Cargazing
By Derek Price
It’s just three letters and 12 inches, but the MAX version of the Ford Expedition makes a big difference.
I spent a week driving an Expedition MAX with eyeball-searing red paint — Big Red, as our family nicknamed it — and was struck by how monumentally different it is from most vehicles for sale today.
The size is monumental. The space inside, including a gigantic cargo area, is monumental. The power and capability are monumental.
This is a traditional SUV built to do traditional-SUV things with lots of ground clearance for off-roading, a true body-on-frame truck layout for durability and enough power to tow 9,000 pounds.
Today’s car-based crossovers are designed to look tough, but the Expedition actually is. It’s the real thing in a world filled with fakes.
That means it comes with the same downsides as trucks, including thirst for gasoline — my 4×4 tester was rated for 16 mpg in city driving — and a stiff ride if you opt for its oversized 22-inch wheels.
Ford’s Expedition MAX is roughly a foot longer than the standard version. It’s a traditional, body-on-frame, truck-based SUV with a thoroughly modern drivetrain under the skin.
It also comes with truck-like pricing, starting at roughly $50,000 for the regular version or $55,000 for the longer MAX. Add in some options, like those in my $73,330 Limited-grade tester, and pricing gets uncomfortably close to that of its much more luxurious cousin, the Lincoln Navigator.
If there’s one luxury the Expedition delivers in spades, it’s space.
Wide, soft, supportive seats in front make Ford’s trucks some of the most comfortable places to spend time on long drives. Coupled with the near-silent cabin at highway speeds, the current Expedition is one of the greatest road-trip vehicles imaginable outside a luxury marque.
The cabin really is one of the roomiest on the market and ideal for families that actually utilize the third-row seat. I filled all eight seats in Big Red with friends and some near-adult-size kids, and there were no complaints about a lack of room.
The cargo area in the Expedition MAX is big to begin with, offering 34.3 cubic feet of volume behind the third row. That’s 78 percent more than the standard Expedition offers.
Even better, if you fold the second- and third-row seats down, which can be done at the touch of a button on higher trim levels, you open up a cavernous 121.5 cubic feet of space for hauling furniture and appliances. The design and ease of use are brilliant.
From the driver’s seat, you can feel every bit of the Expedition’s heft and size. That’s especially true in the MAX, with its wheelbase that’s 9 inches longer than the regular version.
Spacious seats and good isolation from wind and road noise make the Expedition a fantastic vehicle for road trips.
I’ve never driven a school bus, but I imagine it’s not too different from Big Red. This huge Ford feels like it fills up the entire lane and takes some careful planning squeezing into tight parking spaces.
Fortunately, a fantastic engine makes it accelerate better than most small cars.
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost makes 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, enough to scoot the heavy Expedition away from stoplights effortlessly. It’s a turbocharged V6, but it feels and sounds very much like a V8 from a distance.
The drivetrain feels thoroughly modern for such a traditional SUV, too. A 10-speed automatic transmission always seems to pick the perfect gear, never hunting or pecking like some cars do.
Pricing for the Expedition starts at $50,595 for the XL STX trim, or $55,410 for the XLT Expedition MAX. A Platinum Expedition MAX tops the lineup at $76,375.
At A Glance
What was tested? 2021 Ford Expedition Limited 4×4 ($66,625). Options: Equipment Group 302A ($3,820), premium paint ($395), heavy-duty trailer tow package ($795). Price as tested (including $1,695 destination charge): $73,330
Wheelbase: 131.6 in.
Length: 221.9 in.
Width: 79.9 in.
Height: 76.2 in.
Engine: 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 (375 hp, 470 lbs.-ft.)
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel economy: 16 city, 21 highway
RATINGS
Style: 7
Performance: 8
Price: 5
Handling: 4
Ride: 8
Comfort: 9
Quality: 7
Overall: 7
Why buy it?
It’s spacious, rugged and capable. It’s a legitimate off-road machine that can tow 9,000 pounds while carrying eight adults in roomy comfort.