While this is not a next-generation vehicle, the 2025 Ford Expedition does get a significant refresh for 2025. It gets new tech, a new grille treatment and nifty new spilt tailgate in addition to a first-ever Tremor trim level in the Expedition lineup.
2025 Ford Expedition: First Spin
During a press preview in the Louisville, Kentucky, area, we were able to spend a couple days with the new Expedition, both in long-wheelbase MAX and standard-length configurations, and we walked away generally impressed. There are always a few things that make you go hmmm in any vehicle, but there was nothing here that was a dealbreaker.
Features for Families
With the launch of the new Expedition, Ford has adopted a “linger longer” philosophy, with more features designed to keep active families engaged and entertained. The new Range Rover-style split tailgate can serve as a bench with a back or a shelf for food. You also have 360-degree zone lighting for early mornings or late nights, and inside, you have a device holder on the back of the front seats that can hold both a tablet and a smart phone.
Room and Comfort
The third-row seat has plenty of legroom–even with the second row in the far-back position–and the outboard seating positions are quite comfortable. I affectionally called the middle seat in the third row the “I hate you” seat, because it’s a tad firm. So, maybe don’t plan on putting anyone there for a long drive. The third row has air vents in the headliner, USB-C charge ports, and cupholders. Plus, with the large rear windows, passengers back there won’t feel claustrophobic.
Another interesting feature related to the third row is the 40-20-40 split folding seats that allow you to put that stiff middle seat down while leaving the outboard seats up, which lets you pass through longer items like kayak paddles or skis.
New Tech
One of the biggest changes for the 2025 Ford Expedition is the gauge cluster, map, and infotainment screens. Similar to the recently launched 2025 Lincoln Navigator, you have an overlarge hoodless panoramic screen behind the wheel. Unlike the Navigator, however, it doesn’t span the entire dash from A pilar to A pilar. Instead, it stops about halfway. I have mixed feelings about this as it somehow feels unfinished. One of the cool things housed in the gauge cluster, though, is the blind spot camera views that pop up when you hit your turn signal.
The Expedition also gets a larger 13.2-inch infotainment screen that can do things like show a YouTube video or play a video game when you’re in park.
The 2025 Expedition adopts the Ford Digital Experience, which is marketing speak for Google built-in. This means it has Google Maps, Assistant, and Play store. So, in addition to being able to set up your navigation from your phone and then transferring it to the car when you climb inside, you can ask Google to do things like tell you a joke or turn on your heated seat. However, note that this is a subscription-based system, with a one-year free trial. If you know you want it, at the time of purchase, pay an additional $745 for the Ford Connectivity Package, which will be active for a minimum of 7 years but should maintain connectivity after 7 years if the service is available.
The good news: It also has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. So, if you don’t want to pay the extra fee, you’ll still have access to maps and navigation. The better news, when we were playing around with CarPlay, we discovered that Apple Maps pops up on the 24-inch display on the dash, replacing the Google Map, if you add a destination. We didn’t have access to an Android phone to see what happens for that, but I’m assuming Google Maps from the phone would fill in.
BlueCruise
Though BlueCruise isn’t new for 2025 in the Expedition, it has been expanded across the lineup, and it’s even available on the base Active trim. If you aren’t familiar, BlueCruise is Ford’s level-2, hands-free highway driving system that works on specific divided highways in the U.S. It keeps you centered in the lane and modulates your speed. While it works pretty well, I do have to admit, I like General Motors’ Super Cruise better. Not only does it feel more stable to me, but it has more features – such as performing automatic lane changes and expended highway access. BlueCruise is also a subscription-based feature and can be purchased outright for $2,000 or can be renewed annually for $495 per year.
Also on the tech spectrum: Ford took away physical levers and buttons for the steering wheel and power pedal adjustments. Both are now done through touchpoint on the steering wheel. I like this better than putting the adjustments into the infotainment screen, but it will take some time to get used to.
Driving dynamics
The 2025 Ford Expedition has one engine, a 3.5-liter turbocharged “EcoBoost” V-6 with a standard output of 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. This is the engine output you’ll get on every model except the Tremor. That new off-road trim will get the high-output option with 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. As far as we can tell from the Ford.com configurator, the only way to get the high-output engine straight out is on the Tremor. However, it looks like you can also get it as a part of the Platinum Ultimate or Platinum Performance Stealth packages.
We drove both engines, but only the standard-output option on paved roads and highways. I was impressed with how quick the acceleration was for highway merges and passing maneuvers, and I thought it did well in both the regular and MAX versions.
The biggest surprise to me, however, was how this beast drove. Our first test vehicle was the MAX model, and even though it’s nearly a foot longer than the standard-length model, it didn’t drive big. Very often, when you’re in a full-size three-row vehicle, you feel like you’re driving a boat with body roll and a wide turning radius. This didn’t feel like that. I’m sure a big part of that is the excellent visibility out of the windows. Another part will be the ability to get a commanding driving position with highly adjustable seats and power adjustable pedals (in the trims we tested).
Tremor Treatment
As an off-road model, the Expedition Tremor gets unique badging and orange accents. You also have front recovery hooks, 10.6 inches of ground clearance, off-road auxiliary grille lights, a larger radiator, fog lamps, 33-inch all-terrain tires, a modified ride suspension with premium passive shocks, Tremor-specific running boards, Off-Road and Rock Crawl drive modes, one-pedal trail driving, and extra underbody protection.
While it might seem odd to give this full-size three-row SUV an off-road trim, it actually does quite well in some light to moderate off-road situations. We slogged through a lot of mud on the second day of our drive, and with the new Off-Road mode, we didn’t feel the vehicle struggle through the slop. We played around with the camera views and one-pedal driving, and we were impressed with how well this large vehicle did on the narrow trails.
A Couple of Misses
As much as I liked the 2025 Ford Expedition, there were a couple things that left me scratching my head. First, we found it odd that there was no rear camera mirror option. I would understand not making it standard, but it’s not even available. For a three-row vehicle that will likely often be packed with people or things, it would be a nice feature to have, so you can see out the rear of the vehicle while driving.
The other oddity: There’s only on plug 110-volt plug in cargo area. That means if you’re tailgating or camping, you can have a Crock-Pot or a coffee pot plugged in – but not both.
Pricing
If you look at the base 2024 Expedition versus the base 2025 Expedition, there is a $7,000 price increase. Gulp. But I suppose that makes sense given the tech updates. However, given that the base Active trim offers a two-wheel drive option, whereas the rest are standard with four-wheel drive, the prices climb quickly. Add $3,000 for 4WD, and another $3,000 for MAX, and you’re pushing up against $70,000.
Looking at the standard pricing for each mode at the time of this writing, including destination, the breakdown is as follows:
Active ($63,995):
Includes standard-output V-6, the 24-inch panoramic display, 13.2-inch infotainment system, multi-function split tailgate, 60/40 power folding third-row seats, cloth seats, second-row bench seat, 360-camera, Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0, hardware for BlueCruise.
Platinum ($76,425):
Adds Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, power running boards, heated second-row seats, power sliding console, leather seats, second-row power-folding captain’s chairs, 40/20/40 power fold seats, multi-contour front seats with active motion massage, zone lighting, heated steering wheel, power adjustable pedals, BlueCruise 90-day trial.
Tremor ($83,025):
Adds the high-output V-6, Tremor orange accents, front recovery hooks, modified 1-inch higher ride suspension, off-road auxiliary grille lights, trail turn assist, trail one-pedal drive, heated-and-ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging.
King Ranch ($85,650):
Based off Platinum, adds unique interior with King Ranch Ws stamped throughout, Bang & Olufsen Unleashed audio system with 22 speakers, signature grille lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, premium Del Rio leather seats, third-row manual climate controls, BlueCruise included for 1 year.
CG Says:
In all, we think this is well-done three-row vehicle. It’s packed with standard amenities and a lot of technology. Plus, it has solid ride and handling – both on and off road. It has a few quirks, sure, but as I said at the beginning, there are no dealbreakers here.
Listen to the Car Stuff Podcast
2025 Ford Expedition Pictures
Click below for enlarged images