| My mom drives an Expedition. And yes, actually uses the full spectrum of its capabilities. It's perfect for carrying large loads, especially in foul weather which would render a pickup useless. It has far more towing capacity than any van I've ever known of (the new Suburban can tow up to 6 tons - and if you live on a farm, you WILL need to tow that much at some point). It's also great for hauling people around. Despite claims to the contrary, any van allegedly capable of carrying eight people cannot...unless you're driving around Munchkins. Three people cannot comfortably fit in the backseat of a van, while the back bit of the larger SUVs is quite roomy. Fuel economy? 20mpg, believe it or not. Right there with my Altima, and better than her last vehicle - a van, actually. Ford's Windstar, which replaced the Aerostar line. Since truck frames are so important, the Expedition is built on the F150 frame. She bought this because, like most of America, she couldn't afford to buy a pickup and trailer for towing and hauling, a 15-passenger van for transporting lots of people, and a car to drive to and from work. Do remember, there are lots more people than you think who actually need their SUVs. Most don't, surely, as it replaced the minivan which replaced the station wagon as the very symbol of suburban family life, but you'll notice a trend of SUVs growing smaller and smaller, like Toyota's RAV4 or Honda's CR-V. Car manufacturers are introducing new, smaller lines of present vehicles, such as Jeep's Liberty and Ford's Escape. And you know what? I think I'll buy an SUV, just to spite you, for trying to tell me what I can and cannot drive based on your criteria. :) |
