2025 Ford Expedition has trick tailgate, wide-screen display
The 2025 Ford Expedition leans into its role as the Airbnb Superhost of SUVs with a suite of features focused on family and friends.
It’s business in front and party in the back as the Expedition’s engine and drivetrain are largely untouched while the tailgate and cargo area are primed for tailgates and picnics. A 24-inch wide-screen driver’s display and available 22-speaker B&O sound system complete the big SUV’s transformation from trailer-towing workhorse into king of the tailgate party.
The Expedition is Ford’s biggest SUV. Available with rear- or four-wheel drive and a 122.5- or 131.5-inch wheelbase, it competes with apex SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Jeep Wagoneer, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia.
I tested a top of the line short-wheelbase King Ranch model that stickered at $83,995, excluding $2,195 destination charge.
2025 Ford Expedition trim levels and prices
- XL Fleet: $57,345
- Max XL Fleet: $61,470
- Active: $62,320
- Max Active: $65,320
- Platinum: $74,750
- Max Platinum: $77,750
- Tremor: $81,350
- King Ranch: $83.975
- Max King Ranch: $86,975
Prices exclude $2,195 destination charge.
Source: Edmunds
Prices for the 2025 Ford Expedition King Ranch start at $83,975, excluding destination charge.
Big changes from driver’s seat to tailgate
Google navigation, apps, streaming and more are standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The ’25 Expedition introduces a crystal-clear 24-inch display for speed, crucial driving information, weather, navigation and more. There’s also a 13.2-inch touch screen for infotainment, climate and other functions.The center stack is nearly devoid of physical controls with just a rotary shifter and volume dial. Temperature, fan speed and heated and cooled seats are controlled by a row of permanent touchpoints across the bottom of the landscape-oriented touch screen.
A pair of unlabeled four-axis touch pads on the steering wheel manage volume, tuning, Blue Cruise hands-free adaptive cruise control, steering wheel and pedal position, voice prompts and more.
I expected the touch pads to be a usability nightmare, distracting me from the road, but they quickly became intuitive, largely thanks to icons in the display ― convenient to the driver’s line of sight ― that showed what each pad was doing. It was an unexpected benefit to the wide-screen instrument display.
The 2025 Ford Expedition's cargo area features a multipurpose shelf and two-peice power tailgate.
Party in the back
The power tailgate opens in two pieces, a useful throwback feature Ford rediscovered this year. The lower quarter folds down like a pickup’s tailgate while the top three-quarters opens upward, like other SUVs.
Benefits:
- With the top portion open, you can easily load and remove cargo, but stray items can’t roll out onto the ground.
- Open both portions and the bottom forms a handy seat or serving table.
Ford calls the feature a Split Gate. The lower portion can support 500 pounds — plenty for a sumptuous buffet or two to three people. An adjustable trim piece provides a seat back or a shelf for food and equipment. The shelf can also be used for bilevel cargo with the tailgate closed.
The 2025 Ford Expedition's steering wheel-mounted touchpads for cruise control and other features proved surprisingly intuitive.
2025 Ford Expedition key features
- Two-piece power tailgate
- 24-inch panoramic driver’s display
- Power adjustable center console
- 13.2-inch touch screen
- Multipurpose rear cargo space
- Acoustic glass
The 2025 Ford Expedition's 24-inch driver display.
Driving impressions
The Expedition is roomy and comfortable, seating up to eight. The King Ranch I drove provides a uniquely American take on luxury and capability. Driving it is like commuting through an episode of “Landman,” the popular program set in the high risk/high reward oil fields of west Texas.
Power comes from a standard 3.5L twin-turbo V6 linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s available with rear- or four-wheel drive.
Acceleration is adequate, despite the 4x4 Expedition’s base curb weight of 5,668 pounds. The steering capably maneuvers through suburban parking lots.
The cabin is quiet at highway speed, thanks to acoustic glass
The 24-inch diver’s display ― a smaller version of the Lincoln Navigator’s full-width display ― quickly feels natural. Ford lowered the dash and designed a squared-off ― “squirkle” ― steering wheel to assure a clear view.
The power center console slides 8 inches to the rear, creating an enclosed space for valuables when forward and putting cupholders in reach of second-row kids.
The rear seat is split 40/20/20, offering either room for three or two seats with a center pass-through for long cargo extending all the way to the front seat.
The 2025 Ford Expedition is in dealerships now.
Ford Expedition competitors and base prices
- Chevrolet Tahoe: $58,500
- Chevrolet Suburban: $61,500
- Jeep Wagoneer: $59,945
- Nissan Armada: $57,520
- Toyota Sequoia: $62,425
Prices exclude destination charge.
Source: Edmunds
The 2025 Ford Expedition's cargo area features and adjustable shelf and two-piece power tailgate.
What could be better?
Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free highway driving system is improving, but trails the refinement of systems available on Chevrolet and GMC SUVs and Ram pickups. It’s lane centering inspires more confidence than when the system debuted, but still lacks competitors’ steadiness.
Automatic lane changes for hands-free passing of slower vehicles is not available at the time of writing, but may be available soon.
Why buy a 2025 Ford expedition?
Only a handful of vehicles can compete with the Expedition’s room and capability. The 2025 Expedition’s expansive display and inventive features add to its appeal for work and play.
The SUV retains its core work/play appeal with an ability to tow up to 9,600 pounds and host parties on the tailgate.
Prices for the 2025 Ford Expedition King Ranch start at $83,975.
2025 Ford Expedition at a glance
Rear- or four-wheel drive large SUV
Seats seven to eight
Base price: $57,345 (All prices exclude $2,195 destination charge.)
On sale now
Model tested: Expedition King Ranch 4x4
Price as tested: $83,995
Engine: Twin-turbo 3.5L V6
Output: 400 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm; 480 pound-feet of torque @3,300 rpm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
EPA estimated fuel economy:
Wheelbase: 122.5 inches
Length: 209.9 inches
Width: 84.6 inches (mirrors folded)
Height: 78.1 inches
Ground clearance: 8.7 inches
Passenger volume: 171.8 cubic feet
Cargo volume: 21.5 cubic feet behind rear seat, 69.9 cubic feet behind second row, 108.5 behind front seats.
Towing capacity: 9,600 pounds
Base curb weight: 5,668 pounds
Assembled in Louisville, Kentucky
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)
