Car Lines
by Larry Mason
2001 Ford Excursion Limited

Journalism | New Car Reviews

Whoever said size doesn't matter hasn't driven a Ford Excursion lately. In what's touted as the biggest SUV on the road today, Ford wanted to make more than just an impression of having the biggest SUV, but also the best. Did they succeed? Well that depends on whom you talk to. Let's take a look at the intimate details and you decide.

Like George Foreman, the Excursion packs a powerful punch - that's punch not lunch! It takes a big heart to make a champion (or to reduce a Grinch). The heart of the Excursion is Ford's Triton V10 engine that punches out 310 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque. Even though the Excursion weighs in at a hefty 6,734 pounds, it still jumps off the line like Ali used to finish off his rope a dope.

In my combination of city/highway driving, I averaged 11.3 mpg. Of course that's not very good, but it's also not as bad as I thought it would be.

Riding on voluminous Firestone Steeltex R4S LT265/75/16 tires, the Excursion's ride quality surprised me - in a good way. Whether you're driving alone or with seven of your closest friends, the ride is smooth yet firm. The only time you'll find excessive harshness is over abrupt expansion joints or post earthquake freeway overpasses. Steering feel is responsive for it's size meaning that on-center feel is good and steering weight feels right. Even with as good and responsive as everything feels, you won't forget the magnanimous size of the vehicle you're driving. Acceleration, braking, and transitional handling are still limited by Newton's laws of motion. For as much air as you're pushing out of the way on the highway, the Excursion is fairly quiet.

Climb inside and you'll find enough room for Evander Holyfield and almost all of his kids. The Excursion will transport eight people comfortably with numerous comfort and convenience features to satisfy the fussy back seat drivers. The step rails are wide and useful. Furthermore, they're lighted both front and rear for ease of entry at night. Cupholders and storage spaces abound both front and rear while the rear seat passengers also have their own lighting, powerpoints, A/C, and music controls (including headphone outlets). Fit, finish, trim, and quality standards are standard Ford fare - meaning crisp, clean, and pleasing to the eye. The nice thing about Ford products is their attention to ergonomic design. You can jump into any Ford product and feel comfortable immediately with your surroundings. The all-analog dash is flanked on the left by oil pressure, battery voltage, water temperature, and fuel gauge while the middle has a large speedometer and on the right is the tachometer.

Here in Southern California, Ford's TV spokesperson is former "Bionic Woman" Lindsey Wagner. Her new commercial takes a fond look back at a Taurus station wagon with a litter of puppies coming out the back. Now she has an Excursion with full-grown dogs that rumble out the rear. The idea being that the Excursion is capable of anything. Unfortunately, if you want the maximum towing capability on the market, Excursion's size limits its ability (10,000 pound trailer weight). Both Dodge and GM have greater towing capacity - not by much but enough to make the statement if you're either one of those manufacturers.

If you need the room and power or if you just want to make a statement, the Excursion could be for you. At only $36,800 it's quite a bargain. If you're an environmentalist, steer clear, but at least take solace in the fact that as a whole, Ford's SUVs are among the industries cleanest on the market. Don't take a short trip, take an Excursion!

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Larry Mason