2024 Ford Expedition King Ranch
Price: $102,890 CAD
Colour: Wild Green
As I continue to age, I become more interested in some cars and less interested in others. The ubiquitous 5-passenger SUV bores the pants off me. If the opportunity to drive a big truck, full sized SUV or any kind of sedan, hatch or sports car comes my way, I’m in. I think this is what’s responsible for my recent burgeoning love of full-sized American SUV’s. It must the be said the Cadillac Escalade is where it all began. I spent some time behind the wheel of a diesel Escalade in the most recent generation and I absolutely loved it. It’s tough to peg down exactly why, but nobody does big better than the Americans. The 2024 Ford Expedition King Ranch continues my obsession with the lovable behemoths.
Power & Performance
You only get one drivetrain option in the Expedition and that’s the 3.5L Ecoboost V6 mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. This delivers 450hp and just over 500 lb/ft of torque. That’s a very decent amount of power. Of course, the Expedition needs all that grunt because it’s the size of Wyoming. The power seems to be tuned to be more smooth than energetic. I really enjoyed the lazy way this car got up to speed without being a completely useless slacker. There’s a strange charm to it and it’s unique to these big American SUV’s.
Exterior
The Ford Expedition is due for a reboot for the 2025 model year. My timing then is perfect as I’ll offer my two cents on the looks of this outgoing model. It’s a handsome thing. It’s hard for something this big to not look wallowy and ungainly but somehow the Expedition pulls it off. I found parking really easy as it felt narrower than it is while slipping it into tight parking spots. It’s strangely nimble for something so big and that’s a pleasant surprise. It actually makes it easier to drive everyday as you don’t worry as much about finding a workable parking spot.
Interior
The recent rise of brown interiors perplexes me. I’ve never been a big fan as that colour invokes images of its heyday in the late 70’s and early 80’s when feces coloured upholstery was everywhere. Contemporary iterations certainly look better, and Ford’s offering (dubbed “Java”) fits well with the Expedition. If I were buying one, I’d likely opt for a black interior but that means I couldn’t have the King Ranch trim as that only comes in brown… decisions decisions.
That sense of space I always talk about in full-sized American SUV’s is on full display in the Expedition. It is designed to transport lots of people in great comfort and manages that feat while giving them solid elbow room. The second-row captain’s chairs are a personal favourite as they will be the most commonly used passenger seats and offer a great ride that is far superior to the usual crappy bench offering.
The infotainment screen on this Expedition is enormous. The new model will scale this back and offer a new fully digital dash. I’ll miss the oversized iPad thing going on here. The size and fidelity of this screen is stellar. Everything is clear and easy to use. As usual I’d prefer a few more buttons for everyday functions, but I don’t think anyone is listening on that score.
Third row access is pretty good for a vehicle of this type. You would likely restrict the third row to children only if you want to put three people back there but if a drunken night of revelry has left you with a need to transport a bunch of inebriated friends you could jam three drunken dudes (let’s be honest, it’s always dudes) back there. They won’t remember how tight it is anyway.
Quality
Modern Ford’s (for the most part) feel like good quality cars. The Expedition and the F-150 particularly seem quite well made. The interior materials are nice to touch, and the car doesn’t rattle when your children inevitably slam the door shut too hard. The Expedition is a nice place to be.
CQI – 9. Really nice carpet in this car.
Final Thoughts
What else is there to say about the 2024 Ford Expedition? If you’re in the market for one, now would be a good time. They’ll want to clear out the old models before the new one arrives and this is a good car to be had for a decent price (relatively speaking). The American’s continue to define what “big” means in the world of SUV’s and I’m officially a convert.
