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2020 Ford Expedition
The 2020 Ford Expedition is, in no uncertain terms, a luxury SUV. It is both elegant and powerful. And … it can haul. It can haul gear, it can haul families, and it can haul arse. It’s an impressive truck ready to take you into the National Forest or into the city in style.
Dan and I had the pleasure of picking it up from the Denver airport after a whirlwind weekend in Seattle to witness our daughter’s engagement. The Expedition was detailed to the max, something that as a mom of 12 I am absolutely not used to. We tossed our carry-on bags into the back and I studied the very 2020 technologically savvy dash. As we drove the 3 hours from DIA to the High Rockies I fell in love.
There is nothing I appreciate more than a vehicle that reacts. From it’s Turbo that makes mountain passes seem like nothing more than driving the plains of OK to the blind spot technology, I loved everything about this luxury SUV. Let me be 100% honest and say that I’ve had the opportunity to drive a good many vehicles for media and the 2020 Expedition may very well be my favorite. Read on for my reasons for loving the 2020 Ford Expedition.
The 2020 Ford Expedition is ranked:
- #1 in Large SUVs
- #1 in SUVs with 3 Rows
Road Trip Worthy
We had the pleasure of driving the dynamic 2020 Ford Expedition from our mountain home to Longmont, CO, which is just outside of Boulder. To my surprise the 2020 Ford Expedition comfortably sat 8 of us and all our weekender bags stowed easily in the cargo area. Now, when I say comfortably, I mean exactly what that word implies. The leg room in this truck is legendary. My 6’1″ husband sat in the second seat and had more than adequate room to stretch out his legs! That is unheard of these days, he has a hard time finding a vehicle where his head doesn’t touch the roof.
And, I will say, if I were to buy one, which I’m absolutely seriously considering as our 2005 Escalade probably won’t live through 2021, I would buy the extended version, the MAX. But for your typical family, the cargo space on this version is more than ample.
What’s more is that there was a surprising amount of leg room all around, even in the third row! When I say surprising, I mean surprising. My older boys were able to stretch out and even commented on the roominess of the Expedition. In the 2020 Expedition, Ford has done a phenomenal job of ensuring adults are comfortable regardless of where they find themselves sitting.
Adventure Vehicle
We are a traveling family. We travel the globe. We travel locally and we travel North America. While traveling both locally and across the continent we go by way of RV. We traveled fulltime in our RV from January 2012 to Feb 2020, when the world shut down. RV travel is amazing, and we have enjoyed every minute of it. We have grown exponentially closer and found adventures in every nook and cranny.
Our adventures, be it kayaking, climbing, snowboarding or whatever, take us to places that an RV cannot go, hence we always travel with a “chaser” vehicle. The 2020 Ford Expedition is insanely adaptable, and I will admit I was surprised, as it is most definitely a luxury SUV. But despite it’s elite appearance, and despite it’s size the 2020 Ford Expedition can get to some pretty remote locations and handle tough terrain.
We took the kids up into the Flat Tops while we had the Expedition. The older kids & Dan drove their dirt bikes up a really sketchy trail and I took the younger children around and up in the Expedition. We drove 20 minutes down the highway and then took a dirt road, complete with bumps and potholes filled with mud. The Ford Expedition handled it like a champ, inside we were lapping up luxury, having a blast all the while the Expedition handled the vigorous topography. A+ for being a travel family’s backcountry truck!
Get Up and Go
Driving in the mountains means tons of hills and the 2020 Ford Expedition has the turbo power to tackle even the steepest of inclines. On our trip to Longmont, we went up and over Vail Pass and unlike our Escalade, the Ford Expedition never slowed down and was never even slightly sluggish.
Get Your Kicks
I was of the belief that to have real power you needed a big and powerful V8 engine. But, the 2020 Ford Expedition outperforms any vehicle I have ever driven. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine that puts out 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Truth be told, I had no idea what that actually meant until I googled it, I just knew that whatever was under the hood was turbocharged and had killer acceleration from a dead stop and a ton of power…enough to push past every vehicle on a 6% grade incline. The 2020 Expedition gets an A++ for muscle!
How Much Does the 2020 Ford Expedition Cost?
This is the one “bummer” for me, but I truly subscribe to the old adage that you get what you pay for. So, it was not surprising to me to read that it’s the most expensive vehicle in the large SUV class, with a starting price of almost $53,000. And, three higher trim levels have prices that start from around $63,000 and max out at almost $74,000! And 4 Wheel Drive is another $3000 on top of that.
The long-wheelbase Expedition, the Expedition Max is available as well, but you can expect to pay an additional $3000. And, to round out at about $80,000 you can opt for the Expedition Platinum Max, with 4 Wheel Drive standard. This price range pushes me out as I’d expect to pay these prices for a new Lincoln Navigator or a new Cadillac Escalade.
2020 Ford Expedition Specs
We drove the 2020 Ford Expedition Limited 4×4, 8 passenger, 3.5L Ecoboost, V6 Engine.
The Exterior Color is Iconic Silver Metallic.
The Interior Color is Ebony w/ Leather Trim Seats.
EPA-Estimated MPG City/Hwy: 17/23
Price Starts at $63,345 … I drove one that was priced at $72,455.00.
Add-ons included the Equipment Group 301A which consisted of the Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist, Voice Activated Touch Screen Navigation System and the Panoramic Vista Roof for $2,555. As well as the Off Road Pkg w/360 Camera, 18″ Mag Wheels, Skid Plates, Running Boards, 3.73 Ratio ELSD Axle & Floor Liners for and additional $2.035.
Safety to the Max
Ford Co-Pilot 360 Technology
As a mom who travels with precious cargo, I was impressed by the safety features that come standard on all the 2020 Ford Expeditions. Add to that the fact that we live in the Colorado mountains and you come to understand the importance of feeling confident whilst driving in unpredictable weather, among wildlife and on windy, rugged terrain.
Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking is a driver-assist system that monitors the road ahead of you while driving. The Pre-Collision Assist feature uses advanced camera technology to detect a potential collision with a vehicle or pedestrian directly in front of you while driving during the day or night. Under certain circumstance this can help avoid a frontal collision all together or, at the very least, help reduce the severity of a collision.
If a potential collision is detected, an alert sound is emitted and a warning message displays in the message center. If your response is not sufficient, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) will increase brake-assist sensitivity to provide full responsiveness when you do brake. If you don’t take corrective action and a collision is imminent, brakes can apply automatically.
BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert
BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), is active anytime you put your vehicle in drive and are driving above five miles per hour. When a vehicle enters into a lane to the right or left of your vehicle, BLIS warns you with a solid light on the corresponding side view mirror. The light will stay on until the vehicle has moved out of your blind spot. Also, whenever you activate your turn signal, if a vehicle is within the blind spot zone, BLIS will give you a flashing light warning on the corresponding side view mirror.
Auto High-Beam Headlamps
Auto High-Beam Headlamps can sense poor lighting conditions and automatically turn on to light your path more clearly. They can even sense oncoming vehicles or those on the road ahead of you (up to 500′) and dim accordingly.
Lane Keeping System
This Lane Keeping System does exactly what it’s name indicates, it helps you stay in your lane. This smart feature scans your vehicle’s position in the lane and alerts you if you start to creep outside the lines. If a coffee cup appears on your message screen, you know you have been swerving in and out too often and that it’s time to take a break!
Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) lets you set a cruising speed and distance from the vehicle ahead of you. When it slows down, you automatically do too; when traffic picks back up, you resume your preset speed and distance. ACC with Stop-and-Go enables you to come to a complete stop when the vehicle ahead stops. Lane Centering, which scans the lane markings to help you stay in your lane if the system detects you’re drifting out of it. And that’s not all. Now there’s Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, which includes all of these features plus new Speed Sign Recognition that can automatically adjust the set speed of your vehicle to the posted speed limit.
The technology that comes standard in the 2020 Expedition is insane!
Evasive Steering Assist
Evasive Steering Assist can help you avoid a collision with a vehicle that is slower or stopped ahead by providing steering support when the collision cannot be avoided by braking alone.
Reverse Brake Assist
During the daytime and when the weather is clear, the system can detect a stationary object, a vehicle, or a pedestrian behind you and provide an audible alert. It can also apply the brakes for you if you don’t stop in time.
Rear View Camera
This camera provides a fantastic view of what is behind your vehicles making backing up a breeze. Be sure to keep the camera lens clean and free of snow!
Active Park Assist 2.0
Parking made super easy! Your vehicle will find the spot and all you have to do is come to a complete stop, shift to neutral and press the Active Park Assist Buttom and your Expedition will park itself! No lie, it’s a game changer!
Hill Descent Control
Such a great feature in the mountains of Colorado, especially when towing a trailer! This feature helps you maintain a set speed when cruising down an incline by automatically applying the brake when necessary! If only our RV had this tech!
Interior Highlights
Luxury is the name of the game for the 2020 Ford Expedition and it competes at the top of its game. From high quality leather interior to incredibly surround sound, the Expedition is the model to beat.
B&O Sound System
With a whopping 12 speakers passengers are treated to a dynamic listening experience. Standard on both the Limited and the Platinum.
Climate Control
Standard
- Cabin Particulate Air Filter: These remove airborne particles such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and even oil.
- Tri-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control: Allows you to personalize your own comfort level, and that of your front and second-row passengers, with individualized temperature settings.
- Rear Auxiliary Climate Controls: Your rear passengers control their own space.
For a complete understanding of all the features on the 2020 Ford Expedition, be sure to check out the Ford Website.