By Andre Palma
Philippine Daily Inquirer
I HAVE to admit to cringing when Ford Philippines’ Glen Dasig mentioned the word, “Expedition,” over the phone. Admittedly, biases and preconceived notions about certain cars are difficult to suspend, even when one tests them for a living.
It is hard to forget a six-month spell, years ago, when this writer had to fuel a first generation 5.4-liter Triton V8 specimen. It felt like personally sponsoring a petroleum company, honestly. At some point, every pump attendant’s courtesy smile started looking eerily sinister. It got that bad.
It is now two generations later, a long period of time in any process of automotive evolution and even the tamest of cars can change a lot over 10 years. Is the third-generation Expedition any better than the first? Let’s just say that the 2008 Ford Expedition experience is generally a familiar one.
The first five minutes with the current model Expedition were eventful to say the least. Moments before the SUV was to be released from the dealership, pranksters from an adjacent school threw a perfectly aimed styro cup of an unidentified, mystery goop at the Expedition. Said cocktail bounced off the roof of the SUV, exploded on the windscreen and finished its ballistic path on the truck’s massive hood. The smell, moments later, confirmed what was in the cup.
The social commentary of that attack speaks volumes on the high-profile public perception of the Expedition. Attention grabbing because of its sheer, impolite size and likely reinforced by a clientele just as discreet, it makes perfect sense why bored teenagers would target this vehicle out of a parking lot crammed with dozens of other cars. Maybe the juvenile delinquents were hoping to score a hit on a politician, a show-biz personality or some important business tycoon? You roll with the consequences of getting noticed big-time, I guess. Maybe that’s what security details are for?
Behind the wheel of this car, it is logical that lethal engine grunt must come with all the flash, fanfare and fuss. The Expedition’s engine numbers border on ludicrous actually, seemingly excessive for whatever road conditions that the Philippines can throw at it. The updated 5.4-liter V8 puts out 300 bhp and almost 500 Nm of torque, making forward acceleration is anything but subtle. The raw engine power is stifled though by the massive weight of the vehicle, two and a half tons when empty and close to three tons with a complement of five adults and cargo. That’s heavy in any book.Drivers will still have to deal with the typically uninvolved drive that blankets the large American SUV segment. If a peso could be earned every time the words boat-like and wallowing were used to describe this segment, the BIR would want some part of that action.
Forget trying to push aggressively down a twisty segment of tarmac in this car, as it pays a terrible toll to the laws of physics. In traffic, patience is also a critical virtue as the width and height of the Expedition makes it as nimble as an Edsa bus. Slicing and dicing in congestion can be done but it is an accident waiting to happen.
The seat from where to enjoy the Expedition the most is that of the passenger’s. If space and creature comforts are on top of your automotive wish list, then look no further than this large, leather bound, and power everything interior. Some might find the ride of this super-sized SUV a tad bouncy, but that is something that probably can be solved by changing tires, shocks and springs. For the sake of comfort, this is a solution worth searching for if one is considering spending a lot of time in the rear seats of this Ford.There is a market segment out there that demands a vehicle like the Ford Expedition; there are quite a few on the road. High-profile size and looks, well-known running costs and vague, pliable suspension must be what they look for. These say a lot about the types of people who buy these cars. They know what they want and have the bank balances to stick with their choices, no matter what life throws in their direction.
