2007 Ford Expedition |
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by Jack Chinelli Back in ’98, chrome was entering its twenties and the Expedition was the truck of choice for rappers and their lyrics. Since then, SUVs have been one-upped by big-body sedans. Now there’s a new question for FoMoCo: can the ’07 Ford Expedition bring ’utes back in style? It’s daring you to lace it with 26s, that’s for sure. Hit up nine of ya closest boys and girls, and pack ’em deep. The titanic EL is nearly 15 inches longer than a standard Expedition. You’ll have to learn to trust your mirrors, because seeing out of the EL is a chore whether you’re dolo or deep—with nine passengers, you’ll have enough backseat-driver drama to make ya head spin. Getting you and yours to the hotspot is an in-dash 6.5-inch DVD navi. Unsolved Mysteries will be all over it—leave your prints, it’s a touch screen. The gargantuan doors slam with a Bazooka Tube-like thud. Buckle up and adjust all things jumbo, and peep Ford’s bold redesign. It’s fresh and up-to-date. Unless you ride with a live crew, there’s no need to shout over each other, ’cause the ’07 has new sound-deadening material on the firewall and extra insulation in every nook and cranny. It makes the belly of the beast quiet enough to enjoy the sounds of DVD movies. Yup, the flip-down backseat 8-inch flat screen is crispy, and matched to a decently But bobbing around town is something your back-back-seaters won’t do. Ease up on the gas pedal to control oceanic body roll. The all-new independent rear suspension takes hits painlessly like De La Hoya—but dips like him, too. Three 6 Mafia recalls in “Ridin’ Spinners” how they used to be clean in an Expedition. Almost 10 years later, RIDES bets that you can ride clean again. expedition photography Mat Szwajkos /// ILLUSTRATIONs Brett Millard Specs
Rating 4 /// Damage $31,135 ($39,765 as tested) Interior It’s surprising to see wood grain done so well in a Ford—instead of plasticky wood, the finish is matte. Nice touch. The cup holders are so deep you’ll lose your iPod while it’s plugged into the aux-in jack. Nicer touch! Exterior The ’07 is clean without being too slab-sided. If you’re a Ford fan, dig the three-bar grille that’s been lifted and grafted from the F-Series pickup. Ford can’t let go of kick-panel body cladding, but it’s smoothed out for ’07. Twenty-inchers optional. Floss Factor It’s a bold pavement basher demanding 22s or better. You can work it as the ill whip to arrive in, or just drive yourself. The standard and the Magnum-sized EL will both fulfill your desire for street presence. Flaw Factor In ’98, Big Pun associated the Expedition with narcs. It’s still true; in the wrong color (white, light silver), the Expedition looks like a fleet car.
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