Oh say, can you see…? Yes, I can see this behemoth of a car in the middle of the narrow Philippine road! Yes, it's that big! About 18 feet long, seven and a half feet wide, and 6.5 feet tall, taller than most Pinoys. It will crush you by just looking at it. It's chrome and aluminum grill will be the last thing you see. It seems like it's spewing freedom than smoke from its tailpipes. Yes, it's the Ford Expedition.

The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV only comparable in size with the Chevrolet Suburban. It's really USA-sized built for USA roads. Despite its size, its all-aluminum body makes it lighter than previous Expeditions by about 136 kilograms, or 299.83 lbs in USA-speak. Despite its size, this is a 5-door SUV. It has deployable step boards that automatically open when you open the door. At the rear, the glass panel, like other smaller Ford SUVs, can open although for an average Pinoy, this is too tall to be functional.

What makes the Expedition as distinctively as US Americana as possible is its value of sheer size and abundance. Think of it this way. The size outside is as huge as the size inside. It seats eight, not the meager seven in usual SUVs in the country, and the back row isn't as tight in the Expedition. It can actually seat three there and it's roomy. It's so spacious that when you actually fold the seats, about 3000 liters of space is available on a flat surface, and juts like Good Ol' USA, the controls are all electronic. Also, in terms of abundance, it's abundant in giving each row of passenger an opportunity to charge their gadgets and devices. Equality for all! It's also abundant in engine power. The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine produces about 375 horsepower and 658 Nm of torque, paired with a 10-speed Automatic Transmission. And if this doesn't sound overdoing it, it has 4x4 when drive modes are selected.

In terms of safety, it brings in the topnotch safety system of Ford with the Road Safety Canopy System. Seven airbags are strategically placed inside the cabin which includes dual front, curtain and side, as well as knee airbags to the driver. It has Blind Spot Detection, ABS, EBD with Brake Assist, Stability Control, Advanced Traction Control, Active Park Assist and Hill Start Assist.  

A great car like the Expedition will be a curiosity when seen in Philippine roads even when back in the early 2000s the F-150 and the Expedition are already roaming about. Well, time after time, these vehicles have also grown in size and have been a rarity. They are also associated with power, prestige, and presence, just like Uncle Sam. Like American colonialism though, the Ford Expedition is seemingly discontinued. It's not in the current Ford PH website, but you know it's still here, just like ‘Merica in the Philippines. Hearts and Minds.