If all the online buzz is to be believed, Ford's top SUV, deep into its current life cycle, looks to be due for a significant update. The Expedition's truck-based construction gives it robust towing ability, helping set it apart from most three-row SUVs. Based on photos of Expedition prototypes that are circulating, if a redesign does materialize for 2025, we'd expect an all-new look up front, such as the larger grille and thinner headlight treatment seen on the latest Ford Explorer. Upgrades could also include the latest tech pièce de résistance: a door-to-door, dash-spanning widescreen display. Updates to the V6 engine lineup, possibly even a hybrid option similar to the Nautilus, could also help boost the Expedition's disappointing real-world fuel economy.
Edmunds spotlight: Expedition comes to the big screen
The recent photos of Expedition test prototypes suggest the big SUV will get Ford's new 48-inch panoramic display, as seen in the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus. The widescreen will probably not offer touch control capability; that will be reserved for the display in the more conventional center console slot, likely an 11-inch unit similar to the one in the new Nautilus or a 12-inch display to match the Expedition's current standard offering. Instead the screen will offer vast real estate to suit the driver's preferences for viewing digital gauges, navigation, music and media metadata, and apps and services. Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, Prime Video, Google Maps navigation and 5G connectivity are all baked into Ford's new Digital Experience infotainment platform. Big dash widescreens are having a moment, found mostly in luxury models from BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. This would mark one of the first applications in a non-luxury model.
Competitors to consider
The Expedition lines up with other stout three-row SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Jeep Wagoneer, Toyota Sequoia and Nissan Armada. All have the ability to tow heavy loads, with the Expedition rated for up to 9,300 pounds. Only the Wagoneer and Sequoia can tow slightly more. The Expedition's rated fuel economy of 19 mpg combined is among the best in class and impressive given its capability, but we've found it hard to replicate the EPA ratings in real-world testing. Buyers who don't need the Expedition's muscle and prefer better fuel economy can look to alternatives such as the Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride and Volkswagen Atlas.