2025 Ford Expedition: What's It Like to Live With?

• We bought a 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum for our One-Year Road Test fleet.
• This SUV costs more than $90,000.
• At the time of purchase, the Expedition is our highest-rated full-size SUV by a wide margin. Can it keep that up over the course of a year?

What did we get?

The basic Expedition Active — the least expensive trim — starts at around $68,500 including the destination charge. However, we went with our recommended Platinum trim, which starts close to $75,000. The Platinum ups the bougie content with things like power-deploying running boards, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive shock absorbers that adjust to improve ride quality, leather seats and an ambient lighting system. 

On top of that, we added the $13,570 Platinum Ultimate package, which includes a 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, an illuminated grille, a more powerful engine, Ford's BlueCruise hands-free self-driving tech, even nicer leather and massaging front seats. We also sprung for the $745 Connectivity package that adds 5G connectivity and a Wi-Fi hotspot, and the Console Vault, a hidden safe under the sliding console top, for $360. The total price, including an absurdly high $2,595 destination charge, comes out to $91,505. 

That's a lot of money. In fact, now that our $99,000 Porsche Macan has left, the Expedition is the most expensive vehicle in our yearlong test fleet. That said, it's worth mentioning that none of the option packages feel like wasted money, although we wouldn't call them a "value" either. 

Why did we get it?

Game changers don't come along very often, but this newest Expedition sure feels like one. It has style and presence, the latter of which is hard to avoid considering its gargantuan proportions. But it's also pleasant to drive and surprisingly quick. The interior is modern and forward-thinking, with many functions relegated to touchscreens or other touch-sensitive controls, like the steering wheel switches. But Ford, at first glance, seems to be smart about it. We're curious if our fascination with the tech turns into admiration or annoyance over the long term. 

Then there's BlueCruise. This isn't the first Ford we've had with the tech, and frankly, previous iterations have been more hit than miss and a far cry from GM's class-leading Super Cruise. But Ford says it has significantly enhanced the way BlueCruise works, and our first brief experiences seem to confirm that. The Expedition's quiet interior and relatively smooth highway ride give it all the makings of a long-haul road tripper.

Then there are the downsides. We mentioned the tech, which begs the question of whether the new Expedition relies too much on it. Our early impressions of the Expedition's ride quality have also been mixed. The ride quality itself is comfortable, but the body-on-frame construction has more body shake than we'd expect from a modern vehicle. Then there's the fuel economy: The EcoBoost V6 under the hood seems to offer a lot of Boost but not much Eco. We'll see how it does over the long haul.

Finally, you never know when someone on staff might buy a boat.

2025 Ford Expedition Platinum: Instrumented testing results

How's the Expedition's real-world fuel economy?

• EPA fuel economy rating: 18 mpg combined (15 city/22 highway)
• Edmunds' observed fuel economy: 15.5 mpg
• Best fill: 20.3 mpg
• Best range: 399.8 miles

Is our Expedition better than a minivan for family duty?

SUVs might be all the rage, but minivans have long been a great choice for a family vehicle. That's why we decided to line up our Expedition against a Honda Odyssey and smaller Toyota Grand Highlander to see which is really the best family vehicle.

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