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:
Showing 71 through 80 of 500.00-
have tolike it - 2004 Ford Excursion
By oldhippy - March 9 - 2:00 amI had a suburban before my excursion so im used to big suvs. I like the ex. except I taught I would get better fuel economy .I am a big guy 64tall so its pretty comfortable,except it seems like the front seate are to narrow for someone as big as me. On an overall scale of 1-10 I would give it a 7+
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good job - 2004 Ford Excursion
By matt dillon - February 26 - 2:00 amPoor mileage , But biggest most powerful around. turnning radius narrow . only complaints. dont know about realability
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Great Big Truck - 2004 Ford Excursion
By Jersey Big Dog - February 21 - 2:00 amThis is an excellent family truck, very capable in the snow and tough driving conditions. Fuel economy is what youd expect from this large truck (I avg about 12 mpg combined), power is outstanding, and bad weather capability is exceptional. Forget parallel parking.
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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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I love my Excursion - 2004 Ford Excursion
By teatime - January 13 - 2:00 amThis is my 2nd excursion,the first was a v-8 gas, 8-9 mpg around town. We traded it for a Honda van. We got better gas mileage but lost alot of interior room and security of size. We purchased a 2002 excursion ultimate diesel and we Love it. We will not trade it unless we get another excursion diesel. It is a little better on the gas but love the security and inside room. We also had 2 Suburbans, they had brake problems and did not feel as solid in the ride. The whole family loves the excursion over any of the other vehicles weve owned.
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nice - 2003 Ford Excursion
By kkc04 - January 12 - 2:00 amSlightly underpowered but vehicle is not used to tow anything other than the family around. Very solid road feel and drives nicely on the highway.
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oxcursion - 2004 Ford Excursion
By brad summitt - January 11 - 2:00 ami love my truck. it pulls my camper everywhere i go. gas mileage really stinks. (12.2 avg)
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satisfied customer - 2002 Ford Excursion
By smatre - December 29 - 2:00 amI have driven my diesel excursion for 71,000 trouble free miles. Used it from around town to towing, etc. I have towed 11,500 lbs from Sebrign, Fl to NC with the cruise on. My wife even drove!! It has been reliable, inexpensive vehicle to own. A little laborious to use to run to the grocery store, but if you are o the highway, it is a great truck. Pluses. Doesnt hydroplane in the WORST rainstorms, Great power 20+ MPG highway Good brakes for a vehicle of this size Handles ANY tagalong trailer you can throw at it. Good seating position drawbacks: Dont rush to get anywhere or you could get into trouble Probably could handle a little better.
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superior - 2003 Ford Excursion
By marie sanchez - December 20 - 2:00 ami love my 2003 excursion. the only negative comment i can think of is its bad in gas. other then that the ride is nice the appearnace is there.
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Good Start for Model Run - 2000 Ford Excursion
By John Kalinoski - December 1 - 2:00 amMaintenence is best left to those that deal with big diesels as there is more oil in there than any of the weekend warrior types can change easily.
