Anecdotally, I don’t see many Expeditions in my neck of the woods, but that changes as soon as I cross the border. America loves their plus-size SUVs a tad more than we do, so to that effect, the 2025 Ford Expedition sees a significant refresh that modernizes the look, enhances the interior, and introduces some new tech going forward.
To be fair, we Canadians still love our plus-size SUVs. The Expedition has been around for nearly three decades—just shy of the more affordable and more popular Explorer—yet my first encounter with one during my university days. I was eating a Filet-o-Fish in my car [I tried not to judge you for eating a Filet-O-Fish, but I’m definitely judging you for eating in your car. —Ed.] when a completely blacked-out Expedition pulls in. That thing had presence, and adding to that, the Canadian equivalent of a SWAT team popped out to grab lunch. I’ve respected the Expedition ever since.
This new Expedition keeps that imposing look alive, starting with the sheer size that has only grown over the years. For 2025, the new look features a front fascia with the grille and headlights integrated into one another, inspired by the “strongman” pose with the headlights sweeping upwards similar to the bodybuilder pose—think Arnold flexing his biceps with his arms up. It does accomplish the whole “get out of my way, Prius” look that buyers of large SUVs surely appreciate.
Around back, there’s a new split tailgate that Ford is proud of. It’s something current Expedition owners have been asking for, and they don’t hide it either. The tailgate is styled to show the split, with the top portion being all-black and the bottom half body-coloured. The tail lights are spruced up as well and integrated into the blacked-out top half. I’m mixed on the look from the rear, but I’ll give Ford points for wanting to be different. I might change my tune with the right body colour.
Looks aside, the new tailgate is practical, especially for—you guessed it—tailgating. For starters, you can open only the top half if you have a bunch of gear you don’t want falling out. The bottom portion is strong enough for two people to sit on, and there are even adjustable puddle lights you can orient if you’re hanging out the back at night. Smart! The only thing missing are cupholders; let’s hope some dealer-installed accessories can change that.
There’s more flexibility to the Expedition’s cabin for 2025. The second and third rows of seats can be moved around and configured to fit humans and cargo as necessary. Optimized space is a theme for 2025, and that applies up front, too. There’s a new powered centre console that can swallow up a large purse or laptop in a secure hidden compartment below, on top of the already ample space the console provides. This is a clever feature and gives you peace of mind when you’re leaving valuables behind in a parked car, since the powered function only works when the vehicle is on. Again, smart!
Another intelligent feature is, instead of having proprietary (and often functionality) limited screens on the back of the headrests for second-row passengers, optional mounts around the headrests let you attach your phone and tablet for easy viewing. Genius! The rest of the smarts are reserved for the completely revised infotainment and gauge cluster, which Ford creatively calls the “Ford Digital Experience.” A 24-inch panoramic gauge cluster screen displays a myriad of information, and a second screen powered by Ford’s latest user interface handles infotainment. It now has the ability to run apps like Waze through the Google Play Store. The screen arrangement really modernizes the interior of the Expedition, while at the same time making it appear less cluttered than before.
For 2025, BlueCruise is now available on the Expedition. If you do any semblance of long-distance driving or have a highway commute, you definitely want to tick off this option box. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: BlueCruise is among the best implementations of intelligent cruise control in the industry. This latest version is even smoother in operation than before, and offers clever new features to give you a little more comfort, like pushing to the far side of the lane if a larger vehicle is passing. Little details like this is what makes the system such a joy to use. If you haven’t experienced BlueCruise yet, I highly recommend you try it out.
Powertrains are carried over from last year in the form of robust 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engines. There are 380- or 440-horsepower variants, with up to 510 pound-feet of torque in the highest trims, and allowing for towing up to 9,600 pounds. There’s also a revised suspension that can better balance city driving and off-road duties. The Tremor treatment now expands to the Expedition, featuring more ground clearance, oversized off-road tires, revised suspension and steering tuning, and Raptor-like design cues.
Ford has done well with this new Expedition update. They aimed for two themes with the update to the Expedition: modern family, and linger longer. We have yet to get behind the wheel, but from what we can tell right now, the 2025 Ford Expedition hits them quite well through smart tech updates and a more usable interior. The macho styling doeesn’t hurt, either.
