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2025 Ford Expedition: Split (Gate) Personality

ford expedition tremor 2025 03 exterior rear angle oem scaled jpg 2025 Ford Expedition | Manufacturer image

Competes with: Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, GMC Yukon/Yukon XL, Toyota Sequoia, Nissan Armada

Looks like: A smoother version of the current Expedition

Powertrains: 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 or 440-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine; 10-speed automatic transmission; rear- or four-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Spring 2025

Ford says the buyers for its full-size Expedition SUV are changing: The buyers of the past that made the Expedition a monster hit in the 1990s and early 2000s have aged out of the market for full-size vehicles, and millennials with families are now becoming interested in such beasts. It’s the promise of family get-together time and overlanding capability that are drawing them to the Expedition and its competitors, so the big SUV needs to change with the times, says the company. Thus, the redesigned 2025 Ford Expedition has arrived with the most technology it’s ever featured, the most connectivity it’s ever offered and the most off-road capability that could be packaged into its restyled flanks.

Related: 2023 Toyota Sequoia Vs. 2022 Ford Expedition: How Do the Big SUVs Compare?

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Looks Familiar — Dat Azz Doe

The 2025 Expedition’s styling isn’t all that different than before, apart from some smoother sheet metal and a new front end that integrates the headlights into the grille. But out back, there’s a big difference from the 2024 model — the new Ford Split Gate. The liftgate is divided into two parts: an upper three-quarter bit that opens normally and a lower one-quarter portion that folds down like a pickup truck’s tailgate. Both parts are powered to make it easier to open, and the lower part can accommodate 500 pounds of weight, or more than enough for two full-sized American human males to park themselves on.

The cargo area receives some updates to make it more tailgate friendly, as well, with power outlets and a special platform that pulls up from the load floor to become an upper-tier display table, perfect for two layers of tailgate chips and dips. That table can also be installed vertically, allowing for a backrest that tailgate-sitters can comfortably rest against while watching the kids play soccer.

The other big addition to the exterior is the option of 360-degree lighting technology, incorporating illumination of the Expedition’s local environment into the roof rack, mirrors, tailgate and other areas. It’s meant to help light up a campsite at night or to improve visibility around the SUV as needed.

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Got the Tremors

A new addition for the 2025 Expedition is the Tremor trim level, which replaces the previous Timberline off-road trim, bringing the Expedition more in line with Ford’s truck lineup. The Tremor comes equipped with a bunch of off-road capability boosters meant to help families head off into the wilderness.

It starts with a modified front end that incorporates a skid plate from the Ford F-150 Raptor and continues with underbody armor that protects the front axle, transfer case and fuel tank. The Tremor sits higher than the rest of the lineup at 10.6 inches of ground clearance, thanks in part to 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain tires on trim-specific wheels. The suspension and steering have both received an off-road calibration, Raptor-style running boards have been fitted and the interior gets a special orange-trimmed look to it. From an electronics standpoint, the Tremor comes with off-road modes, Trail Turn Assist and Trail 1-Pedal.

Whoa, Check Out the Dash

Perhaps the biggest upheaval to the traditional Expedition comes inside, where a completely new cabin awaits those millennial families. Previous Expeditions shared a lot of their interior bits with the F-150 pickup, which makes sense, as the F-150 generally forms the basis of the Expedition. But Ford has decided to let the Expedition go its own way now, and it’s most obvious from the new dash that features the Ford Digital Experience multimedia system.

A 24-inch panoramic screen now graces the top of the dash, replacing the traditional instrument cluster. A secondary 12.3-inch touchscreen is front and center in the console and houses all the controls, including climate controls that have now been moved to the touchscreen (but which receive a dedicated space, like in the Ford Explorer, so it’s not so bad). The top panoramic display acts as a kind of head-up display given its position, which forces a repositioning of the steering wheel. Drivers now look over the steering wheel instead of through it, like in a Lincoln Nautilus, Toyota Prius or Subaru Solterra. The wheel itself is a “squircle” (a squared-off circle) that enables you to see more of the high-mounted display without the wheel getting in the way.

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The Ford Digital Experience is the new multimedia system that’s gradually replacing Sync in Ford vehicles. It’s a Google-based operating system, meaning all voice commands for everything from controlling the temperature to navigation instructions are now tied in through Google Voice Assistant and Alexa Built-In. Like most systems, it will now require a subscription for full connectivity, use of Google Maps navigation or the 10-device-capable Wi-Fi hot spot. Or you can just use wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for your various app needs.

An optional power-sliding center console up front can swallow and secure large parcels like purses or other items you want out of view while providing more access and connectivity to second-row passengers. Those backseaters can also use a new device holder that can be mounted onto the front head restraints to securely hold a tablet for entertainment purposes. It’s like a bring-your-own rear-seat entertainment option, instead of a pricier built-in screen.

BlueCruise 1.4 will be made available on nearly 90% of all new 2025 Expeditions, according to Ford, bringing with it the latest hands-free cruise control technology that now includes automatic lane repositioning and hands-free lane changes. You still can’t tow with BlueCruise, but towing also gets an upgrade thanks to a higher 9,600-pound maximum rating. Ford also says it engineered the Expedition to allow for towing loads up to 7,000 pounds without the need for load-leveling weight-transfer bars — a big claim that we look forward to testing at some point. The option of the amazing Trailer Hitch Assist and Trailer Backup Assist tech we’ve seen on almost all of the Ford truck lineup make hooking up and using a trailer even easier than ever.

No Underhood Changes

What hasn’t changed? The mill powering the Expedition: You still get a standard twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 that makes 400 horsepower and 480 pounds-feet of torque; it’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and sends power to the rear wheels (four-wheel drive is optional). That’s the engine that comes in the Active, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels.

There’s also a High-Output version of that engine that’s standard on the Tremor and optional on the Platinum; it’s good for 440 hp and 510 pounds-feet of torque. Most of the Expedition’s other underbody bits carry over unchanged, but Ford has largely proven that its punchy V-6 hasn’t left anyone lamenting the disappearance of the V-8 from its lineup a few years ago.

Pricing and Availability

Ordering for the 2025 Expedition opens Oct. 24. Pricing is not yet known but is expected to be announced prior to the SUV’s arrival in spring 2025.

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Aaron Bragman
Detroit Bureau Chief Aaron Bragman has had over 25 years of experience in the auto industry as a journalist, analyst, purchasing agent and program manager. Bragman grew up around his father’s classic Triumph sports cars (which were all sold and gone when he turned 16, much to his frustration) and comes from a Detroit family where cars put food on tables as much as smiles on faces. Today, he’s a member of the Automotive Press Association and the Midwest Automotive Media Association. His pronouns are he/him, but his adjectives are fat/sassy.
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