The 2025 Ford Expedition represents a dramatic leap forward in full-size SUV design, delivering impressive performance with a 0-60 mph time of just 5.1 seconds while maintaining the spacious comfort families demand. After spending extensive time with Ford’s redesigned three-row monster, it’s clear that the Blue Oval has created something special that could finally challenge GM’s long-standing dominance in the full-size SUV segment.
Revolutionary Design Meets Practical Innovation
Exterior Transformation
The 2025 Expedition’s exterior is clearly different from the outgoing look, with a new daytime running light signature that outlines the bisected headlights up front and new grille designs that bring a lower textured element on higher trims. Ford has successfully modernized the Expedition’s appearance without losing its commanding road presence.
The most significant exterior change is the innovative split tailgate design. The new split tailgate features an upper liftgate and fold-down lower tailgate that can support up to 500 pounds, creating a unique design that ensures small cargo like groceries stays secure while providing a shelf that doubles as a table and morphs into a backrest for comfortable tailgating.
Interior Technology Revolution
Ford has completely reimagined the Expedition’s cabin for 2025. The interior features a new bi-level screen setup with a large 13.2-inch infotainment display in the normal centered location, while a wider 24-inch panoramic display above shows the gauges and additional information. This dual-screen arrangement creates an impressive command center that rivals luxury vehicles.
The cabin’s functionality extends beyond flashy screens. Ford adds thoughtful features for families, campers, and tailgaters, including a center console that power-slides forward and back up to eight inches to stow and hide purses or to move stuff back to the kids. These practical touches demonstrate Ford’s understanding of real-world family needs.
Powerhouse Performance That Surprises
EcoBoost Engine Excellence
The heart of the 2025 Expedition is a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that produces 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque in standard form, with an optional high-output version delivering 440 horses and 510 pound-feet. This isn’t just impressive on paper – the real-world performance is genuinely shocking for a vehicle of this size.
The high-output engine configuration enables this 5,844-pound SUV to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds and complete the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 99 mph. These numbers put the Expedition in sports car territory, making it one of the quickest full-size SUVs available.
Driving Dynamics and Handling
Despite its substantial size, the 2025 Expedition offers surprisingly refined driving dynamics. The adaptive suspension provides a cushy ride, and instead of crashing over every bump or transmitting every road imperfection through the driver’s spine, the Expedition carries you through without being upset. This is particularly impressive considering the available 24-inch wheels that would typically compromise ride quality.
However, the driving experience isn’t perfect. The steering is reasonably relaxed right off center, then responds abruptly, and the brake system seems to have been calibrated similarly – after a slight bit of pedal movement, the brakes grab suddenly and come on strong. These characteristics require some adjustment but don’t significantly detract from the overall experience.
Tremor: The Off-Road Game Changer
Serious Off-Road Capability
The new Tremor isn’t the first Expedition off-roader, but it’s the most capable, featuring 10.6 inches of ground clearance, 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires, front skidplates from the F-150 Raptor, an electronic locking differential, and revised suspension. This comprehensive off-road package transforms the family-friendly Expedition into a legitimate trail warrior.
The Tremor’s capabilities extend beyond hardware upgrades. Special features include Rock Crawl as an additional drive mode, Trail Turn Assist that improves maneuverability on narrow trails by reducing the turning radius, and Trail One-Pedal Drive that allows drivers to control both acceleration and braking using only the accelerator pedal for greater precision tackling tricky terrain.
Space, Comfort, and Family-Friendly Features
Exceptional Interior Space
Space remains one of the Expedition’s greatest strengths, seating seven or eight in three rows with the third row offering true adult space. This isn’t just marketing speak – the Expedition genuinely provides usable space for adults in all three rows, a rarity in this segment.
The Max body style offers a whopping 123.1 cubic feet of space behind its first row, 75.4 cubes behind the second row, and 36.1 cubes behind the third row, while the standard wheelbase model provides 108.5, 60.8, and 21.6 cubic feet respectively. These numbers represent increases from the previous generation, maximizing utility without increasing overall vehicle size.
Modern Family Technology
Ford has adapted to modern family needs by eliminating traditional rear entertainment systems. Instead of a rear entertainment system, the Expedition features tablet holders in the front seatbacks that accommodate personal devices occupants can bring onboard. This approach acknowledges that most families prefer using their own devices rather than built-in screens.
Advanced Driver Assistance and Safety
BlueCruise Technology
The Expedition can be equipped with Ford’s BlueCruise 1.4 technology, a hands-free driving system that allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel on selected roads covering 130,000 miles of North American highways. This isn’t autonomous driving, but rather an advanced driver assistance feature that significantly reduces fatigue on long trips.
BlueCruise includes automatic lane changes after you tap the turn signal and in-lane repositioning that gently nudges the Expedition away from large vehicles, making long road trips easier for the driver to manage. The system integrates seamlessly with the vehicle’s display systems to communicate availability and status.
Comprehensive Safety Suite
Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, automatic high-beams, and Intersection Assist that can detect oncoming traffic when attempting to make a left turn. A 360-degree camera system is also standard, providing comprehensive situational awareness.
Pricing and Value Proposition
Competitive Positioning
The 2025 Expedition starts at approximately $62,000 for the Active trim and extends to $83,655 for the King Ranch, with the Tremor positioned at $81,030 and Platinum at $74,430. While these prices represent significant increases from the previous generation, they remain competitive with key rivals.
The 2025 Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon come in at $61,195 and $69,395 respectively before options, with top-trim Tahoe High Country models reaching $95,000, making them direct competitors to the Expedition Platinum. Ford’s pricing strategy positions the Expedition competitively while offering unique features and superior performance.
The Competition Landscape
Taking on the Establishment
Ford has owned the full-size pickup truck space for decades, but when it comes to big SUV sales, it falls to GM every year; the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon are just that popular with people who buy huge family cars. This market reality has clearly motivated Ford to create something exceptional with the 2025 Expedition.
The new Expedition addresses many traditional weaknesses while building on its strengths. Even if it “only” has a V-6, that engine has plenty of torque to get the Expedition moving, and once underway, the ride quality is plush and makes the SUV a nice highway cruiser.
A New Chapter in Full-Size SUV Excellence
The 2025 Ford Expedition stays true to its roots, preserving all the space and capability expected from this class of SUVs, while forging ahead on interior design and infotainment integration and adding a great new off-road version. This isn’t just an incremental update – it’s a comprehensive reimagining of what a full-size SUV can be.
The Expedition plunges even further into premium territory with this big 2025 update, and the automaker has put significant work into making the new Expedition this good. Whether Ford can dethrone the GM twins remains to be seen, but the 2025 Expedition represents the company’s strongest effort yet in this crucial segment.
For families seeking a full-size SUV that combines impressive performance, genuine off-road capability, advanced technology, and practical innovations, the 2025 Ford Expedition deserves serious consideration. It’s not just competing with the segment leaders – it’s redefining what’s possible in a family SUV.