2016 Ford Expedition Platinum EL Driving Impressions

We spend a week in the top trim, body-on-frame, eight-passenger, full-size SUV from the Blue Oval.

Pros:

Highway cruising
Interior room
Overall versatility

Cons:

Fuel economy
Parking space challenges
Floaty ride

2016 Ford Expedition EL

Let's be upfront about this: here at Lot Pro we're not huge fans of big, body-on-frame SUVs. But even we have to grudgingly admit that, in many cases, having a vehicle around like this can be indispensable. We simply submit that getting one just because the cost of a gallon of gasoline currently is hovering at around two bucks and change isn't justification enough.

So while driving something this gargantuan still seems a bit absurd, we came to the conclusion that, after a week of driving that included everything from around town to a round trip from Detroit to Chicago, there are some definite advantages to owning a vehicle like the Expedition.

First introduced in 1996, the latest Expedition is now in its third generation – coming to market in 2006 as a 2007 model. Since its inception, it's been based on the same platform as the Ford F-150 and is assembled at the same Louisville, Kentucky manufacturing facility that builds the Ford's Super Duty line of trucks (the F-250 to F-550).

Exterior

For 2015, Ford gave both regular wheelbase and extended wheelbase (EL) versions of its biggest sport ute a refresh, the first since 2006 when the current generation went on sale.

Despite an upright three bar grille large, chrome-trimmed lower air intake and a pair of protruding chrome tow hooks, there's little in the way of styling cues to differentiate Ford's big people mover from a slew of other large SUVs.

Styling along the sides is equally innocuous, although a low beltline and large greenhouse make it look less slab-sided. Contributing to the party on our Platinum tester were optional 22-inch polished aluminum wheels. In back, despite a large swath of chrome and a Texas-sized rear window (that opens independently of the tailgate), the styling for the most part remains plain and tall. It may not be particularly striking, but at least it's not offensive.

Interior

Inside, the Expedition makes the most its massive exterior dimensions. There's plenty of room for up to eight adults to sit quite comfortably, thank you very much.
Up front the Brunello leather-trimmed seats are both large and supportive, although we found the side bolsters to be a bit on the soft side. The interior surfaces are nicely grained and, for the most part, soft to the touch including those of the upper doors as well as the entire dash. The dashboard itself is dominated by a hooded instrument cluster and four wide, horizontal bars finished in brushed silver trim. The leather covering the seats is soft with the mahogany and dark gray colors contrasting nicely with each other. In our opinion, the overall fit and finish currently leads the class.

The dash instrumentation is clear and easy to read, the smooth console and center-stack buttons are very intuitive, while the steering wheel both tilts and telescopes at the touch of two steering column-mounted pads. The various buttons and knobs on the center stack – redundant and otherwise - are not only backlit and within easy reach of the driver, they're also good-size.

Our Platinum tester came equipped with Equipment Group 600A that not only features a large power moonroof and a navigation system but also stainless power running boards that automatically deploy when any of the four doors are opened. While this may seem a bit sybaritic, we found this feature to be one of the Expedition's biggest selling points since normal ingress and egress is greatly impaired by the Expedition's size.

Three center row occupants get nearly the same kind of room as those up in front with more headroom and shoulder room and 39.1 inches of leg room. There's also a large fold-down arm rest with two cup holders along with two additional cup holders at the back of the center console.

Unlike a number of three-row utilities, the third row is also a comfortable place to seat up to three adults. Access is from either side of the sliding center row seats and there's a generous 38.3 inches of head room, 67.1 inches of shoulder room and 37.7 inches of leg room just 0.8 inches less than in the back seat of the latest Honda Accord sedan. Like most three row vehicles, the headrests, unless they're down, steal much of the rear window's available real estate.

But it's the cargo area where the Expedition EL really shines. Even with the third row up and in use, there's 42.6 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold the third row and that expands to 85.5 cubic feet. Finally, with the second row folded, that expands to a cavernous 130.8 cubic feet of cargo room – a figure that approaches minivan territory.

Under the hood

For a vehicle that tips the scales at over three tons (the curb weight of the base EL model is 6,091 lbs.), the Expedition hardly feels underpowered. You can chalk this up to an engine that is standard across the line for 2016 – a twin-turbocharged DOHC 3.5-liter V6 that produces 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and a stump-pulling 420 lb.-ft. of torque at a mere 2,500 rpm. It's mated to a conventional six-speed automatic transmission.

With this setup, the SAE J2807 tow standard towing capacity of the Expedition ranges from 9,100 pounds for a 4WD Platinum edition to 9,200 pounds for all other model and drivetrain configurations.

And while the Expedition is based on the F-150, it deviates from its pickup sibling in a couple of significant ways: it has a fully-boxed frame and features a fully-independent multi-link rear suspension with coil-over shocks.

The EPA estimates city/highway/combined mileage at 14/20/16, while our own observed fuel economy was a fairly decent 18.7 mpg in a combination of both city and highway driving.

On the road

On the road it's hard to ignore the reality that the Expedition EL is both large and heavy. The good news is that the driver sits up high and, with a low cowl and beltline, has an excellent view of the road. Acceleration is surprisingly brisk and the brakes are easy to modulate.

Overall handling is also surprisingly good for a vehicle of this size, although there's quite a bit of body roll in the corners. Additionally, there there's also a decent amount of feedback through the steering wheel and a nice weight to the steering, itself. The ride seems to be dialed in for comfort rather than handling. But while it can seem floaty at times, imperfections ranging from grooved pavement to large potholes are easily soaked up by the suspension. In addition, engine, wind and, aside from very rough surfaces, road noise, is nearly non-existent.

However, we found parking to be something of a challenge, especially in the city of Chicago. It's not that the Expedition is particularly hard to park, what was difficult was finding an open space large enough to fit the rolling equivalent of an aircraft carrier.

2016 Ford Expedition Prices

2016 Ford Expedition pricing starts at $47,420, including the requisite $1,195 destination and delivery charge, for a standard wheelbase 4X2 XLT model, sans any options, and can top out at $73,651 for a Platinum EL 4X4 with all the trimmings.

Our tester, a Platinum EL 4X4, had a base price of $66,025. The only option it came with was a set of 22-inch polished alloy wheels that added $2,610 to the bottom line. Once destination and delivery charges were tacked on, the total MSRP came to $69,830.

The Bottom Line

If you need a big SUV, Ford's latest Expedition has a lot going for it. It's a great highway cruiser, there's plenty of interior room, while its cargo-hauling and trailer-towing capacity makes it incredibly versatile.

On the other hand, its ride can seem floaty at times, city parking can be a challenge and fuel economy certainly isn't great, although admittedly it isn't too shabby for a vehicle of this size.

So while it could use a bit more style, these shortcomings are minor and buyers looking for a big, luxurious, versatile, people and cargo-hauling full-size SUV should put the latest Ford Expedition at the top of their shopping lists.