New Car Review of the 2004 Ford Expedition Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle

Description: Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle
Base MSRP Range: $32,260-$41,755
Invoice Price Range: $28,379-$36,545

Ford's full-size sport utility vehicle for 2004 appears in trims of XLS, XLT, new XLT Sport, the off-road NBX series and deluxe Eddie Bauer. Expedition's cabin has room for as many as nine riders and comes with a third-row bench that collapses flat into the cargo floor for a slick disappearing act with optional push-button PowerFold motivation.

Disc brakes for all wheels tie to an anti-lock brake system (ABS) with brake assist (BA), and Ford's Safety Canopy curtain-style side air bag system is optional. Standard engine for the big wagon is Ford's overhead-cam 4.6-liter Triton V8 that runs up to 232 hp, while an aluminum-block 5.4-liter Triton V8 is optional for 260 hp. Maximum trailer weight climbs as high as 8950 pounds in RWD traction mode. Both V8 plants in Expedition link to an excellent four-speed automatic Ford transmission. A transmission high-gear lockout switch set as a button in the tip of the column-mounted shift lever enables the driver to downshift with only the tap of a thumb.

Ford's optional multi-phase Control Trac 4WD device has a control knob on the dashboard for dialing up a driving mode, from rear two-wheel traction to four-wheel high and low or automatic AWD. For pavement ventures the system seamlessly distributes traction to wheels that grip, but when heading off-road the 4WD high and low system locks the differential and applies torque evenly to all wheels.

Optional AdvanceTrac brings electronic traction control that can selectively brake a spinning wheel while also rerouting torque to an opposing wheel with traction. A fresh color chart includes new shades like Pueblo Gold and Red Fire.