(WWJ) “Just stay in the ruts. You will feel the vehicle ground out. But that’s what we have skid plates for.”
The voice crackling on a two way radio made that thump sound a little less worrisome as I took a Ford Expedition Tremor through an off road course at Indiana’s Interlake State Park.
“The ride is smooth and plush,” says Kartik Ramanathan, Expedition Vehicle Engineering Manager. “Communication between the first and third row is a breeze, because you don’t need to raise your voice levels.”
You may recall I said the Expedition’s sister vehicle—the Lincoln Navigator—was all about relaxation. My off road experience in the Tremor was anything but relaxing. More on that coming up, but first some general driving impressions from the Expedition.
It’s huge, but doesn’t feel like that when behind the wheel. The 400 horsepower engine really moves the vehicle with decent fuel economy.
BlueCruise is much improved. Less handing back control. More stability in your lane. However, it still didn’t like my sunglasses, as I was told several times to put my eyes back on the road, when they were already firmly planted in that direction.
The platinum trim feels like a luxury vehicle. That’s important because there are many people who want all of the amenities, but don’t want the luxury badge. The split gate in the back makes it easier to deal with cargo. Coming soon, an attachment in the back of the headrest to secure your phone or tablet as back seat passengers watch video or play games.
You can get in on the video action on the main screen…while parked. You can stream YouTube videos, and also watch instructional videos.
You may need them because some of the minor things you need to do—like adjust your steering wheel have become more complex.
And the new Tremor trim is a blast. Like the Tremors in Ford’s truck lineup, this vehicle takes you off road. There’s enough technology to help a novice like me take to the trail.
Talking to some of these customers, we’ve learned that they want to take it to the next level,” says Ramanathan. “They want to have these epic family adventures and take their family off the grid”
The special off-road mode is enough for most people…but there is a rock crawling mode, and there are special trail modes for one pedal driving. Cameras everywhere certainly help your visibility…and there are even lines on the pictures to show you where to place your tires.
All of this helped me navigate some narrow trails, with tight turns and trees that were very close to the road. The mud from recent rains actually added to the sense of adventure.
A bump here, a slip there and an occasional oops, and you have it down. I kept repeating “It’s their vehicle, not mine” but I did bring it back without a scratch. A lot of mud, but no scratches.
We did all of this driving practically in the shadow of the Ford Kentucky Truck plant, one of Ford’s largest, with nine thousand employees. In addition to building the Expedition, the plant makes its sister vehicle, the Lincoln Navigator, as well as the big Super Duty pickups. It recently received some major upgrades.
“Five hundred million dollars for Expedition,” says Kentucky Truck Plant Manager Joe Closurdo. ”Really focusing on innovation and our quality operating system to really put a product in the marketplace that our customers really, really respect.”
With so many choices, the 2025 Ford Expedition isn’t for everybody. But somebody who has to haul a lot of people and stuff could find it a vehicle that fills the bill.