The 2026 Ford Expedition is a body-on-frame, three-row SUV, built to hold up to eight passengers while towing a trailer.
2026 Ford Expedition Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Ford Expedition
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Ford Expedition
The Expedition received a complete redesign for the 2025 model year, so the 2026 model gets only minor updates. The Open on Approach automatic-opening tailgate is now standard on the Active Touring, Tremor, King Ranch, and Platinum trims. A black roof is now optional on the King Ranch and Platinum. The Active Touring gets a panoramic vista roof. The Tremor, Platinum, and King Ranch add standard digital device holders for the second-row outboard seats, and those trims are also available with an optional rear-seat entertainment system. A new Ford Security package comes standard, pairing with the Ford Connect app to send theft alerts, allow owners to prevent the vehicle from starting, and find the vehicle if it was stolen. Other changes involve even more minor equipment shuffling by trim level.
Design
The Expedition sits big, tall, and blunt, as it has for generations. It’s offered in extra-large standard wheelbase and extra extra-large long-wheelbase body styles, the latter, called Max, is about a foot longer. The nose features a “strongman” LED light signature, said to mimic the chest and arms of a flexing body builder. The headlights are located within the surround that outlines the full-width, high-set grille, topped by “Expedition” lettering. The profile has unadorned, slab-like sides. At the rear, “Expedition” lettering is set just below the window of a split tailgate, which has a black top section and a fold-down lower section that can be used as a seat. The Tremor model sits higher off the ground and has a pair of front tow hooks on a unique front fascia shaped for a better approach angle. It also features bits of orange trim and knobby tires on 18-inch wheels. Other trims offer 18-, 20-, 22-, or 24-inch wheels.
Powertrain
Every Ford Expedition is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. In standard tune, it makes 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output version produces 440 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. Power flows through a 10-speed automatic transmission to the rear or all four wheels via a full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) system with a two-speed transfer case. Big and powerful, the Expedition is not fuel-efficient; it's EPA rated at 16 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, 19 mpg combined with RWD and 15/22/18 mpg with 4WD. The Expedition has some natural off-road capability thanks to a standard ground clearance of 8.7 inches. The Tremor increases that to 10.6 inches, stiffens the frame, and adds those tow hooks to improve off-road capability. It also has Trail Turn Assist that brakes the wheels on one side to help the vehicle turn on soft surfaces, off-road auxiliary lights in the grille, trail one-pedal driving, and a Rock Crawl mode. Towing capacity maxes out at 9,600 pounds, and no Expedition tows less than 9,000 pounds with rear tow bars to level the ride height. Without them, the Expedition can tow 7,000 pounds. Ford offers Pro Trailering Hitch Assist that helps when backing up to a hitch, Pro Trailering Backup Assist that aids when backing up with a trailer, and trailer sway control to stabilize the vehicle with a trailer attached.
Interior
The Expedition has three rows of seats to accommodate eight passengers or seven with the available second-row captain’s chairs. It comes standard with cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, and a power-folding and -reclining third-row seat. A package for the Active trim adds synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel, among several other features. The Platinum trim gets leather upholstery, driver’s seat memory, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, heated outboard second-row seats, and power tilt-and-slide second-row captain’s chairs. The King Ranch features Western-themed Del Rio leather upholstery. Cargo space is plentiful; in the standard-wheelbase model, there is 21.6 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 60.8 cubic feet behind the second row, and 108.5 cubic feet behind the first row. For the Max body style, those numbers increase to 36.1, 75.4, and 123.1 cubic feet, respectively. The Expedition offers a platform in the cargo floor, which can serve as a table and also works as a backrest when the fold-down tailgate is used as a seat. Ford also offers power outlets in the cargo hold, as well as four exterior lighting zones.
Technology
Ford outfits the Expedition with plenty of screen space. It has a 24-inch digital instrument cluster located at the base of the windshield, as well as a traditional 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen in the middle of the dash. The instrument cluster, viewed over the steering wheel, can be configured to show the navigation screen and several other types of information. The infotainment system provides access to Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play Store. Also standard are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, and a six-speaker audio system. A wireless charging pad is standard on all but the base model. Moving up to the Platinum brings a 10-speaker B&O audio system, and the King Ranch has a 22-speaker B&O Unleashed system.
