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When Chevrolet Bought GM (Sort Of)The Ford Excursion Defined Giant SUVs
If bigger is better, then the Ford Excursion might be the greatest SUV of all time. Learn why this mammoth SUV has become a beloved classic.
Automotive Embodiment of American Excess
By the end of the 20th century, the eclipse of the station wagon and minivan by the almighty SUV was nearly complete. Sure, you could still buy a wagon or minivan, but cool moms and dads, fun moms and dads, rugged, adventurous moms and dads drove SUVs even if it was just to ferry kids to soccer practice or make the weekend’s run to the hardware store. If size is the defining feature of the SUV, then the Ford Excursion was the pinnacle of the form. The Excursion was larger than the Suburban, towed like a heavy-duty truck, and offered a cabin more spacious than the cabin at the lake that you were driving to visit.
These superlative SUV credentials ended up being as much a hindrance as a boon for the Excursion. Gas-guzzling behemoths like the Excursion were coming in for criticism as the embodiment of American’s obsession with excess. Too much had never, before, been enough, but in the early 2000s, the country collectively paused for a moment to ask whether giant, inefficient SUV were really necessary (a reflection in part prompted by a spike in gas prices).
The Ford Excursion lasted only six model years, from 2000 through 2005; canceled after a precipitous drop in sales following its 1999 debut. In the intervening decades America decided that yes, the utility of SUVs makes them “worth it,” despite their conspicuous excess. Twenty years later, the uniquely excessive Excursion has gained a bit of a cult following.
To best appreciate the Ford Excursion, we sought out the absolute best example we could find on Carsforsale.com and came up with possibly one of the Excursions still on the road today. This 2003 Ford Excursion Eddie Bauer Edition comes with a specially upgraded interior and the most desirable of the Excursion’s four powertrains, the 7.3L Powerstroke Diesel V8.
What Makes the Ford Excursion Special
What makes the Ford Excursion special? In a word, bigness. The Excursion was the largest mass-produced SUV ever built and based off the then new Ford F-250/350 Super Duty trucks albeit with a unique frame to account for the Excursion’s tall passenger compartment. Indeed, the Excursion was so tall engineers installed a “blocker beam” below the front bumper and made the tow hitch standard to prevent the high-riding vehicle from jumping over other cars in the event of a crash monster truck style. The competing Chevy Suburban measured 219 inches in length while the Excursion measured 226.7 inches. It tipped the scales at 7,200 to 7,700 lbs. (diesel-equipped versions weighing more).
Of course, a gargantuan SUV required a robust powertrain. Ford equipped the Excursion with three different motors. The standard 5.4L Triton V8 made 255 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque. A V10 Triton displaced 6.8L and made 310 horsepower and 425 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Excursion even got a diesel option, harkening to its heavy-duty truck origins. The Powerstroke 7.3L turbodiesel V8 made 250 horsepower and 525 lb.-ft. of torque. Midway through the 2003 model year, Ford swapped out the 7.3L for a smaller and more powerful 6.0L turbodiesel that made 325 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque. Unfortunately, that switch ended up trading an engine, the 7.3L, that has a good-to-great reliability record with one, the 6.0L, that has seen more than its share of problems. One of the Excursion’s primary missions was as a hauler not just of families but of things, heavy things. It delivered on that mission with a tow rating of 11,000 lbs.
Inside the Excursion
In truth, you can find any number of large trucks and SUVs capable of towing your camper or boat. Few, however, will allow you to do that in comfort while taking up to eight of your friends and family with you. The Excursion seats between seven and nine depending on whether either the first or second row captain’s chairs were optioned over the standard bench seating.
As you might guess from its exterior dimensions, the Excursion is absolutely cavernous inside. The third row, typically the province of small kids and large dogs, was able to accommodate even taller adults, offering an impressive 39 inches of legroom.
The Excursion’s interior, while based on the F-250, has a few unique features all its own. The aforementioned third row is treated with its own separate screen for the rear seat entertainment system. The option came with a VHS and/or DVD player and included three screens, two in the second row and a third in the back row. The rear vent windows are power operated, with a switch located in the front seat. As an exceptionally large vehicle, the Excursion has pedal adjustments to better accommodate taller and shorter drivers alike. The Excursion is also the rarest of SUV in that it has full-sized rear doors, no cut out for the rear wheel well required.
Despite its size, the Excursion is often confused with the F-150-based Expedition. Even if you miss the badging, it is easy to pick out the Excursion thanks to its distinctive rear hatch design. Because the Excursion was intended to tow boats, campers, etc., it features a Dutch door style rear hatch that combines swing out barn doors on the bottom half and a standard fold up hatch for the top half. So even if you have the boat hooked up, you can still access the back end via the upper hatch.
The Excursion’s commercial failure was as much a matter of market circumstance as it was any specific deficit of the vehicle. Yes, it was indeed excessive. But that excess also meant the Excursion could cover bases that previous and later SUVs could not. Towing massively heavy loads while also taking the whole family with you was the Excursion’s stated mission. Sure, it meant abysmal fuel economy, but that was the price of admission.
This 2003 Eddie Bauer Edition Ford Excursion
Today, the Ford Excursion is a relative rarity. The initial 2000 model sold decently, moving 69,000 units, but the following years saw sales tank and by the end of the 2005 model year the Excursion had moved roughly 200,000 units in total, far from good enough to justify continuation.
Twenty years on, that means finding an Excursion in good condition can be a challenge. Finding one in excellent condition that’s also a special Eddie Bauer Edition is even more unusual. This 2003 example is from the early part of that model year’s production and received the Excursion’s most sought-after engine, the 7.3L turbodiesel. It also comes equipped with new BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, bull bars up front with headlight guards, and a two-tone Estate Green and tan paint job. The interior sports leather upholstery, bench seating in the second and third rows for a maximum passenger capacity of eight, and a single screen rear seat entertainment system with DVD player.
Due to its rarity, 7.3L diesel engine, and sterling condition (just 42,867 original miles), this 2003 Ford Excursion is priced at $89,900.
