The 2020 Ford Expedition 4x2 Platinum Edition SUV
You Are What You Drive — A Bottom Line Review
The Bottom Line: While working as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company in Detroit, Henry Ford built his first gasoline powered horseless carriage. At around 4:00 a.m. on June 4, 1896, in the shed behind his home on Bagley Avenue in Detroit, Henry Ford unveils the “Quadricycle,” the first automobile he ever designed, or drove. On June 16, 1903 he established the Ford Motor Company, and five years later the company rolled out the first Ford Model T.
On October 1, 1908, the first production Model T Ford was completed at the company’s Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit. Between 1908 and 1927, Ford would build some 15 million Model T cars. The Ford Model T became the first mass produced car in the world, and it held the longest production run of any automobile model in history, until the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed it in 1972.
In 2019, Ford delivered about 2.3 million units to U.S. customers, and is the leading car brand in the United States based on vehicle sales. The United States is the largest market for Ford: wholesale deliveries to U.S. dealerships reached over 2.5 million vehicles in 2018. Today, Ford is the 4th largest car company in the world, just behind Toyota, VW and Daimler Chrysler Fiat.
This week Ford sent me a Blue Metallic 2020 Ford Expedition 4x2 Platinum Edition SUV with Medium Ceramic 7 passenger seating to test drive and review. This is a full size Explorer SUV that has been stretched out and super sized with a longer wheelbase that makes it float over the road in luxurious comfort. The ride is super smooth and super comfortable. You feel like you can drive this SUV forever, and enjoy every minute. What a sweet ride it is!
The Platinum Edition has every comfort and convenience option offered: like heated and cooled front leather trimmed seats, adjustable gas and brake pedals, a power tilt and telescoping steering column with memory, a leather wrapped and heated steering wheel and a huge Panoramic Vista Sunroof.
This SUV also has power everything, including power folding split 3rd row seats, power folding 2nd row heated bucket seats, power extending running boards, hands free power rear tailgate with adjustable height, dual power folding side view mirrors, and a remote power start system.
As all of these premium options sound great, they do cost a little bit more than the standard stuff. The base price for this 2020 Ford Expedition 4x2 Platinum Edition 7 passenger SUV starts at $73,935. The only extra option on the vehicle is: The second row bucket seats for $595. The total MSRP manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including the $1,395 destination charge, came to: $75,925.
At the time of full production in the early 1920’s, the price of the Model T cost about $300. Wow, have times changed in the last 100 years, price wise. But this SUV is near the top of the SUV food chain, while the 1920 Ford Runabout, known affectionately as the Tin Lizzie, was the most basic form of transportation available.
And I say near the top of the SUV line, for as we all know, that there are over a dozen SUV’S priced way over $100,000 on the market today, from every automaker worldwide. But really, this is all the luxury SUV you will ever need in real life.
The Expedition Platinum Edition is powered by a special 400 HP horsepower twin turbo 3.5L liter Ecoboost V/6 engine with 470 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a 10 speed automatic transmission with Selectshift. This feature allows you to shift the transmission when you want, for more power and torque, to hold a gear when towing, or going up steep hills. A nice option to have if you’re taking a trip across the country, towing the boat to the lake, or going to the local home depot to pick up some more drywall for your next remodeling project.
When you buy a larger SUV with this level of extra equipment and accessories it takes more electrical and engine power to keep everything running nice and smoothly. And because it weighs near 3 tons, it uses more gas than a car. The fuel economy rating is 17 MPG miles per gallon city, 23 MPG highway, and it gets a combined average of 19 MPG. About average for a top of the line, full size 4x2 SUV with every option on it. The greenhouse gas score is a 3, and the smog rating is a 5. Again, about average for a vehicle in this size category, plus it has a tow rating of over 6,500 pounds too.
While not everybody wants to drive a large SUV everyday, for the buyers who appreciate the amenities, comfort and size, this is a top of the line contender for your SUV dollars. Ford has always been known as the value leader in new automobiles, ever since the $300 Model T took the world by storm in 1920.
Fast forward 100 years, and Ford still offers the most bang for the buck in premium SUVS with their top of the line 2020 Ford Platinum Edition Expedition. While $75,000 is not pocket change, it’s a lot less than what the competition wants for their premium SUV’S, so why not buy the best, for less? A word to the wise is sufficient. And Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Just Breathe.
Remember “You Are What You Drive ©”
And maybe, just for those reasons alone, you should “Drive one, Buy one, Today ©”.
This Bottom Line Review is provided by: Tony Leopardo © Autowire.net.
“Tony the Car Guy” is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have a question, or comment for Tony, send it to tonyleo@pacbell.net or visit Autowire.net at www.autowire.net