2003 Ford Expedition

When Ford introduced its full-size sport-utility vehicle in 1997, the Expedition was based on the F-150 pickup-truck platform. That's the way SUVs were built: Take an existing truck chassis, make some necessary modifications and bolt on an SUV body with two rows of seats where the pickup bed used to be.

The interior can be configured to seat as many as nine people in three rows. The second and third rows fold flat if you need to carry cargo instead of passengers.

But for 2003, Ford has given the Expedition its own, purpose-built platform. The new version is wider, lower and stronger, and has independent rear suspension instead of a truck-style live axle. The advantages, says Ford, are many, but the main ones are improved ride and handling, easier egress and a second- and third-row fold-flat seating system that provides a flat cargo floor without having to remove the rear seats.


Also new on the 2003 Expedition are the exterior design, the interior styling, safety technologies and a new off-road package. Powertrains have been improved and towing capacity has been increased to 8,900 pounds. However, pricing has barely changed. In fact, the base price for the XLT remains $31,295 and the upmarket Eddie Bauer version starts at $41,935, only $110 more than the 2002 model.


The best-selling Expedition is the XLT 4x4 outfit with the larger of the Triton V-8 engines, the 260-horsepower 5.4-liter, and the Popular option group: 3.73 limited-slip axle, running boards, dual media rear-passenger auxiliary heat and air conditioning controls in an overhead console, HomeLink garage-door opener, 17-inch alloy wheels and all-terrain tires. This package carries an MSRP of $37,235 (including destination and delivery charges).

Although both of the Expedition's Triton engines may seem familiar, the 232-hp 4.6-liter version has an all-new?and lighter?alloy block and the 5.4-liter has a new cast iron block.

Although both of the Expedition's Triton engines may seem familiar, the 232-hp 4.6-liter version has an all-new—and lighter—alloy block while the 5.4-liter gets a new cast-iron block. Ford emphasizes that both new blocks were designed to run more quietly while producing more power at fewer rpm. The 4.6 provides 291 lb.-ft. of torque and the 5.4 makes 350, with 90 percent of that grunt available at a mere 1,870 rpm. Ford also touts the stout rear differentials that come with each engine and says that power plus strength equal towing capacity.