The 2007 Ford Expedition is a brawny behemoth with some advanced digital gadgetry. Its advanced navigation system impressed us, but its bulky form is not suited to modern urban driving.
The 2007 Ford Expedition is a brawny behemoth with some advanced digital gadgetry. Its advanced navigation system impressed us, but its bulky form is not suited to modern urban driving.
Looking over the top of a BMW X5 in front of us on the highway, we realized just how huge the 2007 Ford Expedition really is. As one would expect in a car with a driver's seat set as high as that of a bus, forward visibility is very good.
The Expedition's navigation system is extremely responsive and user friendly. The main reason for this accessibility is its touch screen interface. Rather than having to twist knobs or repeatedly press buttons, we were able to punch in our address directly on the screen. Adding to the speed of programming destinations is the system's ability to process each selection almost instantly.
Pressing the Voice button on the right-hand side of the steering wheel brings up a spoken menu of available voice commands. For some reason, the voice that speaks each menu option differs from the turn-by-turn voice guidance from the navigation system: The latter has a human intonation, but the voice-recognition menus are spoken in a voice that sounds like a drunken robot slurring its words.
Although its screen is relatively small, the Expedition's navigation system impressed us. At intersections, the display changes to a split-screen format, showing a large turn arrow on the right-hand side and a larger map on the left.
The 2007 Ford Expedition is powered by a 5.4-liter V-8 engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox with overdrive. For being such a bulky car (206 inches long, 77 inches tall, 5,800 pounds), the 4x4 Expedition briskly responds to throttle inputs, although it is less responsive when stopping because of a large amount of travel in the brake pedal.
The instrument cluster is very simple and easy on the eye. An LCD information display between the speedometer and the tachometer gives information on the trip, the fuel economy, and the range to empty.
For $495, owners of the 2007 Expedition can get a power liftgate. The button for the liftgate is located on the inside of the cargo area (rather than on the bottom of the hatch), which necessitates a quick escape by those who wish to avoid being sandwiched in the closing door.
The Expedition's navigation system is deceptively sophisticated. Despite the screen's low resolution, the system has plenty of options giving drivers the chance to customize their trips.
Playback of digital audio on the Expedition's stereo is very straightforward. With MP3 discs playing, the system shows ID3-tag information for the current folder and file, as well as (with a press of the Text button) the artist and the track title.
