General Motors has a host of ways to get a three-row SUV, including the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, Chevy Traverse, GMC Yukon/Yukon XL, GMC Acadia, and the Buick Enclave. If you want a three-row SUV from Ford, however, you have fewer options to consider. Individually, the Ford Explorer is one of the best selling three-row SUVs in America, selling twice as many units as either the Tahoe or the Traverse. Its larger brother, the Expedition, is now in its handsome fourth generation, sharing a platform with the Lincoln Navigator. If you want a three-row people hauler from FoMoCo, read on for details of whats available this year.
Explorer
The mid-size Explorer comes in eight trims, starting at $36,760 msrp for the base model rear-wheel drive with seating for seven. Standard features include rear parking sensors, a power lift gate, and a “Terrain Management System” to help with slippery, trail, snow/sand (four wheel drive only), or regular conditions. A 2.3L four cylinder turbo / 10 speed automatic is standard which hits 60 miles per hour in 6 seconds with 300 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Standard wheels are 18 inch five spoke aluminum. LED headlamps and taillamps are standard, alone with dome lights in all three rows, Ford MyKey, power locks and windows, manual tilt/telescoping steering wheel, and rear view camera. Four wheel drive is a $2,000 option.
The next level XLT trim starts at $38,750 msrp and adds body color door handles, chrome bars on the front grille, ActiveX synthetic leather seats, keyless entry with push button start, chrome accent bodyside cladding, and leather wrapped steering wheel. The ST-Line steps up starting price to $46,355 with a Bang and Olufsen 12 speaker sound system (including a subwoofer), Ford Co-Pilot360 driver assistance, and Red-Stitched synthetic leather seats with inserts from Italian designer Miko. It also adds LED fog lamps, chrome exhaust tops, rain sensing wipers, body color rear spoiler, ST-Line scuff plates, wireless phone charging pad, Ford SYNC 3 with 10.1 LCD touchscreen, front heated seats, and power adjustable front seats.
The next level of trims steps the Explorer up to the option of six cylinders, with trim-dependent engine choices. A 3.3L V6 hybrid motor with 318 horsepower is available on either the Limited or Platinum trims, for an additional $5,935. The Limited trim, starting at $47,420 for four cylinder, adds genuine leather trimmed seats, which are both heated and ventilated in the front row, with micro perforated inserts, as well as power folding rear seat, and all the equipment from the ST Line model.
A 3.0L twin-turbo V6 with 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque is the standard motor on the ST ($50,005 msrp), Platinum ($54,270 msrp), and King Ranch ($54,525 msrp) trims. The ST trim gets a performance inspired interior as well as a special silver stitching throughout, along with a stiffer suspension to make it handle a bit less like the large SUV that it is. The Platinum model has an available twin panel moonroof that opens above both front and rear seats. Platinum branded embroidery are on the tri-diamond perforated leather seats. In contrast, the King Ranch offers 20 inch aluminum King Ranch branded wheels, as well as Del Rio leather with King Ranch Lasso perforated inserts.
Expedition
The Explorer’s full-size big brother has been the Expedition since it debuted in 1997. Now looking like more than a gussied up F-150 SUV, the Expedition has seats for eight on all but its entry level model. Ford added the entry-level 5-seat regular-wheelbase XL STX for the 2021 model year, and it starts at $55,525 msrp with cloths seats. It still comes with Ford SYNC 4 and a 12 inch touchscreen and 18-inch machined aluminum wheels, making the entry-level Expedition a fair bit upmarket from the Explorer. All Expeditions come standard with a powerful 3.5L twin-turbo V6 paired to a 10 speed automatic that makes 380 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque; a handful of trims offer an increase of 20 or 60 horsepower.
For all Expedition trims minus the XL STX and the Timerbline, this full-size vehicle is availablle in either regular wheelbase 122.5 inches, or long wheelbase 131.6 inches, to do battle with the Suburban. The Expedition Max adds about 12 inches overall to the length of the vehicle itself. XLT trim starts at $59,590 or $62,590 for XLT Max, and includes seats for eight, tri-zone automatic climate control, USB ports in all rows, and power folding third row seats to make room for storage. Adding 4 wheel drive (instead of rear wheel drive) adds $3,000 to the price.
Limited Trim ($68,410/$71,410 Max msrp) steps things up with LED foglamps, LED headlamps and LED taillamps, panoramic roof, 20 inch machined aluminum wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and lane centering, active noise control, and a Bang and Olufsen 12 speaker audio system (including subwoofer). The $71,700 msrp Timberline has a special 440 hp / 510 lb-ft of torque motor, tangerine stitched interior, black 18 inch wheels, steel skid plate, and 32 inch all terrain tires.
The top of the line King Ranch ($78,465 / $81,465 Max msrp) and Platinum ($80,695 / $83,695 Max msrp) bring goodies like larger touch screens, special trim-based stitching and logos on the interior, Bang and Olufsen stereos with even more speakers (22), 22-inch wheels, hands-free cruise control technology, satin and aluminum exterior trim pieces, zone lighting, and massaging front seats.