Big Is Beautiful
Ford creates the world’s largest SUV in the Excursion

FORD has long made its name as a manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks adaptable for just about any job. One area they have left to the competition is the full-size sport utility segment dominated by GM’s Suburban. With an explosion in the SUV segment, Ford owners have had to make do with smaller options like the Explorer.

No more. Ford has entered the market in a big way with its Excursion. A true full-size SUV, the four door Ford includes many of the features that buyers request in this segment. Size is one of them. Studies indicated that people wanted a vehicle that could comfortably seat up to nine along with the occupants’ luggage. The Excursion fully utilizes its nearly 19 feet length by taking a long wheelbase and pushing the wheels farther out to the edge.

Take a quick look at the Excursion and you immediately notice the prominent chrome grill and halogen lights. Ford’s design implies a sense of stability and strength, a look that should appeal to buyers in this fairly conservative product market. The muscular stance is eye-catching, but the height-to-length ratio is the real positive design feature that adds up to usable space on the inside.

That translates to a roomy interior. There is a great sense of expansiveness, giving everyone room to stretch and relax on trips. Head and legroom is generous, even for back-seat passengers. The standard cargo capacity is over 48 cubic feet, terrific for anything you might need to take on a trip.

Comfort and convenience are important points to consider in a vehicle that has to deal with a rough-and-tumble environment (full-size SUVs are more prone to tackle the wilderness than their smaller, mall-cruising cousins).
The Excursion’s driver’s seating position gives an excellent vantage-point to things both inside and out. Large windows offer good visibility with minimal blind-spots and controls are straight-forward, intelligently designed with large buttons and knobs. Many luxury appointments are also available, including leather seating and separate heating and A/C for rear seat passengers.

Safety was another important point to Ford. Standard conveniences include a four wheel, anti-lock braking system, driver and passenger air bags, a passive anti-theft system and a remote keyless entry. Side impact door beams round-out the safety features.

Sharing the road with other vehicles is an important point with Ford. Due to its size, concerns were voiced on how the Excursion would behave in a crash. To make it more compatible with cars, the Excursion is outfitted with a new frontal crash underride protection system, called BlockerBeam. Fitted behind and under the front bumper, this hollow cross member is designed to dissipate energy in a crash and prevent smaller vehicles from riding under the Excursion in an accident.

The Excursion took many of its internal parts from Ford’s super duty F-Series trucks. Its chassis and suspension were modified and upgraded for extra rigidity, comfort and towing capacity. In fact, the Excursion can haul over 10,000 pounds!

The Ford engineers did a trick by taking a something the size of the Excursion and giving it such a good all-around ride. At first, it’s hard to imagine an SUV the size of the Excursion having the utility and comfort that Ford drivers have grown to expect, but it’s been done. The Excursion is the newest option in the crowded sport-ute field.

Chris Taylor is managing director of The Lane Report and an auto enthusiast.

Back to February Issue

Back to Automotive Index

Copyright 1996-98, by Kentucky Business Online, LLC.  All rights reserved.

Editorial content is copyright 1998, Lane Communications Group
All editorial materials is fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without prior permission. 

Buzzword and the Buzzword balloon are registered trademarks of Buzzword, Inc.  The Lane Report is a trademark of Lane Communications Group.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.