Expedition gets a boost

Big SUVs and V8 engines go together like peanut butter and jelly, but Ford is rocking the sport-utility world by eliminating the V8 from its full-size Expedition for 2015.
Taking its place is a heck of a powerplant: the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that delivers a whole lot more power while burning less fuel.
The turbocharged V6 has been a sales success in Ford’s F-150 pickups, and now it gets a chance to power the big-boy Expedition with its massive, body-on-frame SUV heft.
And it does a spectacular job.

I just spent a week driving the 2015 Expedition and was pleasantly surprised at just how well the boosted V6 could accelerate onto freeway on-ramps. The power was effortless, ample and — dare I say it — even better than the offerings from its competitors at General Motors. With 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, it’s both refined and muscular enough to pull 9,200 pounds.
Its low loading height gives it another leg up on the competition. Thanks to its independent rear suspension, the Expedition’s floor is lower than the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe.
Granted, the recently overhauled Tahoe and Yukon shine more brightly in other areas, like cabin refinement and more up-to-date styling. The Expedition still looks in some ways like a relic of the 1990s, both inside and out.
Its driving feel is thoroughly modern, though, especially if you get the adjustable suspension on high-end 4×4 models. It lets you use a switch on the steering wheel to choose between comfort, normal and sport modes, each of which gives the driver a noticeably different response in corners.
Other than the new engine, the biggest news for the Expedition in 2015 is the addition of the upscale Platinum package. It starts around $60,000 and includes heated and cooled seats, a power liftgate, power running boards and blind spot sensors that are really useful in a vehicle this big. It makes the Expedition feel more similar to its cousin, the Lincoln Navigator, and has some of the most comfortable front seats of any SUV.

Overall, the Expedition has always been a great way for families to travel if you need a lot of space, power and capability for towing and off-roading. People who don’t need that extra truck-like dimension would be better off with one of the many excellent crossover vehicles on the market today, but there’s still a place in America for traditional SUVs like this one.
Putting the EcoBoost engine into it and adding the high-end Platinum trim level just makes it more appealing for 2015.