Ford Expedition

Ford Expedition at a glance

The Expedition is a large SUV with a separate ladder frame, a longitudinal engine and rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. Every generation has been closely related to the F-150 of its time. Ford spent US$1.3 billion (1993-1996, approx. EUR 1 billion) developing the first car between 1993 and 1996, unveiled it on 9 May 1996 and launched it on 2 October 1996 as a 1997 model. By 2010 Ford had sold more than 1.5 million Expeditions, standard and long-wheelbase versions together.

Dimensions from Wikipedia; standard-length figures for the 2025 car were not given there.

Generations

First generation (1996-2002)

The first Expedition shared most of its chassis with the 1997 F-150, with short and long arm independent front suspension and a multi-link live rear axle; air suspension was optional. The standard engine was the 4.6-litre Triton V8 with 160 kW (215 hp), later 179 kW (240 hp); the 5.4-litre V8 produced 172 kW (230 hp) at first and 194 kW (260 hp) from 1999. It could seat up to nine thanks to a front bench option and tow up to 3,700 kg (8,100 lb) with the 5.4 and the heavy-duty trailer package.

Second generation (2002-2006)

Shown at the Detroit show in January 2002, the second Expedition had a hydroformed, fully boxed frame that Ford said was 70% stiffer in torsion. Its biggest change was four-wheel independent suspension, which Ford described as a first for a full-size SUV; rear unsprung mass fell by 50 kg and wheel travel reached 240 mm. From 2005 a three-valve 5.4 V8 with 224 kW (300 hp) and 495 Nm (365 lb ft) became the standard engine. Towing rose to 4,000 kg (8,900 lb) and payload reached 732 kg.

Third generation (2006-2017)

The third generation, on sale from August 2006, added the long-wheelbase Expedition EL, which had a 3,300 mm wheelbase and a length of 5,620 mm. A six-speed automatic replaced the four-speed gearboxes, and in 2009 the 5.4 V8 rose to 239 kW (320 hp) and became able to run on E85 as well as petrol. Production moved from Michigan Assembly to Kentucky Truck Assembly in January 2009. For 2015 Ford replaced the V8 with the 3.5 EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, rated at 272 kW (365 hp) and 569 Nm (420 lb ft). A 2015 Platinum weighed 2,792 kg (6,155 lb) in a test, and the EL was sold in the Middle East, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Fourth generation (2017-2024)

Revealed on 7 February 2017, with production from 25 September 2017, the fourth Expedition adopted the F-150's approach of an aluminium-alloy body on a boron-steel frame. The EcoBoost V6 produced 280 kW (375 hp) and 637 Nm (470 lb ft), or 298 kW (400 hp) in the Platinum, and drove through a ten-speed automatic. From 2022 a high-output version with 328 kW (440 hp) and 691 Nm (510 lb ft) was available. The long version was renamed Expedition Max; in the US it started at US$55,000 for the XLT (2018, approx. EUR 46,600). Trims ranged from the fleet-only XL to the Platinum, with the off-road Timberline added for 2022.

Fifth generation (since 2024)

Ford revealed the fifth Expedition on 3 October 2024. The 3.5 EcoBoost V6 and ten-speed automatic remain, with the high-output engine standard on the new Tremor and optional on the Platinum. New features include the Split Gate tailgate, whose lower half folds down like a pickup tailgate and carries up to 227 kg, a centre console that slides back by almost 20 cm, a 24-inch panoramic display and a 13.2-inch touchscreen. The range now consists of Active, King Ranch, Platinum and the Tremor, which replaces the Timberline and brings 33-inch all-terrain tyres and underbody protection.

Engines and performance

US figures are quoted in SAE horsepower; we converted them to kW. Fifth-generation power outputs were not listed in the sources we used.

Dimensions, space and towing

The Expedition seats eight as standard, with seven seats optional; the nine-seat front bench disappeared in 2009. The fifth generation can fold the middle seat of the third row on its own. In the Max version the car is 5,631 mm long, so it will not fit every European garage or parking space; check yours with our garage fit tool. The fourth generation raised minimum ground clearance from 220 mm to 250 mm and was rated to tow 4,200 kg (9,300 lb) under the SAE J2807 standard.

Fuel economy and running costs

A large, heavy petrol SUV is expensive to run in Europe. The 2015 switch from the 5.4 V8 to the twin-turbo V6 raised power and torque while reducing displacement, and the ten-speed automatic arrived in 2018. We did not find official European consumption or CO2 figures, because the Expedition has no EU type approval; anyone importing one privately should budget for high fuel use and registration costs. Our fuel cost calculator gives an estimate once you know the real consumption.

Safety

Euro NCAP has not tested the Expedition, which is not sold in the EU. The second generation was the first full-size SUV with four-wheel independent suspension, and the current car offers Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving system on most of the range in North America, with a 90-day free trial.

Reliability and known issues

We did not find reliability surveys or recall summaries for the Expedition in the sources used for this guide, so we do not list specific faults.

Rivals

The Expedition's natural rivals are the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Yukon, the Toyota Sequoia, the Nissan Armada and the Jeep Wagoneer. Compare body sizes with our comparison tool.

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