Overview & Reviews

From its yacht-like boulevard cruisers of the early '70s to its more recent Super Duty pickups, Ford has long catered to buyers with king-sized transportation needs. The Ford Excursion followed in this tradition. This full-size SUV was manufactured between 2000 and 2005, and holds the distinction of being the longest and heaviest sport-utility vehicle ever produced.

With seating for up to nine passengers and a tow rating of 11,000 pounds (when properly equipped), the Excursion was mecca for SUV buyers with super-sized hauling needs. But its gargantuan proportions came at a price. Driving and parking a vehicle of this scale presented major challenges. And as you'd expect, fuel economy was dismal.

The Ford Excursion ultimately fell victim to high gas prices. Declining sales prompted Ford to retire the mega-size SUV after the 2005 model year. If you need a big SUV but not necessarily one that's the biggest in its class, we'd encourage you to explore less unwieldy, more fuel-efficient alternatives. But a used Ford Excursion could be a decent choice for those who have a genuine need for this level of roominess and towing capability.

Most Recent Ford Excursion

Built on Ford's F-250 Super Duty truck platform, the four-door Ford Excursion was the largest SUV in Ford's lineup, based on overall size and interior room. It was available with either two- or four-wheel drive.

In its first year of production, the Excursion was offered in just two trim levels: the base XLT and the more upscale Limited. The Eddie Bauer trim level made its debut in model year 2003 as a midlevel alternative, falling between the XLT and the Limited. In 2004, trim levels were revised to reflect the following hierarchy: base XLS, XLT, Eddie Bauer and top-of-the-line Limited.

Excursions were initially available with three engines. The standard engine on both XLTs and Limiteds was a 5.4-liter V8 good for 255 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, with both a 310-hp 6.8-liter V10 and a 235-hp 7.3-liter turbodiesel V8 offered as options. In 2001, the 7.3-liter turbodiesel saw its power increase to 250 hp. The Excursion's 7.3-liter turbodiesel was phased out in 2004 to make way for a new 325-hp, 6.0-liter turbodiesel V8 that also offered more torque and cleaner emissions.

All engines were governed by a four-speed automatic transmission, except for the 6.0-liter turbodiesel, which had a five-speed automatic. In a test involving a 2000 Ford Excursion equipped with the 6.8-liter V10, our editors averaged just 12.4 mpg in combined city and highway driving. Of all these choices, the 6.0-liter turbodiesel was the pick of the litter: With 560 lb-ft of torque, it was best suited for hauling heavy loads, and it delivered the best cruising range to boot.

Base-model Excursions boasted a generous standard features list, offering amenities like a rear air-conditioner, cruise control, full power accessories and a CD player. Pricier trim levels got you goodies like rear audio controls, power-adjustable pedals, a premium audio system and heated front seats. Options like an in-dash six-disc CD changer and a DVD-based rear-seat entertainment system were available across some trim levels.

The Excursion's interior was more utilitarian than elegant, with a no-frills dashboard that came courtesy of the Super Duty pickup. Top-tier trim levels were a bit more stylish. The Eddie Bauer model featured a cabin with a two-tone color scheme, and the Limited trim offered an interior with cherry wood accents. Nine passengers could be seated in XLS and XLT models; other models seated only eight as a result of their front captain's chairs. Excursions offered 146.4 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. This is the most capacity ever offered in a full-size SUV, but it still felt short of the cubic footage available in a full-size van -- arguably a better choice for large families.

In editorial reviews, the Ford Excursion's size prevented it from scoring high marks as a daily driver. Steering feel was vague, and ride quality was rough and bouncy. Routine trips down the expressway were a chore, as continual steering correction was needed to keep the big Ford from wandering out of its lane. Acceleration was leisurely no matter which drivetrain you selected, as the engines were tasked with motivating more than 7,000 pounds of vehicle. In consumer reviews, the Excursion was praised for its roomy interior and panned for its interior styling and poor fuel economy.

Past Ford Excursions

On the market for a mere five years, the Ford Excursion was a single-generation vehicle. Although we think GM's heavy-duty series Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL are better choices on the used market, if you're dead set on getting an Excursion, we'd recommend a 2004 or 2005 model with the optional 6.0-liter turbodiesel.

User Reviews:

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  My Big Black X - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By Chip - February 12 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle does it ALL. I sold my RAM2500 4wd V10 and got this. The ram was good, THIS THING IS GREAT. Towing, fuel economy, power...AWESOME!! My wife was terrified to drive it at first (used to her 5 series BMW) but now I have to fight with her to drive it. She loves it. The only problem is I cant fit it in the garage. Oh well. After I lift it, it wouldnt fit in there anyway. Buy one if youre in the market.

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  My Big Black X - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By chip - February 12 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle does it ALL. I sold my RAM2500 4wd V10 and got this. The ram was good, THIS THING IS GREAT. Towing, fuel economy, power...AWESOME!! My wife was terrified to drive it at first (used to her 5 series BMW) but now I have to fight with her to drive it. She loves it. The only problem is I cant fit it in the garage. Oh well. After I lift it, it wouldnt fit in there anyway. Buy one if youre in the market.

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  MOM NEEDED MORE ROOM - 2002 Ford Excursion
  By mom of 3 - February 9 - 2:00 am

  This the best suv I have ever driven. Love the Excursion, would definitly buy another. We are a family of 5 and all are tall. Has the most enormous amount of space and leg room. Traveling is great again... Wouldnt buy any other

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  I love my X - 2001 Ford Excursion
  By esther - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I got my X last year and we love it. This big mama can carry a whole army of kids with room to spare. Fuel economy is excellent with a powerstoke diesel engine. 23 highway and 19-20 on city streets. This big baby does better on gas than my caravan did.

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  I love my X - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By esther - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I used to drive a Chrysler mini van and moved up for more space. Diesel is the only way to go with this X. I get better gas mileage with my X than I did with my van. 23 on highways. 19- 20 city. I love all the room and cargo space.

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  THE BEST EVER - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By AUSTIN - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I had home depot forklift a pallet of cement into my excursion. It holds 18 sheets of drywall, 75 2x4s or 750 12"X12" tiles. I can fit 5 people and five mountain bikes in sides with all gear. I tow a tractor and dump trailer with it. It safely takes me and seven guess while pulling a 21 foot 4500lb boat at 80 mph (13.5 mpg) to lake powell and the engine temp dosnt change. drove to vegas with 8 people, stoped for gas once!!! 16.8mpg

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  Excellent Excursion - 2000 Ford Excursion
  By Matt c - February 6 - 2:00 am

  This is the vehicle for large families large cargo and large towing. We love the heated seats and mileage is 12 MPG around town and 17 MPG on the road with a V10. Sad to see Ford not continuing production. Those that own one, appreciate its quality. When compared to the Suburban, it has a much better materials and build quality.

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  Id definately buy another/ - 2000 Ford Excursion
  By pkd - January 27 - 2:00 am

  Have a need for lots of space and 4wd, definately HUGE vehicle, but so what, its better than needing to haul my family and gear with two mini vans. I would buy another and may do so even thoug this is their last year. 11.2- 11.9 are my average mpg ratings on the on board computer, and I find it to be close to accurate, but thats not much worse than my old Explorer (13) or my friends Expedition (12.4) Too bad Ford did not bother to promote this vehicle for what it is, a TRUCK with room for 8 and their gear without giving in to the whiners who have never had to drive a while in a blizzard.

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  Deisel Powered SUV - 2003 Ford Excursion
  By E H - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive, a safe well designed SUV. Mine is a 2000 model and is deisel.Theres nothing it cant handel on or off road.Oh by the way for all you folks who think its hard to park in town your wrong Im a women and can park it better then most guys in pick up trucks. Turning ratio is far better than my last SUV a Suburban 2500. Yes I would buy another one. Also, deisel is cheaper than gas and gets better milage than the gas model. Runs smooth & quite.

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  2001 Excursion - 2001 Ford Excursion
  By dankole - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has done absolutly everthing that I have needed it to do