Hippos are a sight to behold at the zoo, but it’s obvious that such massive animals don’t belong in a concrete-walled enclosure. If full-size SUVs are the hippopotamuses of the vehicular world, crowded metropolitan centers are their zoo enclosures. Weighing in at 5968 pounds and measuring nearly 18.5 feet long, nearly seven feet wide, and 6.5 feet tall, the newly redesigned 2025 Ford Expedition Max is a big-body, three-row beast that’s not meant for urban captivity. It’s made for wide-open stretches of freeway, where its living-room-like interior, cavernous cargo hold, and handy driver aids can be used to their fullest extent on a family road trip.Big MaxAs the Expedition enters its fifth generation for 2025, the Max is nearly two inches taller than it was previously, but interior space in its three rows is largely unchanged, meaning that the Max still trails the GMC Yukon XL in overall spaciousness. Be that as it may, actually sitting in the Max’s plush second- or third-row 40/20/40 split bench seats tells a different story of passenger comfort. The third row might be a bit cramped for six-foot adults, but otherwise reports of claustrophobia from rear riders likely will be few and far between. Second-row captain’s chairs, which can be optioned on the base Active trim as part of a $4215 package, reduce overall seating from eight to seven but enhance the middle-row experience significantly. Highs: More than enough space for people and cargo, cushy ride, V-6 provides plenty of passing power.Despite being nearly a foot longer than the standard-wheelbase Expedition, the Max doesn’t provide any additional stretch-out space for passengers. Instead, it is taffy-pulled in the name of cargo capacity. With all seats in place, the Max provides 36 cubic feet of luggage space versus 22 for the regular Expedition. Behind the second row, there’s an additional 14 cubic feet for a total of 75 cubes, and with all the seats folded down, cargo capacity jumps to 123 cubic feet, one more cube more than the 2024 model. The additional cargo space comes at a $3000 premium over the standard Expedition, with the big Max starting at $66,995 for the base Active trim. That is a relatively competitive price in the segment—about $2000 more than a Jeep Wagoneer L and $5400 less than a comparable GMC Yukon XL. But a fully gussied-up King Ranch Max can surpass $95,000, encroaching on Lincoln Navigator territory. Our Platinum Max test vehicle, which came optioned only with the $6545 Stealth Performance package, had an as-tested price of $85,970. Expensive options are a theme for the Max, especially on the Platinum trim. The $13,570 Platinum Ultimate package—which includes the high-output V-6, adaptive dampers, interior upgrades, 24-inch wheels, and an array of aesthetic accoutrements—is hard to justify given that the performance items and some of the interior niceties can be had for much less in other packages. Leaning into LuxuryThe Expedition’s new look includes a smoothly reshaped grille framed by a continuous LED light strip, creating a more luxury-leaning aesthetic. The same can be said for its stern, which is more softly sculpted and features revised taillights that blend into the rear quarter-panels and the top portion of its new split liftgate. The upper and lower portions of the liftgate open independently, with the lower portion acting as a dam for roll-prone objects when up and as a seat for watching your kid’s soccer game when down. Climbing into the driver’s seat from the Expedition’s electronically operated running board reveals some major interior overhauls as well. The fresh dash design replaces the outgoing model’s traditionally located 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster with a 24.0-inch display nestled into a canoe-shaped cavity at the base of the windshield. The driver looks out over the Expedition’s new squircle steering wheel, and the faraway screen makes the forward cockpit feel even airy. More on the ExpeditionThe driver’s display is supplemented by a centrally mounted 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is the hub for everything related to climate, media, and navigation. We found the touchscreen to be clear and easy to use, and we enjoyed the ability to beam certain widgets and apps (such as fuel economy, weather, and towing information) to the upper screen. The rotary gear-selector dial and volume knob, however, have been relocated to a rather unergonomic position in the gap under the infotainment display. The drive-mode and transfer-case selectors are also buried in an inconvenient location just ahead of the driver’s left knee.A new power-sliding center console is an unusual feature that offers a discreet way to store some stuff, but the storage space underneath is really only large enough for a takeout container or two. “Stealth” PerformanceA familiar and formidable twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 returns as the Expedition’s engine. It’s offered in both a standard guise and a high-output version, and it pairs exclusively to a 10-speed automatic that feeds either the rear or all four wheels. In its base tune, the engine produces 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque—significantly more gumption than the Chevrolet Suburban’s standard 355-hp 5.3-liter V-8 musters despite its two additional cylinders. There are multiple ways to unlock the high-output version of the boost-fed V-6, but the least expensive option is selecting the Stealth Performance package ($6545) on Platinum trims. With 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet, the hi-po V-6 is a weapon of mass propulsion.Lows: Ungainly handling, some unergonomic controls, Lincoln-like pricing when fully optioned.In addition to the extra go-pedal gusto, the package also includes adaptive dampers, 22-inch wheels, blacked-out exterior elements, a high-flow exhaust, and red brake calipers. While “stealth” is a bit of an oxymoron in a vehicle of this size, few people would expect such a brute to be capable of a 4.9-second sprint to 60 mph and a quarter-mile run of 13.5 seconds at 102 mph. Those times put the fast Max way ahead of the Cadillac Escalade and within shouting distance of the last Cadillac Escalade V-Series we tested, which was a mere 0.6 second quicker to 60 and completed the quarter-mile 0.8 second faster at 111 mph. Minimal turbo lag from the V-6’s twin snails means power comes on thick and fast, and its 10-speed deserves a heap of credit for wasting little time selecting the right gear when speed is summoned.While the Max Stealth Performance’s revised suspension and adaptive dampers do an okay job of mitigating body roll, this is clearly a setup tuned for comfort. That’s fantastic news on the highway, where our test Max glided over bumps and expansion joints with only slight side-to-side shimmy. It’s less ideal when pushing the Max to its dynamic limit, where it achieved only 0.77 g of lateral grip on our test track. When not on the highway, the Max feels every bit its size. Its handling is ungainly, and its steering has a fierce return-to-center. It was underwhelming in braking performance too, requiring 182 feet to come to a stop from 70 mph. A 2021 Chevy Suburban High Country needed only 166 feet to do the same. Road-Trip HeroOutside of the Max’s ability to accommodate a family of eight and all of their belongings, it has other attributes that make it a formidable road tripper. Ford’s newest BlueCruise 1.4 Level 2 autonomous-driving system is now available on all Expedition Max models, and it’s a worthy subscription for those who frequent supported portions of interstate. On our nearly 350-mile drive from Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant back to our office in Ann Arbor, the newest iteration of the system demonstrated improved lane-keeping and better speed modulation around bends, making boring interstate stints significantly more comfortable. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the Expedition averaged 23 mpg, one better than its EPA highway figure, which makes for 630 miles of highway range, another boon for road trips. While BlueCruise doesn’t support towing, revised axles and stiffer body mounts keep the newest four-by-four Max’s towing capacity at a healthy 9000 pounds. That provides ample boat-towing capabilities for bring-the-kids-to-the-lake day. Verdict: The Expedition Max is ungainly in the city, but a comfortable and capable behemoth on road trips.The blend between utility and comfort is where the redesigned Expedition Max shines. Despite the Expedition Max’s hippo-like proportions, that’s a combo that can be used in the city for urban family hauling. But this SUV’s ability to shrink long distances with its capacious interior, cushy ride, and useful driver aids is its true specialty. The highway is its true natural habitat. SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Ford Expedition Max Platinum
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $79,425/$85,970
Options: Stealth Performance package (EcoBoost high-output engine; 22-inch Magnetite-painted aluminum wheels; Driver’s package with continuously controlled damping suspension and 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system; Stealth Appearance package with black badging, roof rails, and belt molding and carbon-black front bumper with black headlight bezel; red brake calipers), $6545
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 213 in3, 3496 cm3
Power: 440 hp @ 5400 rpm
Torque: 510 lb-ft @ 3300 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.2-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy LTX
275/50R-22 115H M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.5 in
Length: 221.7 in
Width: 80.0 in
Height: 78.0 in
Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 123/75/36 ft3
Curb Weight: 5968 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 4.9 sec
100 mph: 12.7 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.5 sec @ 102 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.0 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.9 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.5 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 125 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 182 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.77 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
75-mph Highway Driving: 23 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 630 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18/15/22 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
Austin’s car fixation began at a young age and at 1:64 scale. Eventually, Hot Wheels weren’t cutting it anymore, so he developed an obsession with his father’s full-sized 1965 Ford Mustang instead. Desperate to break into the automotive industry, he bartered his way into a job at a local BMW dealership by promising to stop hurling nerdy technical facts at the salesmen who came into the neighboring coffee shop where he worked.
That was also around the time when he started writing automotive reviews, news articles, and technical guides for a number of local and international publications. Now at Car and Driver, Austin brings more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and an all-so-common love-hate relationship with German engineering to the table.
Source: caranddriver.com
