Independent rear suspension and an industry-first power fold-down 3rd-row seat highlight the redesigned 2003 Expedition. Sized between the Explorer and larger Excursion, Expedition for '03 gets a wider body and new styling. It comes in XLT, Eddie Bauer, and new FX4 off-road models. V8s of 4.6 and 5.4 liters return, as does a choice of rear-wheel drive or Ford's ControlTrac 4WD that can be left engaged on dry pavement and includes low-range gearing. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are standard. Newly optional are Ford's AdvanceTrac traction-control/antiskid system and a tire-pressure monitor. All models have 17-inch wheels. Replacing front side airbags as an option are head-protecting curtain side airbags for the first two seating rows; they're designed to deploy in side collisions and in rollover accidents.

All Expeditions have three rows of seats. XLTs in Value and Popular trim are available with a front bench seat for 9-passenger capacity. Eddie Bauer and all XLTs except the Value can substitute two 2nd-row buckets for the standard 2nd-row bench. The power folding 3rd-row seat is available on Eddie Bauer and XLT Premium; it folds into the floor via controls in the front and back of the cabin. The new independent rear suspension lowers the rear floor by 9 inches for increased 3rd-row leg room; a load-leveling option was added midyear. FX4 includes skid plates, off-road shock absorbers, and tubular running boards. Lincoln's Navigator version of the Expedition is similarly redesigned for 2003.