2
0
Large SUV; Built in USA
  • 4-door wagon
  • longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $3,500 – $11,000*


2000 Ford Excursion Limited


2000 Ford Excursion Limited


2001 Ford Excursion interior


2001 Ford Excursion


2001 Ford Excursion

Pros:
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Seat comfort
  • Trailer-towing capability
Cons:
  • Fuel economy
  • Maneuverability
  • Rear visibility

Massive size and weight are serious drawbacks for anything intended to be used as a “suburban utility vehicle.” The Excursion is simply too cumbersome for ordinary driving, suffering abysmal fuel economy as well as impaired mobility. Towing capacity and four-wheel drive are the positive points.

Overview

Somebody always has to be the biggest. In the case of full-size sport utility vehicles, Ford took that prize with the introduction of the Excursion. The world’s largest and heaviest SUV, it was 7.4 inches longer than the Chevrolet Suburban, on a wheelbase 7 inches longer, and 6 inches taller. The Excursion also was some 1,900 pounds heavier, tipping the scales at more than 7,000 pounds.

Critics from the environmental and safety camps were quick to take aim at the Excursion as an example of wretched automotive excess and waste. Ford responded by noting that all three available engines ranked as LEV (low emission vehicle), and that the Excursion made extensive use of recycled materials. In addition, a new BlockerBeam was installed. This was a steel crossmember below the front bumper, designed to prevent a passenger car from sliding under the Excursion in a crash.

Based on Ford’s 3/4-ton F-Series pickup trucks, the Excursion came in XLT and Limited trim, with either rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. The body had four side doors as well as center-opening rear half-doors below a one-piece, top-hinged tailgate window. Seating as many as nine occupants, the Excursion competed against the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and GMC’s Yukon/Yukon XL/Denali–all of which had seemed quite large until Ford set a new dimensional peak.

Base engine was a 5.4-liter V8. A V10 was standard with four-wheel drive, and optional with two-wheel drive. Ford’s turbodiesel V8 also was available. All engines drove a four-speed automatic transmission.

The four-wheel-drive system shifted between 2WD and 4-High or 4-Low via a dashboard switch, but was not intended for use on dry pavement. Ford’s smaller but full-size Expeditions, and GM rivals, had 4WD systems that could function on dry surfaces. Antilock braking was standard, but side-impact airbags were not available. An optional reverse-sensing system warned of objects in the Excursion’s path while backing up.

Front bucket seats were standard in the Limited, and available in the XLT to replace its three-place bench. Both versions had a fold-down second-row bench and a removable third-row bench. Leather upholstery was standard in the Limited, optional in the XLT.

Yearly Updates

2001 Excursion
For 2001, the turbodiesel engine gained 15 horsepower. Foglamps became standard on the Limited, along with mirrors that contained built-in turn signals.
2002 Excursion
Power-adjustable brake and throttle pedals were optional on XLT and XLT Premium Excursions, and standard on the Limited and Limited Ultimate. On the Ultimate, they came with a seat/pedal memory feature. An optional rear-seat video entertainment system included a VCR and wireless headphones, with a DVD system expected later in the model year. An in-dash six-CD changer also was optional. When properly equipped, Excursions could tow as much as 11,000 pounds.
2003 Excursion
At midyear Ford switched turbodiesel V8s, from the 7.3 liter with 250 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque to the 6.0 with 325 and 550. It mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. A new Eddie Bauer sloted between the base XLT line and top-range Limited models. It was distinguished by front and rear body-color trim set off by beige accents
2004 Excursion
No significant changes were made for 2004.
2005 Excursion
The largest SUV sold in America got minor cosmetic changes for 2005.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive

At introduction the base engine was Ford’s 5.4-liter V8. Optional was a V10 that made an impressive 425 pounds-feet of torque. Also available was a 7.4-liter turbodiesel V8. All mated to 4-speed automatic transmissions. In mid-2003 Ford switched to a new smaller, but more powerful diesel. It displaced 6.0-liters but made 325 horsepower and 550 pounds-feet of torque. It mated to a new 5-speed manual.

Turbodiesel ohc V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 7.3/444
Engine HP 235-250
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 500-505
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 15/18
ohc V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 5.4/330
Engine HP 255
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 350
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 NA
ohc V10
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 6.8/415
Engine HP 310
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 425
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 NA

 10.8
Turbodiesel ohv V8
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 6.0/363
Engine HP 325
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 550
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed automatic

 NA

Road Test

Both the V10 engine and the turbodiesel get this heavyweight up to cruising speed fairly quickly. Passing power is impressive, aided by smooth, prompt downshifts. A 2WD V10 Limited averaged 10.8 mpg–one of the lowest figures we’ve recorded.

A stable straight-line cruiser, the Excursion easily soaks up most broken pavement, but bigger bumps register rather sharply. Though not really ponderous in normal driving, steering is rather light but slow-responding. Curb-to-curb turning diameter is almost 50 feet, so swinging into a driveway or parking lot can be a chore. Stopping power feels strong and brakes are easily modulated, but stopping distances are long. Wind rush and road roar are suppressed quite well. The diesel idles noisily but cruises without fuss.

Eight adults fit without painful squeezing. Second-row passengers enjoy exceptional leg room. The driver’s seat is comfortable, but a wide transmission tunnel intrudes somewhat into the front passenger’s footwell. Even with all seats in place, cargo volume is a class-leading 48 cubic feet. The one-piece third-row bench folds nearly flat and can be removed, though it’s heavy and cumbersome.

Gauges are easy to see. Controls are well within the driver’s reach, though the steering wheel partially conceals the 4WD switch. Forward visibility is fine, but a smaller vehicle can hide along the Excursion’s tall flanks, demanding caution. Four-wheel-drive models ride three inches higher than 2WD Excursions, but entry/exit isn’t bad. Running boards provide a useful foothold, rear doors are long, and clearance to the back seat is adequate.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2001 Ford Excursion XLT w/V10, 4WD

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 3
30%
Fuel Economy - 1
10%
Ride Quality - 3
30%
Steering/Handling - 2
20%
Quietness - 3
30%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 9
90%
Room/Comfort Rear - 9
90%
Cargo Room - 9
90%

Other

Value - 2
20%

Total: 47

Specifications

4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
137.1 226.7 79.9 80.2
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
146.4 44.0 9
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
41.0 41.1 42.3 40.5
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: N/A

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Front Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Ball joints
Description: Lower ball joints wear causing stiff steering, poor steering wheel return, and possible wandering. A replacement ball joint, with a grease fitting, should be installed and regularly lubricated. (2000-01)
Heater core
Description: Repeated heater core failures are common and may require redundant electrical system ground connections and a restrictor in the heater inlet hose. (2000-02)
Ignition switch
Description: The ignition switch may be hard to turn or may not spring back from the start position. (2000-02)
Spark plugs
Description: Spark plug hole threads in cylinder heads are easily damaged or stripped out when removing plugs because carbon builds up on them. (2004-05)
Tail/brake lights
Description: Beware when buying a used fleet vehicle (e.g. police car, etc.) that had a system that flashed the brake lights because the transmission-and-brake shift interlock will have been disabled. (2000-02)

Recall History

1997-03 Excursion with turbodiesel 7.3-liter V8 engines
Description: The camshaft position sensor may function intermittently, causing the engine to stall. Dealers will inspect the sensor and replace it with an improved camshaft position sensor.
2000
Description: Headlamp switch knob can fracture and separate from the switch, making it difficult to activate the headlamps.
2000-01
Description: Wiper function may be lost due to a switch malfunction.
2000-03 Excursion vehicles equipped with speed control
Description: The speed control deactivation switch may overheat and possibly cause a fire. Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge.
2001
Description: Airbag inflator canister may not be welded to standard and could keep the airbag from deploying as intended.
2001
Description: Driver- or passenger-outboard seatbelt may not fully latch.
2002-2005 Excursion vehicles
Description: The multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate. Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the switches free of charge.
2003 w/6.0-liter diesel
Description: Engine ground stud that attaches negative battery terminal to engine block may be loose, which can cause radio suppression strap to heat and potentially melt.
2004-05 w/6.0-liter diesel
Description: Engine may stall without warning while driving, and may or may not restart.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 10, 2014.
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