2004 Ford Expedition

With seating up to nine people in three rows, the interior also features standard adjustable foot pedals, available in-dash six-CD changer, power moonroof and DVD-based rear seat entertainment system.

The independent rear suspension keeps body lean in turns to a minimum. Under hard braking, forward weight transfer is reduced because of the suspension and the braking system, which has 13-inch front rotors and 13.5-inch rear rotors, stiff calipers, standard anti-lock, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution technologies. Ford says brake assist can reduce "real world" braking distance by as much as 20 percent. Steering feel is enhanced by a variable-assist rack and pinion system.


The Expedition is available in 4x2 and 4x4 versions. The standard 4x4 system is ControlTrac, which splits torque between front and rear axles. The optional AdvanceTrac electronic stability enhancement system adds left/right torque distribution and comes with anti-spin technology that can apply braking forces to a single wheel to help the Expedition follow driver steering input on slick roads. But even with such technology, accidents happen. The Expedition can be equipped with tire-pressure monitors, a Safety Canopy System with rollover sensor that has side-curtain air bags that can stay inflated for as long as six seconds in a rollover situation, and front airbags that work with front seat-track sensors to adjust deployment to the driver's size and position.


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. The third-row seat has a power-fold option that's available in cloth on all XLT models for 2004. Equip any Expedition with a second-row bench-style seat and the center section can slide forward nearly 11 inches, to give the driver or front-seat passenger easier access to a young child sitting in that center position.

The Expedition's 232-hp 4.6-liter version 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.

The interior also features satin-steel finish trim, standard adjustable pedals, reclining second-row seats and such options as Premium leather trim seating surfaces, climate-controlled (heated and cooled) front seats, an in-dash six-CD changer, navigation radio system, DVD-based rear seat entertainment systems, a power moonroof and rear quarter-panel windows.


At 66.9 inches in front and 67.2 in the rear, the track is more than 1.6 inches wider and the vehicle rides on larger 17-inch wheels. Yet the front ride height is lower, though the leading edge of the hood is four inches higher. Work on the computer and in the wind tunnel give the vehicle a more wind-cheating coefficient of drag.