2022 Ford Expedition Review
2022 Ford Expedition
3.5 Liter Twin Turbo V6
400 HP / 480 TQ
Price as tested: $83,000
MPG as observed: 12.7
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Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi
Photos: Manufacturer
2022 presents us with the obligatory mid cycle refresh of the venerable Ford Expedition. Instead of just placing a new set of headlamps and calling it a day, Ford gives us an almost thorough reworking of the entire vehicle! From the front end, to the infotainment and interior to the rear end, this model year Expedition doesn’t leave anything by the wayside.
Let’s go ahead and break it down!
The Great
Styling
Infotainment
Torque
Styling
If anyone asks you the visual difference between a body on frame SUV vs a crossover, show them an Expedition vs an Explorer. While both can seat 7 passengers, one looks like a jacked up wagon, while the other looks like truck. That’s the literal difference. One is car based and one is truck based. With that being said, the Expedition just takes a commanding presence over most anything else on the road. From it’s revised front facia, to it’s high seating position, to it’s actual height…the 2022 Ford Expedition screams ‘Get out of my way!’
Infotainment
Ford’s SYNC infotainment has led the way in-car electronics since it’s inception. This newest iteration is no different. This massive 15.5 inch screen dominates the dashboard with it’s crisp graphics and blazing response. The best part is the UI, for it seems like it was actually designed by someone who has driven a vehicle before! Everything is easy to find, understand and use. It’s just plain brilliant.
Torque
480 ft/lbs from the 3.5 liter twin turbo V6. The constant shove in the back follows the Expedition from stoplight to onramp to passing a Prius on the highway, it’s always with you and while it’s not without it’s fair share of issues…this engine cannot be denied.. because when this sucker is on boil…it’s ON BOIL.
The Good
Packaging
Packaging
One of the many reasons that body on frame SUVs have fallen by the wayside is packaging. It takes an XL wheelbase version (a la Suburban or Expedition XL) to genuinely compete with interior volume (especially in the third row) compared to a crossover. Welp not with the Expedition! The third row on this standard wheelbase Expedition is huge! That’s huge with a decent cargo area to boot!
The Bad
Gas Mileage
MPG
The elimination of big displacement engines in this era can be blamed on good ole miles per gallon. So, in theory, replacing a 5.0 liter V8 with a 3.5 liter twin turbo V6…should net you an appreciable difference in efficiency right? Well…no. Every EcoBoost V6 I have driven (which is a lot) nets around 12-13 MPG on average. It’s not just the EcoBoost heck even Toyota’s new 3.5 twin turbo V6 has the exact same MPG as it’s outgoing 5.7 liter V8 in my testing. So, hand to heart, I don’t see the point.
The Ugly
Drivetrain is a clunktastrophe
Clunkity Clunk Clunk
Power Delivery: Every EcoBoost engine I have driven (which again has been a lot) has had uneven power delivery. You hit the gas and the following happens from idle to redline in each and every engine:
-Hesitation
-All the torque
-Falls flat on it’s face
-Torque comes again…woo
-Falls flat on it’s face again
-Redline
That 6 step process happens from part throttle to full throttle and it’s maddening.
Pair all of that uneven power delivery with a transmission that seems to clunk itself from gear to gear…is a combination that makes you want to cry. The 10-Speed automatic isn’t a bad transmission per se, because in the Mustang it is excellent! But in this and the F series it’s tuning is completely different. It’s clunky around town, indecisive when you floor it and it’s clunky when idling through one’s neighborhood.
Overall:
The 2022 Ford Expedition is one of the most commanding, thoughtful and wonderfully packaged vehicles on the road today. Even with it’s weird power issues and clunky transmission.
