How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2018 Ford Expedition?

CARS.COM — Ford’s Expedition people mover got a redesign for 2018 with more interior room as well as additional comfort and convenience features this year. The Expedition is still a body-on-frame SUV built off the F-150 pickup truck platform, but for 2018, it got more amenities that make it more family-friendly. The three-row Expedition is available in seven- or eight-passenger configurations, and for this Car Seat Check, we tested an eight-seat model equipped with a second-row bench seat; it easily accommodated three car seats.

How many car seats fit in the second row? Three

How many car seats fit in the third row? Two

Related: More Car Seat Checks

How many car seats fit in the second row? Three (bench seat); two (captain’s chairs)

How many car seats fit in the third row? Two

Related: More Car Seat Checks

Solid

Second-row bench seat, Latch, grade A: There are three sets of lower anchors, and they’re exposed for easy connection; the seatback also reclines to expose them further. There are three top tether anchors a third of the way down the seatback. Access and connection was easy.
Second-row captain’s chairs, Latch, grade A: The lower Latch anchors are easy to find and use. The tether anchors are easily located in the middle of the seatbacks.
Third-row Latch, grade A: The two sets in the third row are also exposed for easy connection. There are three top tether anchors on the seatbacks and, again, they’re easy to use.
Second-row bench seat, infant, grade A: The infant seat went in easily, and the front passenger had ample legroom.
Second-row captain’s chairs, infant seat, grade A: The rear-facing infant seat installed easily into the captain’s chair. There was no need to move the front passenger seat forward to accommodate the car seat.
Second-row bench seat, rear-facing convertible, grade A: This seat also was an easy install and fit well.
Second-row captain’s chairs, rear-facing convertible, grade A: The rear-facing convertible had plenty of room in the second row. The seat installed without any issues.
Second-row bench seat, forward-facing convertible, grade A: After removing the head restraint, the seat fit well and was easy to install. We had no issues connecting the top tether.
Second-row captain’s chairs, forward-facing convertible, grade A: This car seat installed easily in the captain’s chair. The tether anchor was easy to find and connect to.
Second-row bench seat booster, grade A: After removing the head restraint, the booster fit well. The Expedition’s stable buckles should make it easier for kids to buckle up independently.
Second-row captain’s chairs, booster, grade A: The high-back booster seat fit well in the captain’s chair. The seat belt stalk is on a stable base, making it easier for younger kids in booster seats to buckle up.
Second-row bench seat, third-row entry, grade A: A button on the B-pillar vaults the second-row seat forward for a big opening, making ingress and egress easy. The Expedition’s running boards also help with its tall step-in height.
Second-row captain’s chairs, third-row entry, grade A: The captain’s chairs move easily forward to create a wide walkway to the third row. The captain’s chairs can be moved forward while a forward-facing car seat is installed, which is a handy feature for parents.

So-So

Third-row forward-facing convertible, Grade B: The seat was easy to install, but it did not fit well due to the third row’s fixed head restraints, which pushed the car seat off the Expedition’s seatback.
Third-row booster, grade C: The fixed head restraint pushes the booster off the seatback, and the third row’s floppy buckles will likely make it tough for kids to buckle up independently.

Skip It

Nothing

Grading Scale

Solid indicates an A grade for optimum ease of use and fit. So-So indicates B or C grades for one to two ease-of-use or fit issues. Skip It indicates D or F grades.

A: Plenty of room for the car seat and the child; doesn’t impact driver or front-passenger legroom. Easy to find and connect to Latch and tether anchors. No fit issues involving head restraint or seat contouring. Easy access to the third row.

B: One room, fit or connection issue. Some problems accessing third row when available.

C: Marginal room plus one fit or connection issue. Difficult to access third row when available.

D: Insufficient room, plus multiple fit or connection issues.

F: Does not fit or is unsafe.

About Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks

Editors Jennifer Geiger, Jennifer Newman and Matt Schmitz are certified child safety seat installation technicians.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide Classic Connect 30 infant-safety seat, a Britax Marathon convertible seat and Graco TurboBooster seat. The front seats are adjusted for a 6-foot driver and a shorter passenger. The three child seats are installed in the second row. The booster seat sits behind the driver’s seat, and the infant and convertible seats are installed behind the front passenger seat.

We also install the forward-facing convertible in the second row’s middle seat with the booster and infant seat in the outboard seats to see if three car seats will fit; a child sitting in the booster seat must be able to reach the seat belt buckle. If there’s a third row, we install the booster seat and a forward-facing convertible. Learn more about how we conduct our Car Seat Checks.

Parents should also remember that they can use the Latch system or a seat belt to install a car seat, and that Latch anchors have a weight limit of 65 pounds, including the weight of the child and the weight of the seat itself.

Editor’s note: This story was updated on April 13, 2018, to include car-seat installation information for a 2018 Ford Expedition with second-row captain’s chairs instead of a three-seat bench.

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