What if someone offered you a vehicle with better gas mileage and almost twice the interior cargo volume as an Excursion? What if this vehicle could hold as many or more people (in greater comfort) than an Excursion, while also costing less? Finally, what if the vehicle offered superior ride quality over an Excursion, while being no more difficult to drive?
"What's the catch?" you may be asking. Well, it only comes in two-wheel drive, and it won't earn you a membership in the not-so-elite club of SUV Pilots Unlimited. That said, the Ford Econoline Wagon, in either E-150 or E-350 Super Duty designation, is better than an Excursion in nearly every way. The vehicle offers 257 cubic feet of cargo volume (309 cubic feet in E-350 EXT trim), compared to the Excursion's paltry 146 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Ford's Econoline is also a foot shorter than an Excursion (except in EXT trim), has a nearly identical wheelbase and turning radius and, depending on trim and equipment, can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds less than Ford's King Kong SUV.
In the real world, this translates to a vehicle far more capable, and efficient, at toting people and gear from points A to B, unless extreme off-road conditions exist between those two points. We recently spent some time with a 2001 version of Ford's largest passenger vehicle (for 2002, the Econoline Wagon got some minor interior upgrades) and found it to be a comfortable and confident people mover.
Our test van was an E-150 XLT with the optional 5.4-liter V8 engine. Standard on all E-150s is a 4.2-liter V6 that makes 191 horsepower, but we'd recommend the optional 4.6-liter V8, producing a willing 225 horsepower, to anyone wanting to use their Econoline for more than pizza delivery. The 5.4-liter V8 in our test unit made 255 peak horsepower and 350 pound-feet of maximum torque. With the standard V6, you get a 4,700-pound tow rating, but our 5.4-liter version was rated for up to 6,500 pounds of pulling power.
This powerplant, hooked up to a four-speed automatic, proved more than adequate for our hauling needs throughout the loan period. These needs included one run up through California's central coast and another into the high desert north of Los Angeles. Both trips, at times, found the E-150 ascending steep grades while carrying four passengers (and their belongings). The engine never broke a sweat, and with the optional tow packages available for the E-150, we have no doubt that it could drag 3 tons of boat, camper or whatever other large item you might need to lug around. Be warned, however, that engine noise can get somewhat intrusive at higher rpm.
Getting the Econoline up to speed was never an issue, and ride and handling characteristics at those elevated speeds were also a pleasant surprise. The twin I-beam front suspension and live rear axle aren't exactly cutting-edge designs, but they kept the van relatively stable and confident. This author would have preferred a stiffer ride and tighter steering, but his wife found the E-150 to be pleasant whether sitting in the passenger or driver seat (quite an endorsement from a former Honda Odyssey owner).
The van's comfortable ride came not only from its cushy suspension but also from the two captain's chairs in both the first and second rows. As part of the available Traveler Package, our Econoline was swathed in medium parchment leather, and the driver seat offered multiple power adjustments (lumbar adjustment, however, is human-powered). The Traveler Package costs a wallet-sapping $4,645, but includes a host of goodies that make it a wise investment. In addition to the leather upholstery, a third-row bench seat, a cargo organizer, remote keyless entry, an overhead console, running boards, high-capacity air conditioning, a Class IV trailer hitch and a chrome rear bumper are all included.
But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Traveler Package (at least to anyone not old enough to drive) is the video cassette player and fold-down LCD monitors that accommodate second- and third-row passengers. Headphones are included, as well, but unlike some of today's models, they are not wireless. Up front is a radio/cassette/CD combination head unit that can play any of those media while the folks in back enjoy the show (for 2002, a six disc in-dash CD changer is available). Though an argument can be made for not plugging your children into the latest Clifford video when they should be experiencing the big, beautiful world rolling by outside, anyone who's ever combined the words kids and road trip knows the value of such a diversion.
When not otherwise engaged, passengers repeatedly noted the amount of wind noise that disrupted the otherwise serene cabin. Obviously, a van this tall and flat isn't going to rip through the atmosphere at 70 mph without moving a lot of air in the process, but several editors felt that a vehicle meant for transporting people should provide a quieter highway ride.
Another item noted by taller staffers was the location of the second-row captain's chairs. Once again, for a vehicle designed to carry people first and cargo second (if you want a cargo van, Ford offers several cargo versions of its Econoline), it seemed as though the second-row seats were snugged up rather tightly behind the front captain's chairs. This results in a huge cargo area behind the third-row bench. If you travel with smaller people who bring along everything including the kitchen sink, this setup may be ideal for you. For our purposes, we'd have given up a few feet of cargo capacity in exchange for some ability to stretch out in the second row.
Aside from the excessive wind noise and limited second-row legroom, we have only minor gripes with the Econoline. We felt the optional "bright, swing-out exterior mirrors" on our model were rather gaudy and clashed with the otherwise attractive dark green paint (why not make these body color?), and we think some of the secondary controls, such as the windows and door locks, should be illuminated. However, for 2002, Ford did decide to illuminate the steering wheel-mounted cruise controls, as well as add a gauge cluster light to indicate when the cruise control is activated. The company also installed grab handles on the A-pillars this year to ease entry and exit from the van. We already felt this was an easy vehicle to hop in and out of (especially with the optional running boards), so those handles have made a good thing even better. Finally, when one considers that DVD players are available in several of today's minivans, we'd like to see Ford and GM make this technological leap for its full-size vans, as well. A recent test of a 2001 Chevrolet Express LT showed that neither company is keeping technologically current, and for 2002, a DVD player is still MIA in both vans.
Still, the Econoline offers several advantages over minivan or SUV ownership. It can haul between 7 and 12 people, it has a wide range of engines and associated tow ratings to suit almost any buyer's needs, and it rides and handles better than similarly sized SUVs, while costing less. For under $30,000, you can get one with a 5.4-liter V8 engine, seven-passenger seating and the equivalent of a rolling home theater system. It even averaged 14.3 mpg during the course of its stay with us.
Like we said in the beginning: better than an Excursion.
"What's the catch?" you may be asking. Well, it only comes in two-wheel drive, and it won't earn you a membership in the not-so-elite club of SUV Pilots Unlimited. That said, the Ford Econoline Wagon, in either E-150 or E-350 Super Duty designation, is better than an Excursion in nearly every way. The vehicle offers 257 cubic feet of cargo volume (309 cubic feet in E-350 EXT trim), compared to the Excursion's paltry 146 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Ford's Econoline is also a foot shorter than an Excursion (except in EXT trim), has a nearly identical wheelbase and turning radius and, depending on trim and equipment, can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds less than Ford's King Kong SUV.
In the real world, this translates to a vehicle far more capable, and efficient, at toting people and gear from points A to B, unless extreme off-road conditions exist between those two points. We recently spent some time with a 2001 version of Ford's largest passenger vehicle (for 2002, the Econoline Wagon got some minor interior upgrades) and found it to be a comfortable and confident people mover.
Our test van was an E-150 XLT with the optional 5.4-liter V8 engine. Standard on all E-150s is a 4.2-liter V6 that makes 191 horsepower, but we'd recommend the optional 4.6-liter V8, producing a willing 225 horsepower, to anyone wanting to use their Econoline for more than pizza delivery. The 5.4-liter V8 in our test unit made 255 peak horsepower and 350 pound-feet of maximum torque. With the standard V6, you get a 4,700-pound tow rating, but our 5.4-liter version was rated for up to 6,500 pounds of pulling power.
This powerplant, hooked up to a four-speed automatic, proved more than adequate for our hauling needs throughout the loan period. These needs included one run up through California's central coast and another into the high desert north of Los Angeles. Both trips, at times, found the E-150 ascending steep grades while carrying four passengers (and their belongings). The engine never broke a sweat, and with the optional tow packages available for the E-150, we have no doubt that it could drag 3 tons of boat, camper or whatever other large item you might need to lug around. Be warned, however, that engine noise can get somewhat intrusive at higher rpm.
Getting the Econoline up to speed was never an issue, and ride and handling characteristics at those elevated speeds were also a pleasant surprise. The twin I-beam front suspension and live rear axle aren't exactly cutting-edge designs, but they kept the van relatively stable and confident. This author would have preferred a stiffer ride and tighter steering, but his wife found the E-150 to be pleasant whether sitting in the passenger or driver seat (quite an endorsement from a former Honda Odyssey owner).
The van's comfortable ride came not only from its cushy suspension but also from the two captain's chairs in both the first and second rows. As part of the available Traveler Package, our Econoline was swathed in medium parchment leather, and the driver seat offered multiple power adjustments (lumbar adjustment, however, is human-powered). The Traveler Package costs a wallet-sapping $4,645, but includes a host of goodies that make it a wise investment. In addition to the leather upholstery, a third-row bench seat, a cargo organizer, remote keyless entry, an overhead console, running boards, high-capacity air conditioning, a Class IV trailer hitch and a chrome rear bumper are all included.
But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the Traveler Package (at least to anyone not old enough to drive) is the video cassette player and fold-down LCD monitors that accommodate second- and third-row passengers. Headphones are included, as well, but unlike some of today's models, they are not wireless. Up front is a radio/cassette/CD combination head unit that can play any of those media while the folks in back enjoy the show (for 2002, a six disc in-dash CD changer is available). Though an argument can be made for not plugging your children into the latest Clifford video when they should be experiencing the big, beautiful world rolling by outside, anyone who's ever combined the words kids and road trip knows the value of such a diversion.
When not otherwise engaged, passengers repeatedly noted the amount of wind noise that disrupted the otherwise serene cabin. Obviously, a van this tall and flat isn't going to rip through the atmosphere at 70 mph without moving a lot of air in the process, but several editors felt that a vehicle meant for transporting people should provide a quieter highway ride.
Another item noted by taller staffers was the location of the second-row captain's chairs. Once again, for a vehicle designed to carry people first and cargo second (if you want a cargo van, Ford offers several cargo versions of its Econoline), it seemed as though the second-row seats were snugged up rather tightly behind the front captain's chairs. This results in a huge cargo area behind the third-row bench. If you travel with smaller people who bring along everything including the kitchen sink, this setup may be ideal for you. For our purposes, we'd have given up a few feet of cargo capacity in exchange for some ability to stretch out in the second row.
Aside from the excessive wind noise and limited second-row legroom, we have only minor gripes with the Econoline. We felt the optional "bright, swing-out exterior mirrors" on our model were rather gaudy and clashed with the otherwise attractive dark green paint (why not make these body color?), and we think some of the secondary controls, such as the windows and door locks, should be illuminated. However, for 2002, Ford did decide to illuminate the steering wheel-mounted cruise controls, as well as add a gauge cluster light to indicate when the cruise control is activated. The company also installed grab handles on the A-pillars this year to ease entry and exit from the van. We already felt this was an easy vehicle to hop in and out of (especially with the optional running boards), so those handles have made a good thing even better. Finally, when one considers that DVD players are available in several of today's minivans, we'd like to see Ford and GM make this technological leap for its full-size vans, as well. A recent test of a 2001 Chevrolet Express LT showed that neither company is keeping technologically current, and for 2002, a DVD player is still MIA in both vans.
Still, the Econoline offers several advantages over minivan or SUV ownership. It can haul between 7 and 12 people, it has a wide range of engines and associated tow ratings to suit almost any buyer's needs, and it rides and handles better than similarly sized SUVs, while costing less. For under $30,000, you can get one with a 5.4-liter V8 engine, seven-passenger seating and the equivalent of a rolling home theater system. It even averaged 14.3 mpg during the course of its stay with us.
Like we said in the beginning: better than an Excursion.
Add A Comment »