Car Reviews 2012 Ford Expedition
The Ford 2012 Expedition: A Behemoth with Style and Substance
The blowout popularity of SUVs that swept through the late nineties on into the beginning of the twenty-first century has waned somewhat. Newer kids on the auto block, like Mercedes-Benz’s Smart Car,Nissan's Leaf, Ford’s Electric Focus, with their big-as-a-minute look inciting the media to cajole; smaller is better, smaller is the new cool, seem to have taken a tiny if triumphant step towards center stage of the auto world. All of which begs the question; is there a market still for a vehicle like the 2012 Ford expedition?In a word, definitely.The country may be greening, the economy foundering and small may be the chicest thing in autos at this particular moment. Muscle and brawn, however, never truly go out of style, least of all in the world of autos. Basically, there will always be room on the car playing field for vehicles that can comfortably squeeze in the entire horn section of the local High School band. Big, safe commodious vehicles that can haul ass as well as haul your ass out are not going anywhere.That said, it’s time to take a closer look at the 2012 Ford Expedition.SizeAs already suggested, a vehicle like the 2012 Ford Expedition sits rather like a behemoth against a forest of sprites when viewed against the newest, teeniest cars. However, this particular behemoth is quite unabashed, coming into the market in big-as-life large and larger sizes, or rather El (larger) and Non-El Expedition versions. The El versions are longer by 15 inches. Base XL, midrange XLT, upscale Limited and King Ranch (The top tier) are the four El trims available.Eight is the usual passenger capacity for the 2012 Ford Expedition, excepting in the case of the El XL, which is standardized for five passengers. Electing to have captain’s chairs installed in the second row, a buyers’ option, will also downgrade the overall passenger capacity, from eight to seven.Regardless of whetherSUVdrivers opt for the El or for the more standard model options, Ford has done much too banish those banes of poor seating arrangements, leg cramp and head bump, in both its El and Non-El Expedition SUVs.Comfy captain chairs are de rigueur for front row 2012 Expedition passenger and driver. Pedals, steering wheel and chairs are all susceptible to a wide range of adjustments to further enhance driver ease of motion. It’s obvious the Expedition design team had their collective thinking caps on when it came to the second row, realizing back row doesn’t automatically mean reserved for the little folk. Although the middle section of the center passenger row does shift forward for the desirable effect of putting said little people in close proximity to their watchers.Nonetheless, adults can sit comfortably in the second row, which offers reclining seat backs, even with their legs outstretched. This is because the Expedition’s anticipated adult user measurements range from 4’ 11’’ to 6’ 4’’. So, almost anyone should be comfortable in the second row, which generally seats four, as well as the third row, which in most versions seats two adults.That third row, by the way, is a streamlined utility that folds flat into the floor via an easy to use release trigger in the standard models. A power version is also available.As regards the all-important cargo room, the smaller more standard Expeditions boast nearly 20 cubic feet, even when the third passenger row is in use. More than double is available in the roomier El versions. With both rows dropped the cargo room advances to nearly 110 cubic feet of cargo room in the standard Non-El Expedition versions and just over 130 cubic feet for the El Expedition models.DriveabilityRoad grip and power are close to everything in driving. To that end the Expedition boasts a 5.4 litre V8 engine, rear wheel drive, (4 wheel drive is optional) and a 6 speed automatic overdrive.Other available road-worthy features segue right into that other top tier driver concern, safety. These include anti-lock disc brakes with brake assist, traction control, trailer sway control, as well as a specially formulated AdvanceTrac stability-control system with roll stability control. The latter feature was specially designed by Ford to enable drivers to coordinate braking with engine function for additional control against slippery roads. All of the above come standard across the board in the 2012 Ford Expedition.More safety features like standard blind-spot mirrors and seat-mounted front row airbags, as well as full-length side curtain airbags come standard in the Expedition.As an additional caveat Ford’s innovative MyKey system gives parents the control to set speed limits, create extra belt reminders, as well as pre-set stereo volumes for their driving teens.The options of a rear-view camera as well as parking sensors are also available for safety seekers looking for more options.Fuel economy-wise the standard Non-El Expedition and the El 4x2 feature requirements that range from 14-20 gallons per mile, depending on whether the driving is city-centered or highway. Meanwhile, the fuel requirement range for the El, making a distinction between city and highway driving, is between 13 miles per gallon and 18 miles per gallon respectively, making for a combined approximation of 15 miles per gallon.While the 2012 standard Expedition’s wheel base is a respectable 119 inch base, the 4x2 and 4x4 Expedition El models feature a much larger 131 inch base.Towing capacity, definitely a deal-cincher when buying a behemoth like the Expedition, maxes around 9,200 lbs. for the Non-El 4x2, around 8,900 for the Non-El 4x4 and around 8,700 for the El 4x2.GoodiesThe four-door Expedition boasts no less than 16 trim options. Detailing includes rich colors, attractive side trims and shiny chrome grills. Top tier Els boast two-tone siding. Wheels up to 20 inches are available to be ordered.Standard to the 2012 Expedition is a nifty door-mounted combination-activated keypad, no key required.Higher echelon models boast a whole host of other goodies.The XL has 17 inch alloy wheels, with an extra inch available on the El version. Both the El XL and Non-XL feature touchscreen navigation incorporating HD radio and Sirius Travel Link, which offers real-time updates on traffic, sports, weather, as well as movie listings and gas prices.Other XL goodies include automatic headlights, running boards, heated mirrors and auto-dimming rear-view mirror, as well as a six-speaker audio system complete with CD player.The XLT offers, among other options, rear parking sensors, power rear-quarter windows, blue tooth phone connectivity with iPod/USB audio interface and satelite radio.The Expedition’s Limited trim has other options. These include a special extra heavy duty towing utility package, dual-zone climate control feature, leather upholstery, driver memory utilities, a premium audio package with subwoofer and heated second row passenger seating.The top El tier King Ranch has many of the Limited’s options with further upgrades in upholstery options, trim options and headlight options.By and large many of the premium level options can be requested as add-ons for the less expensive models.It’s obvious that for a behemoth the Ford Expedition does have a lot of panache. Buying one will put the SUV fan back at least 38,000. Although final cost for a top tier model could reach as high as 60,000.
