1st Nov 2002, 00:53

I have had a 2001 Ford Excursion, Limited, 4x4, V-10, for a year and truly love it. It has averaged 13 MPG. This is only two MPG less than the much smaller V-6 SUV that I was driving. The larger tank provides for less frequent fueling stops, which amazed me at the time saved on long road trips. Less stopping and starting, and fewer gasoline fumes escaping during more frequent fueling should be considered in the study of its environmental impact. I have towed a travel trailer, with another trailer behind it, with two mid-sized motorcycles on the second trailer. The power of this vehicle makes towing much easier and safer. Not only does it have the horsepower to handle the heavy load, its size blocks more wind off of the travel trailer, making it much steadier. Naturally, the MPG drops while towing, but very closely compares to the MPG of a half-ton pick-up truck, with an extreme difference in passenger comfort. I truly believe that if people would check the MPG on their own vehicles, instead of relying on the manufacturer's rating, they would be shocked as to how much less MPG they are actually getting. The manufacturer's MPG rating is averaged with a larger quota of the vehicle being standard shift, to raise the MPG number they can put on the sticker. Also, with its larger passenger capacity, on many occasions, it saves having to use two, or more, vehicles. Has that been considered in any environmental studies on this wonderful machine?

1st Dec 2002, 00:08

Excellent point. They never came to realize that all the people and luggage you can fit into one Excursion would take 3 or maybe more compact cars, and probably use more fuel. Oh, didn't they say something about carpooling, too?

Well, got news for them, this is the ultimate carpooling vehicle.

14th Jan 2003, 08:27

We own a 2001 Ford Excursion Diesel 4x4 and are averaging 18 MPG overall. Short trips that never let the engine get up to operating temperature yield about 15 MPG. Longer trips yield 17 MPG in mixed city driving and 20 MPG on the open road cruising at 65 MPH. The standard 45 Gallon fuel tank gives me the range I need. A loaded trailer with eight people drags the average down about 4 mpg. The amount of room is great and the ride is comfortable considering it's a truck. I drive economically and I don't break traffic laws which means I don't speed.

I picked this truck because of it's passenger & freight carrying/towing capacity, performance and efficiency. And as far as I'm concerned diesel is the only way to go. This truck has the same 7.3L diesel engine that I see in hundreds of school buses, shuttles and delivery trucks. I personally know cases where this engine has accumulated 500,000 miles without a major breakdown and have heard there are 7.3L shuttles in Atlanta with 700,000 miles on the odometer. So this truck, well cared for, should last me a very, very long time.

I get irate at individuals that slam my choice of vehicles without knowing more about me and what I use it for. I get comments and dirty looks all the time. Why? Because the news media and wacko environmentalists have painted my vehicle as some over-bloated, fuel-guzzling, monster hell bent on destroying the planet. Oddly enough, the Ford pickup trucks (F-250/F-350 Superduty) on which my Excursion is based get a free ride. An F-250 4x4 with a short bed and extended cab is the same height and width, but is six inches longer than my Excursion.

So the decision I made to buy a diesel-powered Ford Excursion was a earth-friendly choice in this regard. Nothing else with four wheels can haul or pull more on less fuel than my diesel Excursion.

So What Would Jesus Drive? Considering His having to haul the disciples and their gear around over bumpy cobble-stone roads or no roads at all in relative comfort, performance and efficiency, a bio-diesel-powered Ford Excursion 4x4 would have been the ticket!

20th Jan 2003, 19:51

And another thing... I noticed on Ford's website, that under the Excursion specifications page, city & highway MPGs were listed as "N/A". Since when is fuel economy "not applicable" when it comes to owning a motor vehicle? They burn gas, don't they?

23rd Mar 2003, 15:09

I'm a Canadian to owns a 2000 Ford Excursion Ltd. I bought it for my wife who takes the three little kiddies on shopping trips. She doesn't need such a large vehicle, but it protect my family against those Honda-kids and mini-van men who drive aggressively. Around the Excursion, no-one drives agressively: they slow down and signal like civilized folk. This is reason enough to buy the vehicle.

25th Apr 2003, 23:45

I am going to buy a 2001 2 wheel drive with a 10cyl. I will be pulling a 7500 lb. travel trailer and would like to know if anyone knows the approximate mpg I can expect.

8th May 2003, 10:20

I own a 2001 Excursion 4x4 with the 7.3 diesel. I previously owned two Dodge Grand Caravans, a 1996, and then 1999 and now have the Excursion. I have a family of 5 local and two older daughters in another state that join the family from time to time. Granted the Caravans served us well for 5 years, but were not durable or roomy enough to suit our needs. We went looking for an SUV that would fit our family and came across the Excursion. I test drove one and was hooked.

When our family travels we pack a load. The Caravan got loaded in the rear section to store luggage, frequently blocking the rear view. At times we used a car top carrier. Loading the Excursion in the rear works much better. There is more room and the height of the load has not blocked my rear view yet. I should mention one of my children still uses a child seat. We are planning on having another child GOD willing, soon. This will add six to the local transportation need.

I try to understand others on the road and in parking lots. For instance, I fold my mirrors back when I am parked in a tight place so the other driver can walk easily past my Excursion. I accelerate hard to get moving to stay out of the way of all of the smaller zippy cars and trucks. I participate in our great economy creating more jobs because I buy more fuel on average.

My two other daughters live 500 miles from where I live. The trip takes 8.5 to ten hours. I can get there easily on one tank of fuel and in comfort. Comport ranks high on the list for my family. With three kids and possibly a fourth, happy comfortable children make for a pleasurable trip. Keeping my wife comfortable is most important though. She loves the heated seats and the front and rear climate controls. She loves being high enough to see clearly everywhere you look.

I don't regret buying this vehicle. I realize there are a few out there that despise me for driving such a big vehicle. I am sorry they feel that way, but I will try to let you pass me or take my parking spot when I see you.