The Ford Expedition has gone through a metamorphosis in 2025. The previous utilitarian interior based on the F-150 pickup has been transformed into one that resembles a luxury vehicle ready to compete with high-end SUVs with six-figure price tags.
The Expedition now has all the lavish features expected in the premium SUV segment such as advanced digital displays, high-end materials and a multitude of comfort and infotainment features, but it also has something special that sets it apart from the patrician 4x4 crowd: A party animal personality designed to be a home base for family soccer games, camping and tailgating in style. (View slideshow: 2025 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX Winner: Ford Expedition)
An immediately noticed change is the dated vertical center stack screen shared with the F-150 has been replaced with a 24-in. (61-cm) horizontal display pushed forward to the edge of the windshield. This placement is the latest thinking in user-experience design and makes the screen visible from any seat height and enables the driver to always keep eyes on the road.
Wards’ judges also appreciate the premium interior materials such as Salt Crystal Gray leather-trimmed seating with attractive channeled quilting, a textured metallic trim on the instrument panel and stylish faux wood trim on doors, as well as a 13.2-in. (34-cm) center-stack display that’s easy to see, thanks to a new steering wheel design that also improves maneuverability.
The icing on the cake: Ford designers say pushing screens forward on the instrument panel eliminates the need for head-up displays. That’s a big deal from an industry standpoint because HUD projectors are costly and take up precious real estate inside the instrument panel. It’s such a simple fix, it is surprising we haven’t seen it earlier, judge Bob Gritzinger comments.
A large center console with a power sliding feature really wows judges. It moves back 8 ins. (20 cm) from the front, placing it closer to the center-row seats for easier reach by those passengers and also provides more personal space and storage up front for purses, family-sized carry-out bags and other items.
Yet another clever feature impresses judge Dave Zoia: communicative lighting. This means accent lighting on interior door panels turns red as you open the door, alerting oncoming vehicles and bicyclists.
And our tester, a Platinum grade model, boasts plentiful USB-C ports, AC outlets and a slew of apps, including Amazon Prime, Max and Peacock video streaming via a connectivity package subscription. Google’s Android operating system is the backbone of Ford’s digital experience, with all the expected Google apps included such as Maps and the Play store. Further tech highlights include 5G connectivity, the ability to connect up to 10 devices via the Expedition’s Wi-Fi hotspot and a flawless, fast onboard voice assistant, who starts responding to spoken commands before the words leave our judges' mouths.
But the most compelling feature of the new Ford Expedition may be one that’s lower on the tech scale: a rear cargo area designed specifically for tailgating and camping. Panels are stored in the cargo floor and can be pulled out and arranged as shelves for food and beverages or even as seatbacks for the dual opening liftgate and tailgate combo rear hatch.
“Anyone who spends time tailgating or camping will appreciate all the options afforded by the dual-opening rear hatch,” says judge Gritzinger, an avid outdoorsman.
It’s all about what Ford designers call the “linger longer” factor where people simply like to hang around their vehicles whether at kids’ soccer matches and baseball games or tailgating before concerts. Ford’s attention to detail is noteworthy and will be appreciated by campers or sporting families, as directions for assembling the cargo area shelving are molded into the shelves so you don’t have to hunt for directions in the glovebox or online.
At first glance, the $90,000 sticker on our Platinum Ultimate test vehicle did raise a few juror eyebrows, but after experiencing all the luxurious materials, advanced technologies and attention to detail, it’s clear the 2025 Expedition has risen to a whole new level. “The interior designers thought about every element, and it shows,” says judge Gary Vasilash.“Considering the $100,000-plus price points of the other big luxury SUVs we tested, $90k for this vehicle is a bargain,” adds judge Christie Schweinsberg.
