DETROIT — Amid increased competition in the large utility segment, Ford Motor Co. is freshening the Expedition SUV with new technology and trims to protect the sales gains made since the vehicle’s 2017 redesign.
The 2022 Expedition, on sale in the first quarter of next year, will come standard with the automaker’s latest Sync 4 infotainment system, an optional 15.5-inch touch screen and optional BlueCruise hands-free driver-assist system. In an attempt to broaden the family hauler’s appeal, Ford is adding an off-road Timberline variant as well as a Stealth Edition performance package.
Since redesigning the Expedition four years ago, Ford says its market share in the segment has tripled, and the large SUV’s sales increased year over year in 2018 and 2019 before falling in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. But with the arrival of the Jeep Wagoneer, in addition to last year’s redesign of General Motors’ biggest SUVs, executives say they need to keep investing in the product.
“We designed Expedition for longevity,” Jeff Marentic, Ford’s passenger vehicle general manager, told reporters ahead of the vehicle’s reveal Tuesday at the Motor Bella car show north of Detroit. “The upgraded 2022 Expedition is set to build on this momentum we’ve created and deliver growth by exciting current Expedition owners and expanding its aspirational appeal to new customers in the years ahead.”
Ford debuted the Timberline trim this year on the Explorer large crossover, but officials note there’s an appetite for more off-road capability, even in Ford’s largest product.
Marentic said outdoor activities account for about $900 billion in annual U.S. consumer spending, with 114 million people participating. Ford hopes the Expedition Timberline will help the company capture more of that market among large families — and fend off the arrival of the Wagoneer.
Ford says the Expedition Timberline will come with improved approach and departure angles and the same underbody skid plate found on the F-150 Raptor. A ground clearance of 10.6 inches beats the Wagoneer, officials say.
It will be powered by Ford’s high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, which gets 440 hp and 510 pound-feet of torque, which Ford notes is more powerful than the Wagoneer’s V-8.
The Timberline trim will come with unique badging and interior materials. On the outside, it will feature a unique grille and orange accents.
The automaker also is adding a new Stealth Edition performance package as an option on Limited and Limited Max models. The package includes gloss-black exterior accents, black badging and red brake calipers.
It also features the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine.
The Expedition’s top-end Platinum trim can be ordered with Ford’s optional BlueCruise driver-assist system, which the automaker is set to debut on its Mustang Mach-E and F-150. The Sync 4 infotainment system, with a 12-inch center screen, comes standard on the 2022 Expedition. Sync 4a, with a 15.5-inch touch screen, is optional.
The vehicle also comes equipped with over-the-air-update capability, which the automaker calls Ford Power-Ups, along with its latest driver-assist technology.
Ford says the 2022 Expedition can tow up to 9,300 pounds with an optional trailer tow package.
Officials declined to discuss pricing details.