Show notes
Fun with Ford! I recently had the opportunity to test drive the Ford Expedition for a week. I have been considering switching from my F150 truck to an SUV so I put the question out there to Girl Campers – do you prefer an SUV to a truck and, if so, why? There were those who would only drive a truck and others that only want an SUV. Here are some of the pros and cons from our Girl Camper Poll.
PRO TRUCK
* The bed of the truck is a great place to dump dirty stuff you don’t want in your SUV.
* If you have a Crew Cab you will have extra interior storage space and added seating as well.
* You can keep often used items in the bed of the truck all the time making packing for a camping trip a lot easier.
* You can’t hear things in the bed of the truck that may be rubbing and squeaking.
* You can use the bed of your truck for other things beside camping gear – furniture, firewood and landscape materials can be loaded up without marring the interior.
* A truck is cheaper than an SUV with the same engine and chassis.
* The F150 weighs less than the Expedition so it will get better mileage.
* You can carry a generator without worrying about fumes.
* You can put a cap on the back and use it to camp in.
Pro SUV
* You have easier access to the things in the rear of the vehicle. You don’t have to get out and uncover the bed to access your gear.
* It is easier to carry bicycles and kayaks than it is with a truck. Kayaks don’t fit in the rear of the truck bed while you are towing but bikes will fit in the rear of an SUV and kayaks will load easier on the top.
* You have more seats with the SUV. The crew cab will hold 5-6 people with no leg room or space for purses, backpacks or purchases. The SUV will hold 7-8 people with plenty of room behind the third row seats for gear.
* You can camp in an SUV really comfortably if you don’t want to tow. With the seats folded down you can fit a full size mattress in the rear or make up just one side as a twin and use the other space for gear.
* The rear of the SUV has more cubic feet of storage space than a truck. There is up to 120 cubic feet of cargo space in the Expedition Max.
* Your gear is more secure in the rear of an SUV than in the bed of a truck.
* The tailgate clears the tongue jack on a trailer (at least my Max trailer) when you open it with the trailer attached. The tailgate on the truck will not fully open when the trailer is attached.
Listen to the podcast
Ford Expedition Review
This past week I had the opportunity to road test the Expedition. I was personally interested in this particular model because, as I said earlier, I have been considering switching from a truck to an SUV and the Expedition has the same engine as the F150 that I drive. They both have the 3.5 L V6 Eco Boost with the ten speed transmission. I knew that I would be happy with the engine performance but didn’t know if I would prefer the enclosed luxury model SUV to the Crew Cab Lariat short bed that I currently own. In 2018 the Expedition got a complete overhaul. The redesign included the 10 speed transmission, more horsepower, and better gas mileage.
In addition to mechanics, the interior was completely re-imagined as well.
* Newly designed console with a large touch screen
* Voice activated navigation system
* Wireless phone charging pad,
* Connectivity package
* Adjustable pedal with memory
* Three zone auto climate control
* Three rows of seating with optional Captains Chairs in second row
* Heated and ventilated front and second row seats
* USB ports in each row for every passenger
* Heated wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls
In addition to the beautiful interior,
PRO TRUCK
* The bed of the truck is a great place to dump dirty stuff you don’t want in your SUV.
* If you have a Crew Cab you will have extra interior storage space and added seating as well.
* You can keep often used items in the bed of the truck all the time making packing for a camping trip a lot easier.
* You can’t hear things in the bed of the truck that may be rubbing and squeaking.
* You can use the bed of your truck for other things beside camping gear – furniture, firewood and landscape materials can be loaded up without marring the interior.
* A truck is cheaper than an SUV with the same engine and chassis.
* The F150 weighs less than the Expedition so it will get better mileage.
* You can carry a generator without worrying about fumes.
* You can put a cap on the back and use it to camp in.
Pro SUV
* You have easier access to the things in the rear of the vehicle. You don’t have to get out and uncover the bed to access your gear.
* It is easier to carry bicycles and kayaks than it is with a truck. Kayaks don’t fit in the rear of the truck bed while you are towing but bikes will fit in the rear of an SUV and kayaks will load easier on the top.
* You have more seats with the SUV. The crew cab will hold 5-6 people with no leg room or space for purses, backpacks or purchases. The SUV will hold 7-8 people with plenty of room behind the third row seats for gear.
* You can camp in an SUV really comfortably if you don’t want to tow. With the seats folded down you can fit a full size mattress in the rear or make up just one side as a twin and use the other space for gear.
* The rear of the SUV has more cubic feet of storage space than a truck. There is up to 120 cubic feet of cargo space in the Expedition Max.
* Your gear is more secure in the rear of an SUV than in the bed of a truck.
* The tailgate clears the tongue jack on a trailer (at least my Max trailer) when you open it with the trailer attached. The tailgate on the truck will not fully open when the trailer is attached.
Listen to the podcast
Ford Expedition Review
This past week I had the opportunity to road test the Expedition. I was personally interested in this particular model because, as I said earlier, I have been considering switching from a truck to an SUV and the Expedition has the same engine as the F150 that I drive. They both have the 3.5 L V6 Eco Boost with the ten speed transmission. I knew that I would be happy with the engine performance but didn’t know if I would prefer the enclosed luxury model SUV to the Crew Cab Lariat short bed that I currently own. In 2018 the Expedition got a complete overhaul. The redesign included the 10 speed transmission, more horsepower, and better gas mileage.
In addition to mechanics, the interior was completely re-imagined as well.
* Newly designed console with a large touch screen
* Voice activated navigation system
* Wireless phone charging pad,
* Connectivity package
* Adjustable pedal with memory
* Three zone auto climate control
* Three rows of seating with optional Captains Chairs in second row
* Heated and ventilated front and second row seats
* USB ports in each row for every passenger
* Heated wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls
In addition to the beautiful interior,