Ford Excursion: History, Generations & Specs

Key facts

Generations at a glance

What the Ford Excursion is

The 2000-2005 Ford Excursion is a full-size, body-on-frame SUV built on the Super Duty pickup platform, which means it shares its ladder frame, suspension, axles, and powertrains with the three-quarter-ton F-250 and one-ton F-350 trucks rather than with the lighter F-150-based Ford Expedition. Ford built the Excursion at Kentucky Truck Assembly in Louisville and sold it as a nine-passenger hauler for large families and for buyers who needed to tow heavy trailers while carrying a full load of people. It measured 226.7 inches in overall length on a 137.1-inch wheelbase, making it the largest and longest-wheelbase SUV Ford ever produced. Gasoline versions carried a curb weight near 7,200 pounds and diesel versions near 7,700 pounds, with GVWR ratings around 8,600 to 9,200 pounds depending on engine and drivetrain.

Engine timeline

The Excursion offered four engines across its run. The standard gasoline engine throughout was the 5.4L Triton SOHC V8 rated at 255 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. The optional gasoline engine was the 6.8L Triton SOHC V10 rated at 310 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque. On the diesel side, the Excursion launched in 2000 with the 7.3L Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8, a Navistar-built engine rated at 235 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque at launch and 250 horsepower and 505 lb-ft from 2001, offered through the 2003 model year. Ford replaced it partway through 2003 with the 6.0L Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 rated at 325 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque, which the Excursion used through the end of production in 2005. The gasoline engines and the 7.3L diesel used the 4R100 four-speed automatic, while the 6.0L diesel paired with the 5R110W TorqShift five-speed automatic.

How the Excursion relates to the Super Duty trucks

The Ford Excursion was engineered as the SUV counterpart to the Super Duty trucks rather than as a stretched Expedition. It uses the Super Duty F-250 and F-350 chassis, including the Super Duty underpinnings (4WD Excursions use a solid front axle, 2WD Excursions a Twin-I-Beam independent front suspension), and it shares the same gasoline and diesel engines offered in those trucks during the 2000-2005 period. This is why the Excursion is heavier, taller, and more capable of heavy towing than the F-150-based Ford Expedition sold alongside it, and why it uses truck-grade running gear rather than the lighter half-ton components of the Expedition.

The BlockerBeam and size concerns

Because the Ford Excursion sat high on the Super Duty chassis, Ford fitted a steel under-bumper crash bar called the BlockerBeam to lower the front structure toward the bumper height of a passenger car, addressing concern that the tall front end could override a smaller vehicle in a collision. The Excursion also drew criticism during its production run for its size and fuel consumption, and rising fuel prices in the mid-2000s reduced demand for the largest SUVs. Ford ended Excursion production after the 2005 model year and did not replace it on the Super Duty platform; the extended-length Expedition EL, introduced for 2007 on F-150 architecture, took over the role of Ford's largest SUV.

Trim levels

The Ford Excursion was offered in work-oriented and upscale trims that shifted over its run. Early Excursions used the XLT and Limited trims, with the diesel and V10 widely chosen for towing. For 2003 Ford added the Eddie Bauer trim, and for 2004 Ford added a lower XLS trim while the XLT moved to the middle of the range. Across all years the Excursion seated up to nine passengers in three rows and was available in two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ford Excursion?

The Ford Excursion is a full-size SUV Ford built for the 2000 through 2005 model years on the Super Duty F-250/F-350 chassis. At 226.7 inches long on a 137.1-inch wheelbase, it was the largest and heaviest SUV Ford ever produced, seating up to nine passengers and sharing its frame and powertrains with the Super Duty trucks rather than with the F-150-based Expedition.

What engines did the Ford Excursion offer?

The Ford Excursion offered the 5.4L Triton V8 (255 hp), the 6.8L Triton V10 (310 hp), the 7.3L Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 (235 hp at launch, up to 250 hp) from 2000 through 2003, and the 6.0L Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 (325 hp) that replaced the 7.3L partway through the 2003 model year and ran through 2005.

Is the Ford Excursion built on a truck chassis?

Yes. The Ford Excursion is built on the Super Duty pickup chassis, sharing its ladder frame, axles, and engines, with 4WD Excursions using a solid front axle and 2WD Excursions a Twin-I-Beam independent front suspension with the three-quarter-ton F-250 and one-ton F-350. This makes the 2000-2005 Excursion heavier and more tow-capable than the F-150-based Ford Expedition.

Why was the Ford Excursion discontinued?

Ford ended Ford Excursion production after the 2005 model year as fuel prices rose and demand for the largest, heaviest SUVs declined. Ford did not replace the Excursion on the Super Duty platform; the extended-length Expedition EL arrived for 2007 on lighter F-150 architecture as Ford's largest SUV.

What is the BlockerBeam on the Ford Excursion?

The BlockerBeam is a steel under-bumper crash beam Ford fitted to the Ford Excursion to lower the front structure toward the bumper height of a passenger car. Ford added it to address concern that the tall Super Duty-based front end could override a smaller vehicle in a frontal collision.

Sources

• Ford factory specification sheets and brochures for the 2000-2005 Excursion
• Wikipedia, Ford Excursion
• Navistar and Ford Power Stroke diesel production records (7.3L and 6.0L)
• Ford Super Duty chassis and powertrain references for the 2000-2005 period