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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Excursio - 2004 Ford Excursion
By Sheonemo - February 7 - 2:00 amExcursion is the best SUV in the world!! You can haul like any and evrything that you can think of and still have room for the kids, their stuff and yours as well!! The only thing is that you would come out alot better (fuel wise)if you were to purchase the diesel engine. The gas engine burns alot within the city, but on the highway the gas hibernates!!
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BEST SUV ON ROAD FOR SIZE - 2004 Ford Excursion
By HIRAM 1 - February 4 - 2:00 amTHE VERY BEST TOO BAD FORD IS GIVING INTO THE ENVIROMENTALIST. THIS IS YOUR LAST YEAR TO BUY AN EXCURSION. I BOUGHT MY 2ND ONE WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY FIRST ONE JUST TO PICK UP 2 YEARS ON MODEL.
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Great Vehicle to Drive - 2002 Ford Excursion
By OMB - February 3 - 2:00 amWe love our Excursion! We use it to tow a boat as well as a horse trailer. This is a great tow vehicle. Very comfortabe on trips, it has a great ride on the highway and has tons of power under the hood!
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Great Family Vehicle - 2004 Ford Excursion
By derb - February 2 - 2:00 amWe take our kids, their friends, our friends- a lot of people on short trips, family vacations etc. With our gear and family we can fit everything. It drives great and I always feel SAFE! It is hard to park sometimes, but I find it easier to BACK into a space. You get used to it and now I cant stand to ride in a small car.
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We love Excursions! - 2003 Ford Excursion
By Dr. Ken - January 31 - 2:00 amThis is our second Excursion.We love them!We have 7 kids and this is our favorite for hauling around the crew.3rd seat is most accessable of anything in its class.The load space is tops,the ride is good and the seats are great.It is heavy and doesnt get blown around,but it is tireing to steer for long distances.
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great truck - 2004 Ford Excursion
By gillian - January 26 - 2:00 ampeople say the Excursion is a big gas guzzler try this 18city/25.3hwy per gal.
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joe`s review - 2004 Ford Excursion
By jojoe - January 26 - 2:00 amthe power(deisel),the mileage,the comfort and safety are top notch for a truck this size. and by the way it is a TRUCK not a suv.
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Ford Excursion - 2004 Ford Excursion
By Destra - January 25 - 2:00 amThe excursion is a great SUV but its fuel economy is very poor. the excursion`s relability needs to improve.The peformance is also bad.How can you pay over $40,000 for an SUV that doesn`t perform well.
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7.3 ltr and love it - 2004 Ford Excursion
By tiny wife - January 24 - 2:00 amWe just got back from 6100 miles trip out west, best mileage 20.1, and 17.6 over all. roomiest vehicle ever owned wolud like diffrent front center console, one that would convert to a seat like some others out there. just rotated tires and balanced them, also checked alignment wasnt off enough to change and brakes looked like they never been used. not bad with 13100 miles in just short of six monthes.it didnt come with a rear sway bar so we added one makes big difference.
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2004 Excursion eddie bauer deisel - 2004 Ford Excursion
By deank - January 22 - 2:00 amWithout a doubt the roomy interior and averaging 17 miles per gallon combined highway and city driving with the powerfull and smooth deisel engine made this an easy decision for me and my towing and cargo needs
