Who doesn’t want a large American SUV? They’re big enough to transport the kiddos and all of their friends with plenty of legroom. When people think about large SUVs, images of Chevy Suburbans and GMC Yukon XLs come to mind. They’ve been the staple of large American SUVs for years. For years, Ford had the humongous Excursion and the decent Expedition. 2018 brought along a fully-redesigned Expedition along with the even bigger Expedition MAX. My tester was a 2021 Ford Expedition MAX 4X4 Platinum. Let’s see if it can compete with the others from America.
When Ford designed the latest Expedition, it didn’t pull its punches with the exterior. Even if you didn’t see any of the Ford badges, you’d know it's American. The massive front end is both aggressive and handsome. Walking along the side, you take in the entire size of the MAX. Like most large SUVs, you can take a gentle stroll around the entire SUV and get your Fitbit steps. A power tailgate, which is needed, helps you to see just how expansive the interior of the Expedition MAX is. If you have six people to drive around, they’ll definitely have plenty of legroom. Burgundy Velvet paint makes the Expedition pop even more.
Entering the Expedition means a power sidebar slides out to assist you so you can hop into the cabin. Inside the cabin, the Expedition shares the infotainment system and most controls with other Ford pickups. This isn’t terrible, but it does make the Expedition feel a little old. That said, there are some interesting features for the seats. There are heated and ventilated seats, but they come on so fast you almost have to have them on setting two of three. It’s the same with the heated steering wheel. Ford really knows how to keep your hands, back, and bum warm! If you feel a little sluggish, the seats also have a sort-of massaging feature. They’re not that strong but they do the job.
Since this is the top-of-the-line Platinum, you get all the features you would expect for $80,000. The seats are covered in Medium Soft Ceramic leather, which is a fancy marketing term for “off-white”. My tester had the optional Captain Chairs with Armrest which turns the Expedition from a seven-seater to a six-seater. They’re also heated and is the row you want to be in since there is a ton of space. The third-row is definitely made for kids or for short distances. The rear-row is also powered so they can easily be folded down and lifted up.
Alright, let’s jump in the driver's seat and take this for a ride! The Expedition uses a rotary shifter which is used in most Fords. It makes sense since a traditional shifter isn’t necessary. While driving, you have various drive modes which include Normal, Eco, Sport, and various modes for different terrain. I’m in Chicagoland and it snowed like crazy, but the combination of optional four-wheel-drive and a Snow mode made driving easier. This is good because the Expedition feels as big as it is.
Compared to others like the Suburban, there’s only one engine and it’s not a thumping-grade V8. All Expeditions have a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 and a ten-speed automatic. The Platinum has a more powerful engine compared to the other trim levels. This V6 makes 400-horsepower and 480 lb-ft. Zero to 60 MPH takes less than six seconds and this engine is quite powerful. I like this engine, but the transmission did some odd things. Shifting into or out of Park, Reverse, and Drive made the entire car shake. I’m not quite sure why, but this may just be this particular Expedition.
Even though the transmission was jerky, putting the drive mode into Sport automatically turned on the four-wheel-drive system and brought out the engine’s full potential. Put it into Eco mode and you’ll instantly change that. Like every Eco mode out there, it makes the Expedition sluggish and isn’t worth using. Keep it in Normal like most people and you’ll be ok. The default for the Expedition is in two-wheel-drive but it can be shifted into four-wheel-drive with the push of a button. One of the options this Expedition had was a towing package and I bet it works well.
The engine and transmission are good, but the suspension needs a little tuning. Not surprisingly, the Expedition doesn’t like to corner. The ride is also a little harsh. All of the safety systems you expect in a modern car are here. Adaptive cruise control, lane keep monitoring, and blind-spot monitoring. There’s also a 360-degree reversing camera which in a large SUV like this is absolutely needed. These are all great because of how the Expedition drives. Being a large SUV is one thing, but driving like a large SUV isn’t enjoyable.
Like I said earlier, the Expedition MAX Platinum with four-wheel-drive and a few options gets the cost to $80,000. Most vehicles on the market don’t need to be the top-of-the-line model, and the Expedition MAX fits with this. Instead of the Platinum, I would go with the entry-level XLT. You can add a plethora of options such as a panoramic roof, power tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats, and power-folding third row. The leather may be fake, but it makes more sense if you’re using this as a family schoolbus. Plus, all of this can be yours for $15,000 less.
Although the Expedition MAX is a good SUV, I would wait for the 2022 refresh. As of this writing, there have been spy photos of the updated infotainment system. Shared with the Mustang Mach-e, the infotainment is massive and has a portrait layout. These spy photos also show a digital driver’s display which puts the Expedition into the modern age. When the refresh comes out, the Expedition MAX will be a great choice for those that want to haul people and trailers. Just wait a little bit, and you’ll see a large SUV that can compete with GMC Yukons.
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