2025 Ford Expedition MAX

The Ford Expedition MAX has consistently been one of our favorite entries in a competitive class of full-size SUVs. Its vast interior, impressive towing muscle, luxurious options, and surprisingly reasonable fuel costs make it good at just about everything that’s important to families who need one rig that can do it all. The Expedition MAX enters a new generation for 2025 with updated styling inside and out, a clever split liftgate, and the latest in safety and infotainment technology. Load up the whole crew; everyone’s going to enjoy the ride.

The Ford Expedition MAX is fully redesigned for 2025. In addition to the new exterior and interior designs, a few of the highlights of the new generation are a new infotainment system, wider availability of the BlueCruise hands-free driving system (now either optional or standard on every trim), and the class-exclusive Ford Split Gate. Notably, the standard-wheelbase Expedition has a new off-road-ready Tremor trim, but it’s not available with the extended Expedition MAX variant.

The Ford Expedition MAX is priced on the higher side of the full-size SUV class, close to a similarly equipped GMC Yukon XL. The Chevy Suburban and Jeep Wagoneer L are a bit more affordable.

Before buying an Expedition MAX, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. The Ford Expedition MAX resale value is above average for the segment. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

Although the Ford Expedition MAX has entered a new generation, it carried over the turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine that powered the previous generation. However, the new standard tuning makes 400 horsepower, and it’s upgradeable to 440 hp. A 10-speed automatic transmission sends output to the rear or all four wheels.

We expect the new Expedition MAX to drive not unlike the outgoing generation. If we’re right, the 2025 Ford Expedition MAX will provide plentiful power, even with a full load of passengers and a boat in tow, but with the ponderous handling that comes with the territory in this class. At the end of the day, the Expedition MAX is a big truck, and it drives like one, although the independent rear suspension from the previous generation helped with smoothness and comfort for the backseat passengers.

Fuel Economy

We expect the new Expedition MAX’s fuel economy to be similar to the old one since the same EcoBoost engine is under the hood. The 2024 model was rated at 17 city/23 highway/19 combined mpg with rear-wheel drive. Subtract one from each of those numbers for the 4-wheel drive models.

These fuel economy ratings are about average for this class, but the diesel versions of the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon XL are more efficient. The Jeep Wagoneer L, also powered by a turbo 6-cylinder, is about as efficient as the Expedition MAX. The fact that this Ford runs on regular-grade gas helps keep the fuel costs manageable, the optional 6.2-liter V8 in its GM rivals requires premium.

Historically, some full-size SUVs have had interior dimensions that don’t feel so full-size, especially in the third row. However, clever packaging in the Ford Expedition MAX yields a truly massive interior with adult-friendly seating in all three rows. In fact, it has more third-row legroom than the GMC Yukon XL or the Jeep Wagoneer L. There’s also plenty of cargo space to boot, and the second- and third-row seats all fold flat creating an enormous cargo hold with a flat floor.

Interior materials get nicer as you work your way into pricier trims. All but the base Active trim have leather seats, and the King Ranch model boasts what Ford calls Mesa Del Rio leather with Kingsville stitching. A fully loaded Expedition MAX feels like a luxury SUV inside, but it’s also priced like one.

The new Expedition MAX has a unique screen arrangement. A large 24-inch display is perched on the dash in front of the driver, serving as a digital gauge cluster and an infotainment readout. But that’s not meant to be tapped with your fingers; a more traditional 13.2-inch infotainment display is on the center stack for controlling your maps, music, and other functions. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

The exterior design of the Ford Expedition MAX strikes a nice balance of modern and traditional. It’s satisfyingly boxy, but a handsome light signature and stylish wheels make it look modern. The look changes quite a bit throughout the lineup; the Active is humble yet stylish, the Platinum looks fancy, and the King Ranch is like a cowboy wearing his Sunday best.

The Ford Split Gate is a new, unique exterior feature of the Ford Expedition MAX. This class-exclusive split liftgate has a clamshell design, with the bottom part folding down like a truck’s tailgate. That means you can open the hatch from the driver’s seat and not worry about a bottle of wine rolling out and smashing on the garage floor. A Cargo Tailgate Manager option integrates a serving table and a backrest for the split gate, making the Expedition MAX the ultimate tailgating SUV.

Ford Split Gate
The Ford Split Gate makes the Expedition MAX the only full-size SUV in its class with a split tailgate. We love the convenience and versatility it brings to this family SUV

Towing muscle
The Ford Expedition MAX is among the best in its class when it comes to towing. With a max tow rating of up to 9,600 pounds, it’s ready and willing to pull boats, campers, and a wide range of other toys.

BlueCruise
BlueCruise is Ford’s hands-free highway driving system, and it’s one of our favorites. It allows for safe and relaxed hands-off-the-wheel, eyes-on-the-road driving on over 130,000 miles of North American highways. It’s standard on the King Ranch and optional on all other trims.

Ford Digital Experience
The Ford Digital Experience consists of a 24-inch panoramic display working in concert with a 13.2-inch central infotainment display. Wireless smartphone connectivity, crisp graphics, and a user-friendly interface make for a pleasant experience.

360-degree zone lighting
A nice touch of the Ford Expedition MAX is optional zone lighting all around the exterior of the SUV. It can project light in any direction, which is helpful for setting up a campsite or just lighting the way in a dark parking lot.

Luxury trims
The Western-inspired King Ranch trim and the fancy Platinum Ultimate package turn the Expedition MAX into a luxury SUV with features like BlueCruise, massaging leather seats, a High-Output engine, and a B&O premium audio system with up to 22 speakers.

Every 2025 Ford Expedition MAX is powered by a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The standard tuning produces 400 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, but a High-Output version is available, making 440 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. Like all of its rivals, rear-wheel drive is standard, and 4-wheel drive is optional.

Warranty

Ford’s new vehicle warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. These are typical terms among mainstream manufacturers.

Safety

The new generation of the Ford Expedition MAX has not yet been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Its standard safety features include automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera, and parking sensors.