The Beauty and the Bump family could not wait for the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History Culture (NMAAHC). When we caught wind of the ticket release, we secured tickets for our family. We were strategic in our choice of date, as we wanted to take advantage of a long weekend, which would allow us to explore one of our favorite cities: Washington, D.C. But with our family of three, along with both of our moms, we needed a vehicle that was not only large enough to fit us, but was comfortable enough for the nearly six-hour drive. We headed over to Enterprise Rent-A-Car to pick up the 2017 Ford Expedition XLT.
The 2017 Ford Expedition XLT is huge compared to what I am used to driving; therefore, I only drove it off of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car lot, while the husband took over to pick up my mom in Brooklyn, and then for the rest of the trip to D.C.
The 2017 Ford Expedition XLT is roomy. I liked that I didn’t feel boxed in while sitting in the passenger seat. I had room for my overnight bag, a pizza box (don’t ask), and room to stretch out when I got tired. Our daughter, whose car seat can take up at least a seat and a half loved the space she had to spread out her things. Our moms had the option of sitting in the second row with Mini Me or the third. One could even lay out and relax comfortably in the large third row seat.
As I mentioned, the size of the 2017 Ford Expedition XLT was a bit intimidating for me, but I did take over driving it once the husband got tired. The hour and a half that I did spend driving on the DMV highways, I was surprised at how comfortable it was to drive. I mean for such a large SUV it did not feel like I was driving a tank. I also liked that for an SUV of its size, it did pack speed. We all know how I like my cars to move! Since I am “vertically challenged” I also loved how driving in the Expedition made me feel as though I was sitting on top of the world!
The 2017 Ford Expedition XLT is a comfy ride, roomy, and quick on the road, but if you’re familiar with D.C. you know that finding parking with a vehicle this size is challenging. It was honestly something we did not think about when renting this massive SUV. The first night, I had to park this thing. Yeah, me, who was intimidated by its size had to park it on a narrow D.C. street, but somehow I did it! Maybe it had something to do with the rear-view camera and reverse sensing system, but I think I will take all of the credit.
The day we headed over to the National Museum of African American History Culture we were for sure we would not find a parking spot close enough to the museum because parking is scarce, and the sheer size of the vehicle. God was on our side because we found a spot not even one block away from the NMAAHC.
We spent a full-day at the museum, and worked up a mighty appetite. We headed over to Lauriol Plaza in the Adam’s Morgan section of D.C. This is a bustling area of D.C., and the odds of finding parking here were slim, but we did find something, but it was tight, and we had to maneuver passed some rose bushes. Nonetheless, we found a spot. Just remember, finding parking spots with a large SUV is not easy.
The 2017 Ford Expedition XLT was, from what I thought pretty good on gas, but that could be due in part to me not having to fill the tank. ‘Thank You, Hubby!’ The Expedition has a 28-gallon fuel tank, and claims up to 15 city/21 highway miles per gallon (MPG). My husband thought it was still a bit rough on the pockets.
Renting the 2017 Ford Expedition XLT was a great decision for our family road trip to Washington D.C. to visit theSmithsonian National Museum of African American History Culture. If you’re looking for a truck-based SUV with seating for eight, then the Expedition is the way to go. We loved it for our road trip, as it made for a comfortable, and less stressful ride down to D.C. However, we can cross it off as a contender to replace our current SUV that we are looking to upgrade to an SUV with three rows. It was just too big for me, and the third row, although roomy, was not as easily accessible as we’d like.
The 2017 Ford Expedition XLT has an MSRP starting at $46,225.
The 2017 Ford Expedition XLT was rented from the LaGuardia Airport location of . The staff there are amazing! The Assistant Branch Manager, Jonathan Saez and Justene went above and beyond in making sure we were satisfied with our rental even after we returned it. We would recommend renting from this particular Enterprise Rent-A-Car. In fact, we used Enterprise when we rented the Ford Mustang Convertible while visiting Houston, Texas.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
83-34 23rd Ave
East Elmhurst, NY 11370
(718) 457-2900