was certainly nifty.

Plus, if you don’t need to move eight people (including yourself), you can cram in as much stuff as you need to transport via the collapsible second and third rows. I was able take the laundry to the cleaners and still have enough room for around the eight bowling balls my girlfriend Joyce and I had to lug for a Saturday kegling session.

I coaxed the Expedition easily to 140 kph on the SLEX on a weekend, and it neither hesitated nor shuddered at the speed. In fact, I had to lay off the accelerator because of traffic. The Eddie Bauer variant I borrowed had a standard AdvanceTrac with RSC (roll stability control). Folks at Ford say what this means is that aside from ABS, traction and yaw control, the vehicle uses a sensor to measure roll-rate at least 100 times a second – keeping braking and power at optimum level to keep all four wheels firmly on the ground. Ride is impeccably smooth – thanks to an all-new multilink independent rear suspension and monotube shocks. The air-conditioning was immensely powerful – highlighted by DEATC or dual electronic automatic temperature control.

“This is definitely not a wuss ride,” Joyce said as she reclined the passenger’s chair, sat back and napped blissfully in the passenger seat, while I was left ruminating on the sense of power and authority that the Ford Expedition truly exudes – even as it cuddles its passengers to sleep.