Ford Expedition

The 2009 Ford Expedition is a full-size, body-on-frame SUV available in four trim levels: XLT, Eddie Bauer, Limited and King Ranch. The well-equipped XLT model seats five and comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, running boards, air-conditioning (with rear controls), front captain's chairs, a power driver seat, cruise control, full power accessories and a six-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack. Next up is the Eddie Bauer, which adds 18-inch wheels, gold body cladding and running boards, a power-folding third-row seat, leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, an upgraded sound system (with an in-dash CD changer and satellite radio), the Sync multimedia voice control system, power front seats with driver memory settings, and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls.

All Expeditions come standard with a 5.4-liter V8 making 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. It's matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. Two-wheel or four-wheel drive (with low-range gearing) is offered. Properly equipped, the Expedition can tow a 9,200-pound trailer.

Fuel mileage estimates for a 2WD Expedition stand at 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined, about par for the segment. All major safety equipment is standard on the 2009 Ford Expedition, including antilock disc brakes (with brake assist), a rollover-sensing stability control system, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Rear parking sensors and power-adjustable pedals are optional across the line. In government crash testing, the Ford Expedition received a five-star rating (the best possible) for all frontal-impact (driver and passenger) and side-impact tests