Max size for max comfort
Ford’s heavy hauler big, bold, giving you the space needed for long road trips
“Bigger isn’t always better” is a common phrase, but sometimes, large is what’s in charge.
When I made a nine-hour trip with two adult passengers, all our luggage, and a boatload of old car parts, I used Ford’s Expedition, which is completely made over for 2018.
Underpinned by the F-150’s chassis, the Expedition comes in two lengths. I had the longer Expedition Max, with pretty much the same passenger space across its three-seat rows but with more cargo space. Consider that if you chauffeur a crowd.
Have you seen someone at the airport fill all the rows with arriving passengers, then wonder where to put their luggage?
Mind you, extra space means extra cash. The shorter Expedition comes in three trim levels and is priced from $60,149 to $81,349, while the Expedition Max comes in two: the Limited at $76,149 or my Platinum at $84,349.
Still, it feels almost as classy as Lincoln’s Navigator, which in long-length starts at $91,150.
This new Expedition comes exclusively with a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 tuned for extra power at the Platinum level, providing 400 horsepower and 480 poundfeet of torque versus 375 hp and 470 lb-ft in the Limited.
That power goes through a 10-speed automatic transmission to a part-time 4WD system that includes a four-wheel-auto setting that can be used on hard pavement. It’s a handy system when the roads feature alternating patches of snowy and dry surfaces.
The V6 is a great fit, with linear acceleration and effortless passing power that’ll sneak up on you if you don’t keep an eye on the speedometer. The transmission shifts smoothly and almost unnoticeably. When towing, you can tap a button to temporarily lock out the higher gears.
The engine features start-stop, which shuts the engine off at idle (lights, climate and other functions continue to operate, of course) but it can be disabled if you prefer.
Overall, it’s a very fine driver. The steering is light but not too much so, and the Expedition hugs the curves far better than you’d expect from something this big.
Even on some very tightly wound roads, the handling is all about inspiring confidence. My only quibble is with the brake pedal; the Expedition stops as it should, but the pedal feels spongy.
Like the F-150, this new Expedition has an aluminum body, which Ford says shaves up to 136 kilograms off the outgoing model’s basic construction. Despite being stuffed to the gills with people and parts, and climbing some steep examples of the Allegheny Mountains, my Expedition averaged a pretty impressive 12.4 L/100 km.
Maximum towing capacity for the Max is 9,000 lbs.
The optional heavy duty trailer package adds Ford’s Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which is usually shown in ads turning newbies into naturals, but don’t expect to twirl an RV effortlessly into your campsite on your first try.
Turning the dial only spins the steering wheel in the correct direction, the equivalent of the old trick of holding the wheel at the bottom to turn. You still have to know where to properly position the truck and trailer before you back it up.
My tester was equipped with optional power-folding captain’s chairs for its second row, which tumbled down and slid forward to provide easy access to the power-folding third-row split bench.
Fold both rows down and you have so much cargo space that it’s basically a pickup truck with a cap.
The liftgate is power operated on the Max models, including a hands-free function, while the hatch glass can be opened separately to quickly toss something in. Both Max trim levels also include power-folding running boards.
Second-row legroom is pretty much a given in any multi-row SUV, but the Expedition also provides a surprising amount of space in the third.
All the seats look comfortable but they could use a bit more sculpting to make them more supportive.
They got hard after about Hour 4 on the highway, but we in the front seats had an advantage: a massage function. It is included on the Platinum trim level, which did a fantastic job of limbering up our stiff butts and backs.
The infotainment system is Sync 3, which is relatively easy to use, and stuffed with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
My tester also had a rear-seat entertainment system, with dual screens tucked into the front-seat head restraints, but for a whistleout-loud $2,100 on the option list.
There aren’t a lot of players in this mainstream truck-based bigute category, which includes GM’s Suburban and Yukon as well as Nissan’s Armada and the Toyota Sequoia.
With so few choices, you should test drive them all, but don’t be surprised if the Ford ends up ticking many of the boxes.