Auto Review: Ford keeps the tradition alive with the roomy Expedition Limited

Over the years, the Ford Expedition has ranked among the top of the class in size, ability and reliability. Ford takes it a step further and brings the 2020 Expedition to the fight more refined than before.

Under the hood is a 3.5L Ecoboost V6 that produces a healthy 375 horsepower and to the pavement through a 10-speed automatic and available four-wheel drive. The power from the turbo V6 is silky smooth and delivered to the pavement effortlessly via the deep gearbox. I performed my usual slow, steep hill climb test and the gearbox managed to maintain proper torque and not jump around the gears.

The Good, The Bad: 2020 Ford Expedition Limited 4x4

The Good: Size and utility come together so well.

The Bad: Mileage isn’t great, steering can be slow.

Exterior styling is kicked up a bit for 2020 with the addition of a Black series to the XLT trim making for a very cool looking SUV with all the trim painted black. Not much else changed in the four generations of this body style.

I am a big fan of upgraded lighting but my particular loaner didn’t come with the LED light package. I was left with reasonably bright halogen low beams but the LED tail lights were a plus. I’m also a fan of the overall shape of the Expedition. It definitely carries a presence about itself especially when parked among other smaller vehicles.

Interior styling and layout is very reminiscent of an F150 with a touchscreen centering everything with six buttons above and large rotary knobs just below for volume and tuning. HVAC controls are just below that and then you enter into the rotary gear selector and storage areas for drinks, phones and other items.

The center console where your arms rests is huge and can fit a ton of things for road trips or to stash frequently needed items. Even the doors have huge shelves for items.

Driver and passenger seats have enormous amounts of legroom for sure. Even tall folks will enjoy sitting in the Expedition. Rear seats are also spacious and I was able to install my daughter's LATCH seat with no issue in any of the three seats. The third row can be accessed by sliding the second row forward or by folding it and climbing over as my kids often do.

Storage in the trunk behind the third row is a little tight and takes some expert packing skills but if you don’t need the third row all the time, you will gain 40 cubic feet of storage space. Needless to say, it’s a giant interior.

On road, you’ll find the Expedition is light on its feet and pulls away from the red lights with ease. Throwing it around corners is also a joy, and I found great pleasure driving this SUV on country roads. The steering is a bit slow and only shows up when you get into urban areas. I really enjoyed driving the turbo V6 on my normal routes. Ford claims it will haul the most of all similar-sized SUVs so keep that in mind if you need to tow a boat or something else.

For a family of six like mine, I need the eight-passenger capability and would prefer a little more room behind the third row for sports equipment, but it’s a good-sized SUV for large families.

Another area where it falls a little short is the mileage. Ford claims around 19 mpg average, and I was only able to get roughly 17 mpg during my time. Otherwise, if you need seating capacity and towing, the Expedition is the right choice. MSRP for the Limited is $71,865.

Will Chamberlain is a local freelance automotive journalist and full-time Realtor with eXp Realty in Beaver and can be reached at bill.chamberlain@icloud.com.