Test Drove
reviewed by Colette Fischer

Blissful Seating

By: Colette Fischer

Test drove: 9/26/2006 to 10/2/2006

I used to view space as a trivial luxury (the thought of a walk-in closet as my bedroom comes to mind). Since then, breathing room has become part of the very fiber of my being. Oddly enough, my ability to keep a small apartment tidy in the past proved to be much harder than I currently find maintaining a whole house (and that includes the accompanying family). The secret is space and storage. As long as I'm able to find a "home" for an item, I can expeditiously whisk it out of sight. Consequently, I am continuously on a quest for more efficient use of space (probably also in part due to my need for a sliver of control, considering that the concept of control with children is ever eluding me.)

Needless to say, I enjoy and occasionally even achieve organizational tranquility. As I step into the Ford Expedition and take advantage of the glorious third row, that same sense of serenity envelops me. Each child is assigned a seat in their own row ("space and storage"), and I revel in the silence that endures in the absence of a heated squabble here or a toy tug there. Even when there's a peep from the third row, the sound has an almost muffled quality, not the customary ear-splitting level.

I also absolutely adore the second-row captain's chairs, which open up the vehicle beautifully and allow me to easily scurry into the back to adjust the DVD player. Said DVD player occupies the kids in the parked car with Grandma on a rainy day, while I run a quick errand. Upon my return to the parked vehicle, the Ford Expedition reminds me of a lived-in RV ... the DVD is playing, the kids are out of their seats, giggling and dancing about while Grandma "Oma" prepares an elaborate snack. I realize I could have easily extended my stop before even the fear of cabin fever would have set in.

Once under way again, I find that the lowered DVD screen (which can be stowed away when not in use), coupled with the third row in full seating position/headrests raised completely blocks my rear view of the road. So much so that I refuse to drive with the DVD lowered unless on the highway, and even there I'm uncomfortable with the lack of sight. To mitigate the situation, my options are to either fold the vacant third row headrest down, stow away the unused headrests in the second row, do without the DVD, or collapse the third-row seats. I opt to get rid of the headrests, as I'm not willing to compromise the harmonious ride by moving my kindergartner from the third row to the second row.

I do, however, have the opportunity to test out the collapse of the 60/40-split third-row seats when additional room in the cargo area is required. I simply pushed a button and the seats immediately and automatically folded down. No tugging, hauling or broken fingernails, just that simple push and I'd gained my cargo space. Additionally, a safety feature I find reassuring is that the rear gate, which also closes with the mere push of a button, senses our backpack in its path (which easily could have been my 2-year-old) and automatically opens back up.

Hydration for the family is easy to come by in the Ford Expedition, as there is no shortage of cupholders. Both the front and second rows boast two cupholders and a bottle holder in each door, making it easy to organize my sippy-cup and water-bottle battalion for the day. Furthermore, the third row has three cupholders, enabling my kindergartner to keep his snacks and drinks close at hand.

I welcome the optional reverse-sensing feature in the Expedition, but would feel much more at ease with a backup camera to keep this big vehicle in check. When I say big, I also refer to its appetite for gasoline. While driving, I had to make a concerted effort not to keep staring at the rapidly dropping gas gauge.

A few of the other luxuries I enjoyed were the heated/cooled driver and passenger seats (so nice) and the navigation system. On a separate note, the retro-inspired dash has me longing for an easy-to-read, contemporary look. A small black screen with archaic green writing notified me that the rear glass was ajar. I barely noticed the screen, and once I finally did (en route, of course) I was reminded of a dated cell phone display. Mod it up, Ford! But then, if retro is your thing, it's got the look.

All in all, when you can give each child their own row in the Ford Expedition, everyone is more relaxed, making for safer and more pleasant driving. Seven-passenger seating is truly phenomenal and functional, even for a family of four.

*For more information on the Ford Expedition and its safety features, visit www.cars.com. For questions or comments regarding this review, write to .

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