A Closer Look at The 2022 Ford Expedition
The Ford Expedition full-size SUV is changing. It’s getting two fancy new trims, Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free driving aid, a huge new infotainment screen, and enough little tweaks and flourishes to bring it squarely in line with the wants and wishes of millennials. According to Ford, who, after extensive research on the matter, has concluded that what millennials really want isn’t a home of their own or a job that pays more than the minimum wage, it’s a slightly sinister, blacked-out SUV to scare the neighbors with. But ultimately, you don’t have to be a millennial to enjoy this rugged family hauler’s perks. You do, however, have to have a plastic friend that’s flexible enough to cover the anticipated $54,505 to $ 81,805 MSRP. Here’s what to expect from the 2022 Ford Expedition.
All New Trims
With the Chevy Tahoe still sucking up a good share of the SUV market and the brand new Jeep Wagoneer already pulling in the punters, Ford needed to do something good with the Expedition if it wanted to compete. So it did. As cars.com notes, all Expeditions will be getting new interiors, new exterior styles, and some jazzy new technology for the 2022 model year. That’s not the big news though. The big news is the two new trims levels – the Timberline and the Stealth Edition Performance Package – that are being introduced. While both trims have been created with millennials in mind, they’re as different as night and day, with the Expedition Timberline filling the brief of a rugged off-roader capable of wild adventures and the Stealth Edition Performance Package filling the gap for a sporty SUV that’s more at home on the streets than the trails.
The Expedition Timberline
So, what can you expect of the first of the new trim levels? In the case of the Expedition Timberline, a lot. Described by MSN as the most off-road capable Ford Expedition the marque has ever offered, this is an SUV that’s designed to do more than look good on your driveway… although thanks to the tasteful optical upgrades it’s got going on, it’ll do that too. The first visual clue to its enhanced performance is a butch-looking front grille with some very snazzy orange highlights. It sits higher than previous editions on 33-inch all-terrain tires, resulting in a good 10.6 inches of ground clearance. Inside, Ford has gone green (literally, not environmentally) with a Deep Cyprus Green cabin trimmed with dark-umber stitching – color on interiors is back, and here, it looks fantastic. Other upgrades include a two-speed transfer case, improved approach and departure angles, larger stabilizer bars and unique springs, a standard limited-slip rear differential, and a range of drive modes. It also gets the benefit of Ford’s Trail Turn Assist, a very intelligent little system that, when the occasion calls, can lock the inside rear wheel to massively decrease the turning circle – it’s not much help in the city, but it can make the difference between a good day and a bad day on the trail.
The Expedition Stealth Performance Package
The second new trim is the Expedition Stealth Performance Package, a blacked-out streetfighter with a unique black leather interior with red stitching complements and a truckload of cool. As Forbes notes, the Stealth performance package isn’t a stand-alone model but is actually an extension of the existing Stealth appearance package that’s been around since 2019. “Customers love the design and it’s been really successful,” Ford Expedition brand manager Devon McParlane says. “So we felt strongly about continuing the Stealth package and adding a performance variant.” The running boards, mirror caps, grille, roof rails, and liftgate applique have all been blacked out. So too have its 22-inch wheels. Even the Ford emblems have gone to the dark side. The only thing that hasn’t been given a wash of black, in fact, is the red brake calipers. If you’re less concerned with off-road capabilities than looking the business on a trip to Costco, this is the trim to consider. It’s got a sporty suspension, muscular but elegant looks, and enough bells and whistles to make the neighbors jealous. Adaptive dampers and a firmer tuning increase its sportiness.
Performance
Regardless of trim, all 2022 Ford Expeditions come with the same powerful 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 EcoBoost engine matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The combination dishes out a whopping 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The Timberline trim and models fitted with the Stealth Performance Package get the added benefit of a high-out variant that pushes out 440 horsepower and 510 pounds-feet of torque – a heck of a lot more than you’ll get with its main competitors over at Jeep and Chevy. It’s a thirsty beast, but the active air dam (which cuts in once the speedometer hits 40 mph and reportedly improves aerodynamics by 4%) helps lessen the load.
Interior Upgrades
Even though the cockpit of the new Expedition isn’t entirely new, it is improved, with a redesigned dashboard, elegant details, and better quality materials. The big news here is the addition of the jumbo 15.5-inch portrait-oriented multimedia system first seen in the Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV (although if that’s too big for your taste, there’s a slightly smaller 12-inch landscape-oriented screen available too). Both options support wireless smartphone mirroring via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is “card-based” rather than “menu-based,” allowing you to customize the screen to personal preference. The addition of Ford’s Blue Cruise hands-free driving aid as standard in the top-shelf Platinum model is a very welcome move, allowing hand-free diving on 13000 miles of approved highways across the US. Other features worth a shout-out include the improved 360-degree camera system, the nifty Pro Trailer Backup Assist 2.0 for a superbly enhanced towing experience, standard automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, and a swanky 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. The rear-seat entertainment system has also had an upgrade with Amazon Fire TV integration and HD touchscreens.
Availability
So far, Ford hasn’t confirmed either the pricing or the exact availability of the redesigned 2022 Ford Expedition, but it’s expected to start hitting the dealerships in the first quarter of 2022. Pricewise, it’s likely to stay close to the $54,505 to $81,805 MSRP range for the outgoing model.
