3 Ways the 2025 Ford Expedition Makes Family Life Easier

Key Points

• Ford updated its 2025 Expedition with more tech and convenience features.
• We appreciated three features that make it easy to haul a family and their stuff: BlueCruise hands-free cruise control, the new split liftgate and the Expedition’s car-seat accommodations.
• The 2025 Ford Expedition starts at $64,995 (prices include a whopping $2,595 destination fee), well above the 2024 Expedition’s $57,520 starting price.

Ford redesigned its Expedition full-size family hauler for 2025 with a radical new take on infotainment and vehicle controls thanks to more technology than ever. But it’s not all about screens — Ford also added some innovative storage features that make it more useful for families or anyone who routinely carries varying loads of people and stuff.

Related: 2025 Ford Expedition Review: A New Day for the Big Guy

I checked both of those boxes earlier this fall when I used a mid-level Expedition Platinum to take my family of five plus a bonus kid (people!) apple picking (healthy stuff!). My group unanimously approved of it, and here are three ways the 2025 Ford Expedition made family life easier:

1. BlueCruise Hands-Free Driving

Most of my driving was on the highway, so I spent a lot of time using BlueCruise, Ford’s hands-free driving system. The system can accelerate and brake on its own and also helps keep you centered in your lane — all while hands are off the wheel. According to Ford, it works on 97% of controlled-access highways across the U.S. and Canada. (It does not work on smaller roads, however.)

It’s easy to know when the system is available thanks to a prompt on the instrument cluster, and it’s a snap to activate via a steering-wheel button. I enjoyed using the system and found that it took some stress out of stop-and-go driving. What’s more, its maneuvers were not as frightening or inaccurate as Tesla’s driver-assist technology when I recently tested a Cybertruck.

BlueCruise doesn’t have as many capabilities as Tesla’s system, however.  If you want to change lanes, you have to activate the turn signal first; the Expedition then automatically changes lanes, and you need to deactivate the turn signal. In the Tesla, that whole maneuver is done automatically; the car decides when it’s time to change lanes and handles the whole process.

However, automatic lane-change functionality is part of a more advanced version of BlueCruise that’s currently available on Ford’s 2025 Mustang Mach-E and 2026 Explorer.

BlueCruise is free for 90 days, and then pricing varies from $49.99 a month, $495 a year or $2,495 for a one-time purchase for a minimum of seven years.

2. Flexible Storage

From the front, changes to the 2025 Expedition look minimal. It’s a different story from the back, though, with the new Ford Split Gate. Instead of a traditional SUV hatch, the Split Gate is divided into two parts: a larger upper section that opens normally and a smaller lower section that folds down like a pickup truck’s tailgate. Both sections power open and close.

I found this setup handy for a few reasons. First, opening just the top section means smaller items that may have rolled around are still contained by the bottom portion (like my wayward bags of apples). Second, the tailgate can support up to 500 pounds of weight and can be used as a seating surface for tailgating. With the available Cargo Tailgate Manager, the space is even more flexible; the extra cargo piece can be used as a backrest or a table with a 35-pound capacity. We used the backrest function for our picnic; the kids happily chose this seat over a picnic blanket on some very buggy grass.

In addition, the Expedition has a couple of other clever storage solutions. One favorite is the available Flex Powered Console. The optional power-sliding center console can swallow and secure a large purse or other items you want out of view.  It powers forward and back around 8 inches to make it within easy reach of second-row occupants, too.

Also, second-row passengers can use a new device holder to hold a phone or tablet for entertainment. You won’t even miss a rear entertainment system, which Ford no longer offers on the Expedition anyway.

3. Car-Seat Accommodations

The 2025 Ford Expedition performed well in our Car Seat Check, earning A and B grades in our tests, and the SUV stood out in a couple of big ways when it comes to car seats.

First, getting back to the third row is often a pain. Not here, though; accessing the Expedition’s third row is problem-free thanks to a seatback button that springs the second-row seat forward quickly and easily to create a wide opening. What’s more, this can also be done with a forward-facing car seat or infant base installed. This is very convenient and not always the case in three-row SUVs, where I often have to squeeze around car seats or slide through small openings to get in back. Since my test car had captain’s chairs, passengers can also use the walk-through between the seats to access the third row.

Second, the Expedition’s third row has two sets of lower anchors and three top tether anchors — again, not something every three-row SUV has. Some three-row SUVs have zero lower anchors in the third row, so caregivers must install car seats using the seat belt, which can be tricky. This makes the Expedition’s third row more accommodating when installing car seats and helps it stand out among the competition.

More SUV News From Cars.com:

• 2025 Ford Expedition Up Close: Changing With the Times
• 2025 Ford Expedition: Which Trim Level Should You Buy?
• 2025 Ford Expedition: Split (Gate) Personality
• These 10 SUVs Have the Highest Towing Capacity
• Which Cars Fit 3 Car Seats?

How Much Does the 2025 Ford Expedition Cost?

The 2025 Ford Expedition starts at $64,995, well above the 2024 Expedition, which started at $57,520. Part of the increase has to do with a trim level shuffle: For 2025, Ford nixed the XL, XLT, Limited and Timberline trims; now, there’s the entry-level Active, upgraded Platinum, off-road-focused Tremor and line-topping King Ranch. All but the Tremor are available in extended-length Expedition Max form for an additional $3,000.

Overall, the 2025 Ford Expedition’s driver-assistance tech, car-seat accommodations and clever storage features combined to make it a capable companion for my small road trip, masterfully hauling people and cargo in comfort. All of those goodies come at a cost, however, as the as-tested price of my Expedition Platinum test vehicle was nearly $84,000.

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