|
The 2015 Ford Expedition Review: Big SUVs and V8 engines go together like peanut butter and jelly, but Ford is rocking the sport-utility world by eliminating the V8 from its full-size Expedition for 2015. Taking its place is a heck of a power plant: the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that delivers a whole lot more power while burning less fuel.
The turbocharged V6 has been a sales success in Ford’s F-150 pickups, and now it gets a chance to power the big-boy Expedition with its massive, body-on-frame SUV heft.
And it does a spectacular job.
I just spent a week driving the 2015 Expedition and was pleasantly surprised at just how well the boosted V6 could accelerate onto freeway on-ramps. The power was effortless, ample and, dare I say it, even better than the offerings from its competitors at General Motors.
With 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, it’s both refined and muscular enough to pull 9,200 pounds. Its low loading height gives it another leg up on the competition. Thanks to its independent rear suspension, the Expedition’s floor is lower than the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe.
Granted, the recently overhauled Tahoe and Yukon shine more brightly in other areas, like cabin refinement and more up-to-date styling. The Expedition still looks in some ways like a relic of the 1990s, both inside and out.
Its driving feel is thoroughly modern, though, especially if you get the adjustable suspension on high-end 4x4 models. It lets you use a switch on the steering wheel to choose between comfort, normal and sport modes, each of which gives the driver a noticeably different response in corners.
Other than the new engine, the biggest news for the Expedition in 2015 is the addition of the upscale Platinum package. It starts around $60,000 and includes heated and cooled seats, a power liftgate, power running boards and blind spot sensors that are really useful in a vehicle this big. It makes the Expedition feel more similar to its cousin, the Lincoln Navigator, and has some of the most comfortable front seats of any SUV.
Overall, the Expedition has always been a great way for families to travel if you need a lot of space, power and capability for towing and off-roading. People who don’t need that extra truck-like dimension would be better off with one of the many excellent crossover vehicles on the market today, but there’s still a place in America for traditional SUVs like this one. Putting the EcoBoost engine into it and adding the high-end Platinum trim level just makes it more appealing for 2015.
What was tested? The 2015 Ford Expedition Platinum 4x4 with a base price of $61,670. Options on the test vehicle: none. The total MSRP price as tested including the $1,195 destination charge came to: $62,865
Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 (365 horsepower, 420 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Estimated Mileage: 18 city, 22 highway
Why buy it? The EcoBoost engine is a nice improvement over the outgoing V8, and the Platinum trim provides a new option for luxury buyers.
By Derek Price © AutoWire.Net - San Francisco
The 2015 Ford Expedition Bottom Line Review provided by:
Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
The Bottom Line: The Ford Expedition has been powered by a V8 ever since it was launched in 1996. For 2015, Ford is making a huge change by dropping the V8 in favor of a more powerful turbocharged V6 engine that has more power and gets better gas mileage. Another change for the Expedition is the addition of an upscale Platinum package for 2015. It turns the Expedition into a luxury truck that rivals its cousin, the Lincoln Navigator, and does it for a little less money. And maybe for that reason alone you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©”.
Bottom Line Review provided by: Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
“Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question or comment for Tony send it to TonyLeo@pacbell.net or visit AutoWire.Net at www.autowire.net - And remember: “You Are What You Drive ©”
Ford Homepage
Column Name: Expedition gets a boost
Topic: 2015 Ford Expedition
Word Count: 725
Photo Caption: 2015 Ford Expedition
Photo Credits: Ford Expedition Internet Media
Series #: 2015- 07
Download
the Microsoft Word version here:
2015 Ford Expedition
Download the Original Image File here:
2015 Ford Expedition
|
