Recently, Danielle Dawson, a mom of two boys ages 5 and 7, got quite the surprise from her husband: a Ford Expedition Platinum.
“I saw it one day and said, ‘oh my gosh that truck is so beautiful’ and the following month my husband had it sitting in the garage waiting for us,” Dawson says.
This isn’t the first Ford the couple has owned. In fact, Dawson has had an Edge, Explorer and F-150, and her husband currently drives an F-150. They are loyal to the brand, she says. Why? Advances in technology, great customer service at dealerships and more have kept the Dawson family — who live in Clyde, near Port Huron — coming back for more.
“I started out with a Ford Edge, even before I had kids. That was my first lease and I loved Ford’s features of their keyless remote to get into the vehicle, especially now as a mom,” she says. “I hate carrying my keys so I always leave my keys right in there and I use the keyless entry option.”
After the Edge came an Explorer, but when the couple had their first child, mom needed more space so she got an F-150. She loved it because, “I was always really big on the kids kicking my seat with their car seats and there just wasn’t enough room in the Edge or the Explorer but in the F-150 they could never kick and reach my seat.”
Now that the kiddos are older — and in booster seats — the family wanted the third row option, so that’s part of the reason they chose the Expedition.
“I absolutely love the Expedition. The one that we have has every possible option that you can imagine on it,” Dawson says.
Platinum perks
The 2023 Ford Expedition Platinum, which boasts a price tag that starts at $82,815 and seats eight passengers, makes daily commutes and road trips so much easier — and more comfortable — thanks to a number of features.
Front and rear sensors and cameras, a vibration system when you switch lanes, heated and cooled seats in every row, a heated steering wheel, powered running boards and panoramic roof are just some of the standout features, Dawson says.
“Everything is right there on the digital screen in the front, as well as the rear control for the heat and stuff like that too, which I do like because sometimes the kids can’t reach the controls in the back,” she adds.
Because all features are voice activated, Dawson doesn’t have to take her hands off the steering wheel or eyes off the road to adjust the temps either — she can just ask her Ford to do it.
What is mom’s favorite feature of her Ford Expedition? Massaging seats, which are available on the driver and passenger seats. These Multicontour Seats with Active Motion are standard on the Platinum model and provide lumbar support, along with seat-bottom massage to help reduce back pain and leg fatigue, according to the Ford website.
“It feels like one of the spa chairs,” she says, and even in 90-degree weather you’ll find this mom with her heated seat and massager on — with the air blasting, of course.
Great for getaways
The family has a second home on Houghton Lake that they visit every other weekend. Their Expedition is ideal for these 2 1/2-hour trips because, aside from the comfort and size, it boasts USB ports so the kids can plug in entertainment as needed.
If they need to pack extra items or need more space, they can fold down one of the chairs because each seat folds down independently. Even though they are bench seats, they actually fold down separately like captain’s chairs, and the seats fold down as flat as they would in a minivan.
“I love that Ford also has a Ford app on the phone,” which allows you to see where the vehicle is at all times, how much gas is in the car and how much oil life is left on it. She can even turn it on and off, and it will remember the last heat or cooling settings.
All the Expedition’s features have left this mom feeling a bit spoiled — and the quality of Ford is sure to keep the Dawson family coming back for more.
“I just feel like Ford has always been one step ahead in their technology and their customer service and the options,” she says.
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