2025 Ford Expedition Max Road Test and Review

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Ford Expedition is one of the biggest SUVs in the world. And yet, sometimes, the biggest just isn’t big enough. 

Here’s the trouble: For all its size and might, the Expedition has just 23 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third-row seat. It means you can carry eight people inside, but each of them had better bring nothing bigger than a backpack. 

When you want your full-size SUV to carry lots of people and all their stuff, it’s time for the Expedition Max. It’s a foot longer than the standard Expedition, and most of that goes straight to the cargo hold. 

Priced from $65,400, the 2025 Ford Expedition Max is newly redesigned this year with fresh styling, a higher-tech dashboard, and new amenities – paired with a familiar focus on spacious comfort. For this review, we recently spent a week testing the new Expedition Max to learn more about its pros and cons. Keep reading as we go over the details to see if it’s the right plus-sized SUV for you. 

Yep, It’s Big

The Expedition Max isn’t subtle about its size. The name says it all – this is the maximum Expedition. It’s 222 inches long, or 18.5 feet. It probably doesn’t fit in your garage, or perhaps even your driveway. It’s also 80 inches wide, so even if you skillfully squeeze it into a parking space, you might not have easy clearance to open your doors. (The standard Expedition is the same width.) 

This size is nothing new. Ford has offered an extended-length Expedition since 2007. But this year’s Expedition Max does wear all-new styling at the front and the rear. New headlights feature LED spears around the edges that extend partway around the grille, and the lights themselves have become more wedge-shaped than last year’s rounded rectangles. Around back, the taillamps grew much slimmer. And a two-tone paint job now helps break up the big rear end: The tailgate area between the taillights is black, while the lower area is body-colored. It’s not obvious with our test vehicle’s Stone Blue paint – which means that if you’re not a fan of this effect, get your 2025 Expedition Max in a dark color. 

To spot the difference between an Expedition and an Expedition Max, the clearest clue is the back doors. They just barely touch the rear wheel wells, while a standard Expedition – like most cars – has a big cutout on each rear door where it wraps around the wheel. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

High-Tech Dashboard

The 2025 Expedition’s even bigger change is inside. Ford shifted the digital gauge cluster up to the base of the windshield, where it’s more in the driver’s line of sight, and paired that with a bonus infotainment display. Because the gauges are now above the steering wheel rather than beyond it, Ford reshaped the Expedition’s into a “squircle” so that the rim wouldn’t block the driver’s view. 

We’ve read some critics who find the squircle awkward to turn (we didn’t mind it), but it can be useful to have the displays up so high. It’s a great place to see the Expedition’s new blind-spot cameras, which activate when you use your turn signal. 

The Expedition also has a conventional 13.2-inch touchscreen at the center of the dashboard. You use this screen to reconfigure the 24-inch upper display, as well as to handle functions like the climate control, audio system, GPS directions, vehicle settings, and even the headlamps. We liked the overall look and feel of the Expedition’s interior, which is upscale and well-finished without being ostentatious. Our test car is the base Active trim level; you can also get more decadent models. 

We didn’t like some of the ergonomics. The new steering wheel has unlabeled multifunction buttons. And the new touchscreen tucks away things like the seat heaters into tiny screen icons. This is a huge SUV. Ford didn’t have to double up its buttons or make its icons so small. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Room for Everyone

Some full-size SUVs have surprisingly small interiors. That’s especially true in the third row, where heavy-duty truck suspensions can crowd out passenger space. But Ford has long used an independent rear suspension in the Expedition and Expedition Max, which means this SUV can comfortably hold eight adults. The Max doesn’t have any extra passenger space than the standard Expedition – but it didn’t need more. 

Standard comfort amenities on the base Active model include power-adjustable front seats, a power-adjustable steering column, a power-reclining (and folding) third-row seat, and tri-zone automatic climate control. Our Active test vehicle also had the Touring Edition package with leatherette upholstery instead of cloth, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel, among other amenities. 

Upper Expedition Max trims – the Platinum and King Ranch – also let you add genuine leather, ventilated and massaging front seats, power-adjustable pedals, and heated second-row seats. The Active and Platinum are available with a choice of second-row captain’s chairs or a three-person bench seat; we recommend the latter’s extra flexibility for carrying passengers, especially while the third row is folded down. The Expedition Max seats eight people with the second-row bench and seven with the captain’s chairs. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Enormous and Upgraded Cargo Hold

Where the Max really stands out from the standard Expedition is behind the passenger compartment. As we mentioned, that’s where the latter has 23 cubic feet. That’s about the same as a good three-row crossover – but not enough to justify a bigger and more expensive SUV on its own. 

But the Expedition Max has 37 cubic feet of cargo space. That’s more room than many popular compact crossovers (like Ford’s own Bronco Sport) can fit behind a second-row seat – all while you fit eight people inside (or seven with captain’s chairs). That’s no more space than a minivan on paper, but the Expedition Max has more floor space to spread out your cargo, while a van’s cargo hold would be more vertical behind the third row. 

Another Expedition advantage is this year’s new split tailgate. The upper section lifts upward, while the lower section drops down. The advantage is twofold: One, you don’t need as much clearance to open the upper section. And two, the lower section keeps your stuff from falling out when you open the back. 

All Expedition Max trim levels include a power-folding third row. Ford’s controls are smarter than most SUVs; a single press of one button can fold down or put up both sections of the third row. The same applies to the power-folding second row, which is optional on the Active and standard on other trim levels. Our one issue was that, like on many vehicles, the driver’s seat slid all the way back automatically when we switched off the car. But in that position, it blocked the second-row seat from folding. And when we adjusted the driver’s seat to make room, it then failed to return to its original position when we later started the car. The left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing. 

The Expedition Max can tow up to 6,300 pounds with rear-wheel drive and up to 9,000 pounds with four-wheel drive. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Smooth Ride and Easy to Drive

The Expedition Max is a long, wide, and heavy vehicle. It takes up a lot more footprint than a minivan to deliver all its space. As we mentioned, you’ll feel that when fitting into a parking space. In addition to its sheer bulk, it has a 43.3-foot turning circle (up from 41 feet on the standard-length Expedition). But for what it is, the Expedition Max is comfortable and easy to drive. 

Our test vehicle rode more smoothly and steadily than we’re used to from a big body-on-frame SUV. Even its optional 20-inch wheels didn’t spoil the effect. We also tested the Expedition’s high-end cousin, the Lincoln Navigator, and it was bumpier than our Expedition Max. (Our tested Lincoln wore enormous 24-inch wheels, which surely did not help.) We weren’t inspired to throw our Expedition Max into sharp corners, but in routine driving, it didn’t feel clumsy. The steering feels natural, not disconnected from the road. And we had no white-knuckle moments. 

Some tech systems also make the Expedition Max easier to drive. A surround-view camera system, providing a bird’s-eye view of the SUV and its surroundings, comes standard. This lets you inch closer to obstacles before needing to pause and reposition. Second, it also comes standard with BlueCruise hands-free highway driving capability. The Expedition handles your accelerating, braking, and steering while inviting you to leave your hands in your lap. It’ll warn you if you take your eyes off the road, though (or, in our case, squint in bright sunlight). After a trial period, BlueCruise is available for $50 per month, $495 per year, or $2,495 for a one-time purchase with at least seven years of guaranteed support. 

A four-wheel-drive Expedition Max should also be capable in messy weather or muddy roads, and it has a respectable 8.8 inches of ground clearance. But note that you can’t get it in the extra-tough Tremor trim level that’s available on the standard-length Expedition. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Powerful Yet Relatively Economical

Every Expedition Max comes with a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine. It makes 400 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque on most models, while the Platinum is also available with a retuned version making 440 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. This engine delivers wild power for a big SUV, and it sounds good unless you’re attached to the particular rumble of a V8. 

It’s also more economical than you might expect from such a big and powerful SUV. In EPA testing, the Expedition Max gets 16 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg combined with rear-wheel drive and 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined with four-wheel drive. (The EPA doesn’t rate the Max separately; its extra length doesn’t make it meaningfully heavier than the standard Expedition.) Our four-wheel-drive test vehicle averaged an impressive 20 mpg during a week of mixed driving – as good as some crossovers. The standard V6 is meant to run on regular-grade fuel, though the available “high output” version needs premium to make its extra horsepower. We’d save our money and stick with the already-quick 400-hp version. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Extra Space Costs $3,000

As we mentioned, the Expedition Max starts at $65,400 for the base Active trim like our test vehicle. That’s a $3,000 premium over the standard-length Expedition. You pay a similar premium for the Expedition Max Platinum ($77,850) and King Ranch ($87,000). 

As we mentioned, the base Active comes pretty well equipped from the start, and you can add amenities like leatherette upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and bigger wheels. With those features plus the mandatory $1,995 destination charge, our test vehicle came to $74,405. 

The Platinum adds those features plus genuine leather, ventilated front seats, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo, and power-retractable running boards. It’s also where you can buy options that include the more powerful engine, an adaptive suspension system, an even more potent 22-speaker stereo, massive 24-inch wheels, and upgraded trim. The King Ranch has its own trim upgrades and more of these options as standard features.

Ford lets you turn your Expedition Max into anything from a well-equipped family SUV to a high-end luxury ride – if you’re willing to pay luxury prices for one. It’s still less than the Expedition Max’s Lincoln Navigator L cousin, whose base price is $102,985. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Competitors to Consider

When you’re looking for an extended-length full-size SUV, the Expedition Max faces two direct rivals: the Chevrolet Suburban (and its GMC Yukon XL twin) and the Jeep Wagoneer L. 

These rivals are even bigger than the Expedition Max and have even more cargo room. The Suburban also has unique engines for this class – a choice of two V8s or an economical turbodiesel V6. And the Wagoneer L has the most standard features and the mightiest towing capacity. 

On the other hand, the Expedition Max is quicker than the Suburban – yet also more economical unless you get the extra-cost diesel engine (and then pay more per gallon for diesel fuel versus 87-octane unleaded). The Wagoneer L isn’t available with an equivalent to Ford’s BlueCruise (or Chevrolet’s Super Cruise) hands-free driver aid. And neither has the Expedition’s nifty new trick tailgate. 

A minivan might also be a good fit for you. We’re fans of all four current minivans on the market – the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, and Toyota Sienna. They have similar passenger and cargo capacities to the bigger, bulkier, and much more expensive Expedition Max. The Pacifica and Sienna are available with all-wheel-drive, too. But as we mentioned, their cargo space behind the third row is more vertical than the Expedition Max’s. And these vans aren’t equipped for heavy-duty towing or challenging mud and snow. 

2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Truck Meets Minivan

The 2025 Ford Expedition Max combines the family-friendly spaciousness of a minivan with the rugged capability of a mighty truck. You pay a pretty penny for this combination, and it doesn’t fit as easily into a garage or parking space. But we’re impressed by how few compromises the Expedition Max imposes in terms of ride comfort, drivability, and even fuel efficiency. 

Once you know you want a rig like this, the Expedition Max faces tough competition from rival extended-length SUVs. Its fussy new controls might send some folks to a competitor. But between its clever features like the two-piece tailgate and hands-free driving system, and its well-executed basics of ride, handling, acceleration, fuel economy, and seat comfort, the redesigned Expedition Max has a lot going for it. 

2025 Ford Expedition Max Active ・ Photo by Brady Holt