Stoichie, I'm going to say "if I were you..." because I was you recently - looking for a vehicle to hold 4 kids, tow an ultralight travel trailer and lots of cargo. I agree with you, there aren't many new vehicle options to meet those needs. For a while, we considered a new Nissan NV passenger van with a 4x4 conversion, but we couldn't get over the presumed awkwardness of daily driving it. Then we considered a new F250 crewcab, but the comfort on long trips with a kid in the middle of the front row seemed questionable (not to mention unsafe). We kept coming back to the Excursion because of what it offered. After a long search (about a year), we found a good one locally and couldn't be happier with our choice.

I'm a do it yourself'er and, while from a towing performance standpoint I thought a diesel should be preferred, my knowledge base on diesel engines is extremely limited. Therefore, I bought a gas version because I didn't want to have to rely on a professional to fix or maintain it, at least initially. I'm not saying this should be a consideration for you, I'm just explaining what guided my choice. As was mentioned already, expanding your search to include the V10 may give you more options.

I'm a new owner and member of this forum and you'll find that the folks here will be invaluable in your search and new ownership.

Good luck!

 

Thank you. I think that I am going the v10 route. My Silverado gets better mileage so it remain my DD so it will sit between trips or towing. Plus I understand gas engines much more.

 

I think that I may have found. One sending my dad to look at since he lives in Phoenix. It appears to check my major boxes.
2002 Ford Excursion XLT 4WD 4dr SUV In Tempe AZ - Wheels in Motion Auto Sales LLC

 

It looks like a great find. It's very clean and I think it's priced well, but let the V10 guys agree with me first.