
Review: 2018 Ford ExpeditionFord redesigned its big daddy SUV for 2018, giving it a fresh new look, new aluminum body panels and a host of luxury upgrades. It has a luxury price tag to match. More...
David Undercoffler | April 30, 2018
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2018 Ford Expedition - It's definitely an upgrade in style for Ford.
The 2018 Expedition has the cutting-edge tech, towing capacity, and space that demonstrates this competitive class of mega-haulers. Platinum versions have the most pzazz, with classier styling and countless standard features.
Story
The 4 wheel drive is a must in the snowy, wet, or muddy roads where I live.
Pros
The 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum 4×4 comes with 20-inch wheels, parking sensors, roof rack rails, retractable running boards, heated second-row seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The pro about this vehicle is the size. I had owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee before this and we needed more room for traveling. It also comes with second-row leather captain’s chairs, and a rear-seat entertainment system with dual headrest-mounted displays. Which is great for long trips with a toddler. Which we take quite often. About 6- 13 hours in a day.
Cons
The top con on this vehicle is the sunroof which has leaked on us twice. It is actually still in the shop because they can not figure out how to reconnect it correctly. Other that that we love the vehicle.
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Autolist rating: 3/5
But would we buy it? Yes
Price range: $52,985 – $80,060
The Expedition is Ford’s largest SUV, sitting atop a range that includes the Explorer, Flex, Edge Escape and EcoSport. The seven or eight-seat Expedition is a true SUV, built on a platform similar to the one Ford uses for its F-Series line of pickup trucks.
It competes against the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL and the Toyota Sequoia and Nissan Armada. Higher-end trims of the Expedition also overlap with the Infiniti QX80 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
This big Ford was completely redesigned for the 2018 model year, an update that included using aluminum for many of the Expedition’s body panels in an effort to save weight and boost performance and fuel efficiency.
The SUV comes in two different sizes: the regular Expedition and the long-wheelbase Max, the latter of which essentially serves as a replacement for the earlier, super-huge Ford Excursion and is a direct competitor to Chevy’s Suburban.
Stepping up to the Expedition Max will cost you about $2,700, and it adds a foot to the Expedition’s length. While passenger space doesn’t change -- the Max remains a seven or eight-seater like the regular Expedition -- cargo room jumps up by about 15 cubic feet.
There are three basic trim levels on the Expedition and Max models: base XLT, Limited and Platinum. The XLT version of each can also be configured with the FX4 off-road package.
This $1,650 setup adds upgraded shocks, a two-speed transfer case on 4x4 models, skid plates and additional fuel tank protection, unique tires and rims, running boards and a heavy-duty radiator.
All models come standard with eight-passenger seating that uses a bench seat in the middle row that is split 40/20/40. The Limited and Platinum versions can be optioned with two captain’s chairs in the middle row, dropping the passenger count to seven.
Rear-wheel drive is standard on all Expedition models while four-wheel drive is another $3,000.
All Expeditions -- regardless of size or trim level -- have the same powertrain: an EcoBoost 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 and a 10-speed automatic transmission. In the XLT and Limited models, the engine makes 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. On Platinum versions, those numbers are bumped up to 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque.
TLDR: Love the engine, tight turning radius, excellent interior space.
Engine power. While all of its competitors are still using V8 engines, Ford’s Expedition switched to a turbocharged V6 several years ago and never looked back. Drivers won’t either; this engine is wonderfully tuned to have more than enough breezy power whenever it’s requested. Plus, turbo lag — a culprit in most turbocharged engines these days — is non-existent in the Expedition.
Turns small. While parking this behemoth isn’t easy, turning it around is a breeze. The turning radius feels tiny, allowing you to make tight turns and flip the Expedition around in the parking lot with surprising agility. This made it easy living while driving such a large vehicle on a daily basis.
It’s what’s inside that counts. We tested a mid-grade, Limited model (heaped with options), and we were impressed with the high level of serene comfort that Ford has built into the Expedition. Plus, the interior is so versatile that there was more than enough room for seven tall adults and their luggage to head on a long road trip.
TLDR: Still a truck underneath, cranky transmission, big blind spots.
Ride quality. There’s only so much you can do to hide the truck bones underneath this Expedition’s skin. Over uneven or rough roads, the Expedition would shake and rattle around in a way that more refined rivals, like the Mercedes GLS, will not.
Transmission. The ten-speed unit on our test Expedition seemed poorly programmed; it would misjudge when to upshift or downshift, causing the truck to lurch unexpectedly. Other times, the shifts themselves wouldn’t be very smooth. We expected better from a redesigned model like this.
Blind spots. Obviously this is a big vehicle, so it’s reasonable to expect it would park like a big vehicle. But the sight lines out of the Expedition were worse than we’d hope; despite the wonderfully tight turning radius we mentioned earlier and the super-useful, 360-degree parking camera, we had more trouble parallel parking this thing that we’d expect. So make sure you practice at the dealership before signing up to do this on a daily basis.
Safety? No
Value? No
Efficiency? Yes
Driving experience? Yes
Execution? Yes
The Expedition starts at $52,985 for the base XLT with rear-wheel drive. This comes with a power-folding, third-row seat, power driver’s seat, satellite radio and nine-speaker audio system, backup camera and backup sensors.
We’d recommend getting this XLT and then adding options to it rather than jumping up to the Limited or Platinum models. Our favorite configuration is the rear-wheel-drive XLT with the (poorly-named) 202A option group and the Driver Assistance Package.
For a total of $59,305, you get upgrades like leather seats, power front seats that are ventilated, power-folding, third-row seat, backup sensors, foot-activated power tailgate, heated steering wheel, 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and pre-collision braking. Even if you add all-wheel drive for another $3,000, this setup has everything you need and nothing you don’t.
If you do opt for the Limited, which starts at $63,870, you get upgrades like a Wi-Fi hotspot, 20-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system, heated steering wheel, remote start, blind spot monitoring, power-deployed running boards and LED taillights.
The Platinum model starts at $74,225. It adds 25 extra horsepower and 10 extra pound-feet of torque, an adaptive damping suspension, 22-inch alloy wheels, fancier and more adjustable front seats, a touchscreen navigation system, real wood trim in the dashboard, automated parking (look ma, no hands!), adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, pre-collision braking, active noise canceling, LED headlights, panoramic sunroof and a 360-degree parking camera.
Chevy Tahoe/Suburban: No conversation about the Expedition is complete without a mention of its longtime rivals from Chevy. Though they’re a few years old at this point, and their approach is more basic than the Expedition, the Tahoe and Suburban have aged nicely. They’re definitely worth a look.
Toyota’s Sequoia is very old at this point and, while it packs a lot of value, that’s about the only advantage it has over the other.
Nissan updated its Armada in 2017 — a change that basically meant the automaker put Nissan badges on the SUV that had previously been the Infiniti QX80. It’s a competent choice though, with smooth V8 power, a luxurious interior and decent interior space. But it’s still outdated and can’t match the interior practicality of the Ford.