Ford makes already big Expedition even bigger
Ford unveiled the new, aluminum-bodied version of its biggest SUV, the Expedition, on Tuesday that is both larger and lighter than the aging version it replaces.
In a throwback to the last decade, the timing would appear just right for the revised SUV as low gas prices and demand for larger vehicles could put Expedition solidly back as a top seller.
Built in Louisville, it promises better fuel economy and new features when it goes on sale this fall. It’s Ford’s first complete reworking of the big SUVs in about 15 years.
The Expedition grows 4 inches in length with more than 3 inches in the wheelbase. The bigger Expedition Max — previously called the Expedition EL – grows 1 inch. Its wheelbase is unchanged.
“The 2018 Expedition arrives on the market at a good time,” Autotrader senior analyst Michelle Krebs said. “Sales of fullsize (sport) utilities were up 22% in 2016, with the sales momentum expected to continue in 2017. The Expedition has headroom for higher pricing. More volume times bigger prices equals beefy profits for Ford.”
Both SUVs will be powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford expects the combination to improve fuel economy and give it class-leading towing capacity. Like Ford’s F-series pickups, it adopts all-aluminum body panels and has a new frame.
Full-size SUVs such as the Expedition have been surging. Sales of the Expedition increased 44% in 2016 to 59,835 in the U.S.
The Expedition competes with SUVs such as the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia. The Max competes with the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL.
New interior features include a rotary shifter on the center console. The second-row seats will slide fore and aft to adjust legroom and for access to the third row, which will recline and retains its previous power-folding feature. The Expedition seats up to seven or eight, depending on whether the middle row has two captain’s chairs or a bench seat.