2018 Ford Expedition Review: A Massive Improvement

Source: 2018 Ford Expedition Review: A Massive Improvement

Just as minivans replaced the family station wagon in the 1980s, large SUVs also supplanted these vans in the 1990s. Since then, however, the Great Recession and occasional gas price shocks have restored the largest SUVs to their original role in the market: expensive vehicles bought by people who need large, multi-person vehicles that can tow a lot of weight. The segment leaders are the Chevrolet Tahoe and its longer brother, the Suburban, and it’s not hard to figure out why: Its main competitor, the Ford Expedition, hasn’t seen a major update in almost a decade.

Now everything has changed. Behold the behemoth: an all-new 2018 Ford Expedition aiming to unseat the Chevy from its top-truck throne – as was the case in our full-size SUV challenge.

Old school truck, new school materials

Like the old Expedition, the new one retains the traditional, truck-like body-on-frame construction. Under the skin, the Expedition is an F-150 that’s been upgraded with independent rear suspension instead of a rigid live axle. This arrangement also allows for a lower load floor in the cargo area, allowing the third row to fold away completely — an advantage over the Chevy Tahoe’s seats, which fold flat but not into the floor. The Tahoe’s raised floor eats up cargo space and makes loading items difficult.

As with the F-150, the Expedition’s body is now aluminum, but the weight difference for 2018 isn’t that significant — just a 119-pound decrease for the base trim compared to a comparable 2017 Expedition. Ford added all sorts of gear and soundproofing that serve to offset some of the advantages of lightweight aluminum. The body looks sleek, with a new and thoroughly modern appearance that’s much more in line with modern truck style: high waistline, smaller windows and chunkier styling. It’s fresh, attractive and looks significantly more aerodynamic than the previous model.

The Expedition is available in two lengths: Expedition and Expedition Max (formerly Expedition EL). The extra space does nothing for passenger space, but it increases cargo space behind the third row, so you’re not forced to choose between extra rear passengers and extra luggage space. My primary test vehicle was a regular Expedition, although Cars.com editors also drove the Max.

Old-style performance, new-style engine

Powering the new Expedition is Ford’s ubiquitous 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6, a carryover engine. It puts out a whopping 375 hp in most trim levels and 400 hp in the top Platinum. New in the setup is a standard 10-speed automatic transmission – with a choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive – and an electronic limited-slip differential.

Fire up the V-6 and it sounds like a well-tuned turbodiesel. Some of the engine noise is artificially generated by the stereo (all that soundproofing would otherwise prevent you from hearing the engine), but the sound that comes through is a fun mix of whooshing turbos and grating exhausts. It sounds sufficiently butch for the truck it powers.

I also found it to be a fairly pleasant surprise to drive – the V-6 powers the Expedition more than adequately in both regular and Max versions, and it packs even more punch when you flip the rotary drive mode selector to Sport. Climbing the canyons above Malibu, California, handling the tight, twisting sweepers, descending fast switchbacks—the Expedition exudes confidence and stability. Sport mode tightens steering feedback and changes both accelerator pedal sensitivity and transmission shift points, making those corners even easier to take. No one will mistake the Expedition for a Mustang, but it certainly doesn’t disgrace itself on demanding high-speed roads.

The driving characteristics are also excellent. The wheel sizes vary between 18 and 22 inches depending on the equipment and equipment. Higher-spec trims get electronically adjustable suspension, but smaller-model suspensions also offer a smooth, well-controlled ride; There are no crazy, tippy body movements. If you need an off-road rig, Ford has you covered too: an FX4 package is available, adding underbody protection, a low-range transfer case, special tuning for the electronic limited-slip differential, and Michelin Primacy tires on smaller, off-road wheels Shock absorbers, a high-performance radiator and a unique emblem.

Hooked up to a 5,500-pound RV, my Expedition pulled like a champ, chugging up 6-percent inclines with ease and accelerating despite the load it was hauling. The 10-speed automatic is well-matched to the engine and holds gears on descents to spare Expedition’s brakes and maintain easy control. The dashboard also shows you a lot of information, e.g. B. which gear the transmission has just engaged.

Trailer sway control comes with a robust towing package, as does Ford’s super-nimble Pro Trailer Backup Assist feature, which lets you back up a trailer with a dedicated rotary knob on the dash and rear cameras. It takes the guesswork and trial-and-error out of backing a trailer and makes even the newest novice look like a seasoned trucker.

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