2020 Ford Expedition Chicagoland Review by Larry Nutson +VIDEO
MAXed Out
By Larry Nutson
Executive Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel
We had a first-gen Ford Expedition in our family fleet back in 1997, the year if first hit the market. We got it for its 3-row seating which we wanted for school car-pooling and also for the rear cargo space for our two Labrador retriever dogs. This was before Ford redid the Explorer with three row seating.
Now, 23 or so years later the Expedition has been revamped a few times and continues to be a leader in the “space race.” If you really need to carry a lot of full-size people and/or lots of stuff or tow a good size trailer, the Expedition is the vehicle to have.
Large, full-size SUVs are quite popular out in the wide-open spaces around the U.S. In a crowded large city, however, they can be a bit of a challenge.
I had a firsthand experience driving a new 2020 Expedition. Ford offers it in two sizes, big and bigger. The Expedition Max is the bigger of the two, riding on a 131.6 inch wheelbase compared to the 122.5 inches of the standard version. This makes for 221.9 inches of overall length, which can be sometimes challenging to maneuver in a crowded city like Chicago where I make my home.
Cargo room on the Max is 36 cu.ft. behind the third row with the seats up. That’s around 15 cu.ft. more than the littler one. This fact made me give pause and think. Both Expeditions seat the same number of people, seven or eight depending on model. And both can tow 9,000 lbs. when outfitted with the optional heavy-duty trailer tow package.
If I were buying why not go for the max the Expedition can provide and get the Max. If you really load up all the seats with warm bodies that extra cargo space might just come in handy.
Fold the rear seat and you get 79.6 cu.ft. behind the second row and 121.5 cu.ft. with both seat rows folded. By the way, to make life easier both rear seat rows have a power fold feature operable from the rear hatch area. Also, the second row can slide forward or rearward to vary legroom.
Climbing up and into the Expedition was made easier with power-deployable running boards. My wife especially liked them. Once inside you have a command view of the road. Adjusting the driving position is all done by power—the driver’s seat, the steering column, the pedal position and the outside mirrors. How easy!
A notable feature offered on the Expedition is Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist that uses a rotary knob mounted on the instrument panel together with the rearview camera to let you easily steer a trailer. It takes all of the mind-twisting out of backing a trailer even for the novice. I’ve used the system on an F-150 and it works like a charm.
Expeditions come in XLT, Limited, King Ranch and Platinum trims. Both 4X2 or 4X4 drivetrains are offered in each. Power is from a 3.5-L turbo V6 rated at 375-horspower except on the Platinum trim which is boosted to 400-horsepower. A 10-speed automatic gets the power to the drive wheels.
There’s also an XL trim offered for fleet sale commercial use by municipalities or livery companies.
The King Ranch model is new for 2020. New tech features for 2020 such as FordPass Connect, which includes a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 mobile devices, SYNC 3, which features compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology are standard across the lineup. There’s also new choices of exterior paint colors.
Around my Chicago home I found that driving the somewhat large Expedition Max takes some planning. Running errands and finding a suitable size curb-side parallel parking space can be a challenge. I quickly came to learn that parking garages have height limits that usually are set around 77 inches, which leaves a bit of a cushion. Then I started to pay attention to some of the garage door openings on various condo and apartment buildings. A big fullsize SUV is really more easily housed outside of a congested and dense city.
Ford reengineered the Expedition for 2018. Its truck-like construction features an aluminum-alloy body riding on a frame of high-strength steel. Weight was reduced by 300 pounds but it’s very rugged for off-road use or trailer towing.
Prices start at $52,810 for the XLT 4X2. The Platinum trim Max I drove had a base price of $80,110 plus the $1,395 destination charge. It topped out at $84,065 with optional Burgundy Metallic clear coat, second row captain’s chairs and the heavy-duty trailer tow package.
Additional specific information on all of the 2020 Ford Expedition's can be found HERE
The B&O 12 speaker sound system nicely filed the cavernous Expedition with great tunes. The 360-degree camera took the edge off a lot of maneuvers allowing for close-up views of the surroundings. All seating positions are very comfortable. There’s a ton of legroom in the second row and the third row can actually fit adult size people, although not overly tall folk. The engine delivers plenty of go power and the ten-speed tranny does a fine job of finding the right gear at the right time. Fuel consumption is nothing to write home about with EPA ratings at 16 city mpg and 21 highway mpg. Around town, stop and go driving drinks up the fuel.
So go for it! If you are shopping for a big SUV, take it to the max.
© 2020 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy
2020 Ford Expedition Platinum MAX Specifications
Highlights
Fuel Economy and Engine Highlights
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|
Engine Type |
3.5L EcoBoost®
V6 |
EPA-Estimated Ratings (Actual mileage will vary) | Expedition 4x2: 17 city / 23 hwy / 19 combined mpg |
Expedition 4x4: 17 city / 22 hwy / 19 combined mpg |
|
Expedition MAX 4x2: 17 city / 23 hwy / 19 combined mpg | |
Expedition MAX 4x4: 16 city / 21 hwy / 18 combined mpg | |
Vehicle Highlights | |
Maximum Seating Capacity | 8 |
Drivetrain |
Rear Wheel Drive (standard) |
Control Trac®
Four Wheel Drive (optional) |
|
Transmissions |
10-speed automatic with SelectShift®
|
Wheelbase |
4x2/4x4 Expedition - 119 (in.) |
4x2/4x4 Expedition MAX - 131 (in.) |
|
Maximum Towing Capacity |
Expedition 4x2 - 9,300 lbs. |
Expedition 4x4 - 9,200 lbs. |
|
Expedition MAX 4x2 - 9,000 lbs. | |
Expedition MAX 4x4 - 9,000 lbs. |
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Wheels Available |
18" Machined-Face Aluminum with Magnetic-Painted Pockets |
18" Magnetic Metallic-Painted Cast-Aluminum |
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20" Luster Nickel-Painted Aluminum |
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20" Premium Dark Tarnish-Painted |
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22" Polished Aluminum |
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22" Premium Black-Painted Aluminum |
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Bumper to Bumper: 3 years / 36,000 miles |
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Warranty |
Powertrain: 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety Restraint System: 5 years / 60,000 miles |
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Corrosion (Perforation Only): 5 years / Unlimited miles |
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Roadside Assistance Program: 5 years / 60,000 miles |
Exterior
Exterior Dimensions
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4x2/4x4 Expedition (in.) | 4x2/4x4 Expedition MAX (in.) | |
Wheelbase |
122.5 | 131.6 |
Length |
210.0 | 221.9 |
Height |
76.6/76.4 |
76.4/76.2 |
Width - Excluding Mirrors |
79.9 | 79.9 |
Width - Including Mirrors |
93.4 | 93.4 |
Width - with Mirrors Folded | 83.6 | 83.6 |
Front Track |
67.6 | 67.6 |
Rear Track |
67.2 | 67.2 |
Front Overhang |
38.2 | 38.2 |
Rear Overhang |
49.3 | 52.0 |
Approach Angle (degrees) |
23.4/23.3 |
24.0/23.7 |
Departure Angle (degrees) |
22.2/21.9 |
21.5/21.3 |
Ramp Breakover Angle (degrees) |
21.5/21.4 |
20.3/20.1 |
Minimum Running Ground Clearance |
9.8 | 9.8/9.7 |
Interior
Interior Dimensions
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||
4x2/4x4 Expedition (in.)
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4x2/4x4 Expedition MAX (in.)
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|
Head Room - 1st Row |
42.0 | 42.0 |
Head Room - 2nd Row |
40.0 | 40.0 |
Head Room - 3rd Row |
37.3 | 37.4 |
Max Leg Room - 1st Row |
43.9 | 43.9 |
Leg Room - 2nd Row |
41.5 | 41.5 |
Leg Room - Second Row (Seat Full Rearward) [in] |
42.6 | 42.6 |
Leg Room - 3rd Row |
36.1 | 36.1 |
Leg Room - Third Row (Second Row Seat Full Forward) [in] |
40.9 | 40.9 |
Hip Room - 1st Row |
62.2 | 62.2 |
Hip Room - 2nd Row |
62.6 | 62.6 |
Hip Room - 3rd Row |
51.4 | 51.4 |
Shoulder Room - 1st Row |
64.9 | 64.9 |
Shoulder Room - 2nd Row |
64.8 | 64.8 |
Shoulder Room - 3rd Row |
64.2 | 64.3 |
Capacities
Capacities: Interior Volume
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4x2/4x4 Expedition (cu. ft.) | 4x2/4x4 Expedition MAX (cu. ft.)
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Passenger Volume |
171.9 | 172.0 |
Cargo Volume Behind First Row |
104.6 | 121.5 |
Cargo Volume Behind Second Row |
57.5 | 73.3 |
Cargo Volume Behind Second Row - Second Row Seat Full Forward [cu.ft.] |
63.6 | 79.6 |
Cargo Volume Behind Third Row |
19.3 | 34.3 |
Cargo Volume Behind Third Row - Third Row Seat Full Upright [cu.ft.] |
20.9 | 36.0 |
Capacities: Fuel
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4x2/4x4 Expedition (gallons)
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4x2/4x4 Expedition MAX (gallons)
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|
Fuel Capacity |
25 | 30 |
Capacities: Weight
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4x2/4x4 Expedition (lbs.)
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4x2/4x4 Expedition MAX (lbs.)
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|
Base Curb Weight |
5368/5623 | 5534/5794 |
Maximum Seating Capacity |
8 | 8 |
Engine
Engine Specifications
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|
Drive type |
Rear-wheel drive (std.); Control Trac®
Four-wheel drive (opt.) |
Engine type |
3.5L EcoBoost®
V6 |
Transmission |
10-speed automatic with SelectShift®
|
Final drive ratio |
3.15 (std. 4x2 Expedition) |
3.31 (std. 4x4 Expedition & 4x2 Expedition MAX) | |
3.73 (std. 4x4 Expedition MAX, opt. 4x2 Expedition MAX & 4X2/4X4 Expedition) | |
Recommended fuel |
Regular Unleaded |
EPA-Estimated Rating (Actual mileage will vary) |
Expedition 4x2: 17 city / 24 hwy / 20 combined mpg |
Expedition 4x4: 17 city / 23 hwy / 19 combined mpg | |
Expedition MAX 4x2: 17 city / 22 hwy / 19 combined mpg | |
Expedition MAX 4x4: 16 city / 21 hwy / 18 combined mpg | |
Horsepower (SAE net@rpm) |
375 @ 5,000 |
Torque (lb.-ft@rpm) |
470 @ 2,250 |
Compression ratio |
10.0:1 |
Valvetrain |
Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) |
Fuel delivery |
Gasoline Direct Injection |
Exhaust |
Single, stainless steel |
Engine block type |
Die-cast aluminum |
Cylinder head material |
Aluminum alloy |
Chassis
Chassis Specifications
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|
Front suspension |
Independent Short- and Long-Arm (SLA) coil-over-shocks with stabilizer bar |
Front shocks |
Gas charged (Opt. Continuously Controlled Damping) |
Rear suspension |
Independent multi-link with stabilizer bar (Opt. rear mechanical load-leveling) |
Rear shocks |
Gas charged (Opt. Continuously Controlled Damping) |
Brakes |
Power 4-wheel Disc Anti-Lock Brake System with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) |
Steering |
Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering |
Towing
Maximum Towing Capabilities - Conventional Towing
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Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight (Lbs.)
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Model |
Axle Ratio |
GCWR (4x2/4x4) (Lbs.) |
4x2 | 4x4 |
Expedition |
3.15/3.31 |
12,300 / 12,500 |
6,600 | 6,500 |
Expedition MAX |
3.73 | 12,500 / 12,800 | 6,600 | 6,600 |
Maximum Towing Capabilities - Optional Heavy-Duty Trailer Towing Package
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Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight (Lbs.)
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Model |
Axle Ratio |
GCWR (4x2/4x4) (Lbs.) |
4x2 | 4x4 |
Expedition |
3.31/3.73 |
14,900 / 15,200 |
9,300 | 9,200 |
Expedition MAX | 3.73 |
15,100 / 15,300 |
9,000 | 9,000 |