2008 Ford Expedition Safety Review [ 2007 ]
Based on analysis of 37 Expedition reviews and test drives.
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
Ford offers plenty of standard safety features with the Expedition. In addition, the 2008 model does well in government crash tests.
The 2008 Expedition earned five stars (the most possible) for frontal crash tests. The 2WD Expedition receives three out of five stars in rollover tests, and the 4WD receives four out of five stars.
Accident Avoidance
The Expedition has anti-lock power and four-wheel disc brakes on all of its trims. As Forbes says, the Expedition's braking system was revised "to provide shorter stopping distances with improved pedal feel and greater control than before," but reviews appear to be nonplussed by the end result. As Cars.com finds, "the all-disc brakes stop this SUV capably, but the Expedition's brake pedal has the same spongy feel that plagues the smaller Explorer Sport Trac SUV/pickup truck."
All Expedition trims also include AdvanceTrac®, a roll stability control that Edmunds praises the company for including, especially given its lower price. One thing many reviewers highlight as missing, however, is a rear view camera, especially as several reviews complain of visibility issues when attempting to park the Expedition, something the Chicago Tribune brings to light with the longer version Expedition available this year. "They make it difficult to pull out of a parking space because you can't see around them," the reviewer laments.
Crash Protection
Expeditions all come standard with what's called a personal safety system, which includes safety belt pretensioners, driver's seat position sensor, dual-stage front air bags, front crash severity sensors and load-limiting retractors. Also included standard are lap and shoulder seat belts, second generation driver and right front passenger air bags, and thorax side air bags. Auto Mall USA notes the Expedition's low bumper beams that are "designed to prevent smaller cars from sliding beneath its frame in an accident." These systems all go toward Automobile.com's summation that the 2008 Ford Expedition "might be one of the best vehicles to get hit in -- if there could be such a thing."
Advanced Safety Systems
Many auto writers highlight the functionality of the Expedition's reverse parking sensor. Automobile Magazine says "On many cars, a reverse parking sensor is an annoyance, but it's a welcomed feature on a vehicle that measures 205.8 inches from stem to stern." Auto Mall USA also joins the praise for the Expedition, but cautions drivers just the same, "Don't depend on it, though, it's an aid and is not designed to absolve drivers of the responsibility of looking where they're going."
