The dinosaur in Ford’s lineup has been more or less untouched since 2007 when the third-generation landyacht first debuted. That was the last time we’ve seen an actually all-new Expedition, and that “new” face lifted model we saw a few years ago doesn’t count. But it did sort of pave the way for the more advanced fourth generation SUV we’re looking at here.
Ford’s new Expedition is more powerful, more efficient, more capable, lighter, and more spacious than it’s ever been. It’s coming to after school pick up lines near you this fall. Details after the jump.
Serving as the foundation for the new Expedition is a redesigned high-strength steel frame that lend to the SUV’s enhanced off-road and towing abilities. On top of that frame is a new aluminum-alloy body formed into a much more sleek and modern shape. The use of aluminum and other lightweight materials does have a positive effect on the behemoth’s weight which is now down 300 pounds compared to the last model.
With less weight to carry around, the updated 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 it comes with can devote more of its resources to towing among other things. Ford says it’s more powerful but won’t give us numbers yet. A class-exclusive ten-speed automatic can send power to the rear or all four wheels on select models; and those with AWD also get a new electronic limited-slip differential designed for off-road use.
Plenty of new driver assistance systems were also added as standard or optional extras, including 360 camera angles, enhanced active park assist (probably a must have for something like this), adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, and various collision-avoidance systems.
We don’t have any numbers for towing or payload capacity yet, but Ford said using the Expedition’s improved capabilities will be easier than ever. It’ll come available with Pro Trailer Backup Assist which supposedly makes backing up to a trailer as easy as turning a knob. There’s also a hands-free lift gate available too.
Inside there’s room for up to eight passengers and their gear as usual, but lots of work went into making third row access and comfort better than ever. Third row seats recline and have more legroom that they say adults can appreciate, but the ease of access comes from a class-first application of second-row tip-and-slide functionality. Any child seats in the second row won’t need to be removed for this to work either.
The two back rows can be folded quickly to open up enough cargo space to carry a 4×8 sheet of plywood with the liftgate closed.
Other features available in the Expedition are designed to make life inside a bit easier. Those include a wireless device charging pad integrated into the front center console, a WiFi hotspot capable of supporting ten devices up to 50 feet away from the vehicle, dual rear-seat entertainment that can hook up to your home cable programming, expanded SYNC capability to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four 12-volt power points, six USB chargers, a 110-volt power outlet, 12-speaker B&O PLAY premium audio system, a cargo manager that keeps your stuff firmly in place (even when opening the liftgate on a hill), and a panoramic vista roof spanning two rows.
When the Expedition launches this fall, it’ll come in XLT, Limited, and Platinum trims and some extended-length options for fleet customers and the public. We don’t have pricing info yet.
[Source: Ford]
The Ford Expedition is Actually All New This Time
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21 responses to “The Ford Expedition is Actually All New This Time”
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Aluminum body or not, that is a lot of mass to be moved by 3.5 European quarts.
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Hey, those are 3.5 Litres aux escargots, so they’ll be fine.
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I’ll check back in 100k miles.
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Sorry, color me unimpressed. This redesign has already been done – 2 years ago by GM
http://st.automobilemag.com/uploads/sites/11/2014/03/2015-Chevrolet-Suburban-rear-three-quarter1.jpg
https://i1.wp.com/hooniverse.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/18Expedition_02_HR.jpg?w=720
I bet that Platinum Edition is pushing 6 figures.-
Take one Tahoe, slap on F150 tails and and Explorer front end, add a character line, and call it done.
It’s like they’re not even trying. OR all of Detroit’s designers went to school together and were drilled on sharp lines and floating rooflines.-
I don’t know, there are only so many ways to build a giant cuboid on stilts. In the photos anove, the Ford does indeed look marginally more modern.
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Most designers do go to the same schools, there isn’t a lot of automotive design courses globally, explains a lot of the sameyness.
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Glad I’m not the only one who sees it.
I nearly responded (re: title) “The Ford Expedition Totally Looks Like the Suburban This Time” but your comment basically beat me to it. -
My first thought exactly, the mid section is straight up Suburban.
And for goodness sake, black out that C pillar if you’re going to run chrome down the bottom and a character line up top.
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15 cup holders!
FIFTEEN!!-
When I went to sell our 2005 Odyssey, I counted the cupholders for giggles. I came up with 15. In a 7-passenger vehicle. Some, like the ones placed low in the doors, are so inaccessible that they’re practically unusable. So call it 11 functional cupholders.
Still, all that to say that the Expedition is just playing catchup with an old minivan in the cupholder department.-
Actually more like 21 since the door cubbies on the front could easily hold 3 (if not more) each. Made it easy to carry tons of water bottles for long road trips, although after the two nearest you became empty you had to ask mom for more…
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I was just referring to official cupholders, meaning a circular orifice that can hold a drink container upright. I mean, it’s a minivan! It’s awash with cupholders if your only criteria is that it can hold a sealed bottle.
Hell, if you remove the middle row and fold down the rear, suddenly your cupholder count becomes limited by payload instead of space. A 500ml plastic bottle of water is about 1.1lb., so about 1200 of those plus my big ol’ butt, and you’re within spitting distance of the typical payload of a minivan. 1200 bottles might cover the floor.
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That is 3 more than necessary.
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Explorer on steroids.
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Body-on-frame truck/SUVs feel so numb and dead from behind the wheel. If anyone ever develops one that feels connected to the road, I just may consider one.
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Have you tried driving a TJ or 2-door JK Wrangler? It’s still a truck and never lets you forget it, but the short wheelbase and coils make them pretty lively when geared right.
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They’re trucks. I’m not sure what you’re expecting.
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Also, if you can’t have fun when driving a truck, you ain’t trying.
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I love that, especially after getting beat up by one of my cars for a while. I don’t want a truck to interact with the road, I want it to bend the road to its will.
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300lb is not a lot of saving for going to an aluminium body – given that the additional wiring for new toys will only make so much difference, it is a wonder they haven’t been spruiking an increase in strength for the new body.
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