This vehicle is totally unreal.

We have to start out by saying that we are in the minority on the Expedition. This car has won practically every single award it could--Car and Drivel, Road and Breakdown Lane, and so on down the line. The magazines loved it because it's new, it's different, and it's humongous. Everyone loved it. Except us.

What do we think of it?

We think the Expedition is the Cadillac Fleetwood of sport utility vehicles, in all kinds of ways. It is cushy and comfortable, and squishy and soft. It soaks up bumps and handles huge craters incredibly well. Most of all, though, the Expedition is huge. Get this: it has 17-inch wheels. You don't want to be anywhere near this car if you have to drive into a city. If you live in an urban environment and have to deal with things like parking spaces, sharp turns, or even worse--parking garages--stay as far away from this vehicle as you can. If you live out in the boonies, or if you live in the suburbs and don't drive into the city very often, then you can consider it.

This vehicle has a tremendous capacity to carry people. We drove this car into Harvard Square one evening, and we comfortably fit eight people in it. Once we got to the parking garage, however, we discovered that it would not fit! It was too high. It fit in the next parking garage we went to, but only after a tremendous amount of hassle backing the thing into a normal-sized spot. What a pain in the butt!

Mechanically, we have to praise it. It was a wonderfully smooth engine and transmission. It's much more comfortable than you'd ever expect a big truck to be. If you need a huge vehicle for camping, towing and similar chores, this is the vehicle for you. The direct competitors are the Tahoe and the Chevy Suburban, if you're shopping around. This is a much nicer vehicle than the Suburban, however. It is nicely made, and it felt strong and rugged. But, c'mon--nothing should have 17-inch wheels unless it has the Gross Vehicle Weight printed on the side in big letters and a DOT permit!

This is a guy's vehicle--big and powerful. Several women--including our own Catherine Patooty Ray--commented that it didn't feel "cozy." Of course it doesn't feel cozy. The Expedition is cavernous! The only way it'll feel cozy is if you're male and weigh more than 280 pounds. Also, a word of warning to you single guys: based on two important criteria, the Expedition is not a babe magnet:

Criterion #1: Women appeared to be intimidated by it.

Criterion #2: Several truck drivers walked over and told us that *we* looked good in it!

View cars.com model report on this vehicle.

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