Based on Ford's new Super Duty F-Series pickup trucks, the 2000 Excursion is more than seven inches longer than the Chevy Suburban, the former SUV heavyweight. Inside is a comfortable interior. It doesn't matter whether you're sitting in the front seats, second row or third row, all of the seats off generous legroom, headroom and elbow room. The dash is attractive and well-designed and all of the controls are easy to find and operate.Excursion's rear cargo doors are split three ways. You can swing the glass hatch up for quick access to gear. This same glass hatch offers much better visibility rearward while driving than traditional split doors. The rear doors are half height, like Dutch doors. Split in the middle, they can be opened when you've got a trailer attached and can be swung nearly 180 degrees for easier access. Excursion 4x4 models come standard with Ford's 6.8-liter single overhead-cam Triton V10. It generates 310 horsepower and 425 foot-pounds of torque. Ford expects 70 percent of all Excursions will be sold with the V10. A 5.4-liter V8 is available as a no-cost option, but few will be built; it puts out 255 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque. A 7.3-liter diesel engine is also available for about $4,000 that produces 235 horsepower and a whopping 500 foot-pounds of torque. If you drive off the pavement or on snow-covered roads, you'll want to opt for the $250 limited-slip, the $255 all-terrain tires, and the $75 skid plate. Optional $60 trailer mirrors feature little convex mirrors at the bottom that eliminate blind spots. Ford says the Class IV receiver hitch, which comes standard, is designed to prevent smaller cars from going underneath the rear bumper, while a specially designed BlockerBeam is designed to accomplish the same goal up front.
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