Despite roller-coaster gasoline prices, many Americans can’t live without their full-size SUVs. For those who are willing to pour large sums of the household budget into the gas tanks of these urban limousines, Ford has just the SUV for you, the 2007 Expedition. The Expedition is not completely redesigned, but it is substantially re-engineered with a new frame, new styling, and a new interior with new seats. It enters the market ready to battle the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chrysler Aspen, and GMC Yukon – all brand-new for 2007. And thanks to an extended-length version dubbed the Expedition EL, Ford’s got the size and muscle to take on the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon XL.

The new 2007 Ford Expedition gets restyled sheetmetal that is based off the successful Ford F-150 pickup, a new interior with seating for up to eight passengers in the EL model, and a redesigned frame for improved ride, handling, and refinement. Last year’s 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower V8 is carried over, connected to a new six-speed automatic transmission. Highlights of the new Expedition include standard stability control with rollover sensors, optional side curtain airbags with rollover sensors, touch-screen navigation that includes Alaska and Hawaii, and iPod plug-and-play capability. You can even get 20-inch wheels from the factory, chromed, and riding on 55-series rubber.

The new 2007 Ford Expedition EL has a longer wheelbase and adds nearly 15 inches of additional length to create 24.8 more cubic feet of cargo volume than the standard Expedition, for a maximum volume of 130.8 cubes that can be loaded through an optional power tailgate. Folks who tow will be glad to know that the new Expedition can handle up to 9,100 pounds, when properly equipped. Models equipped with 4WD have two-speed transfer cases with optional shift-on-the-fly capability. When low range is selected, the electronic throttle control switches to a preset off-road calibration that provides more torque where needed such as in heavy sand or on slippery surfaces.

Inside the 2007 Ford Expedition you get redesigned seating with improved contours, larger bolsters, and softer cushions. One-handed action flips and tumbles the 40/20/40 second-row seat for better access to the third-row, or folds the second-row flat to allow for more storage capability. An optional sliding center section in the second-row seat places small children closer to parents riding up front, and a power folding third-row seat is also available. If you’d prefer second-row captain’s chairs, Ford can accommodate you.

It’s not just what you can see that Ford has upgraded. The 2007 Ford Expedition’s chassis features an all-new front suspension and tube-through-tube construction to stiffen the frame for improved driving dynamics. The Expedition also offers an all-new independent rear suspension that competitors don’t provide, and which allows for roomier, fold-flat third-row seating. The Expedition’s brakes have also been beefed up. Larger and thicker rotors and calipers reside at each corner to reduce stopping distance as well as quell vibration during stops.

Three trim levels are available: popular XLT, rugged Eddie Bauer, and luxurious Limited. The 2007 Ford Expedition goes on sale in the fall of 2006, and prices will be announced closer to its arrival in showrooms.

Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company