With the all-new 2023 Ford Expedition, customers can expect to sort through a range of engine options. However, one powertrain is forgotten in the full-size SUV lineup. Although it’s excellent that three different versions of a V6 are available, it’s disappointing that one huge engine option is missing from the 2023 Ford Expedition. The automaker hasn’t added a hybrid powertrain to the lineup yet.

What are the 2023 Ford Expedition engine options?

According to Edmunds, different versions of the 2023 Ford Expedition use three different engine options. The first is a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, good for 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. The base unit is standard for the XL model, which starts at around $55,000. Additionally, the XLT trim, which is popular among consumers, uses the same engine as its standard equipment. You’ll have to pay a bit more for more potent engine options.

Next, purchasing the Timberline off-road-ready trim adds more power to the Expedition. Paying $72,500 upgrades the V6, giving it an output of 440 hp and 510 lb-ft. Additionally, the same unit is available to other trims for customers who choose the Stealth Performance package option. It adds the upgraded engine, plus 22-inch black wheels, dark exterior trim, a sport suspension, power running boards, red brake calipers, a 22-speaker audio system, a surround-view camera, and park assist.

Finally, the most expensive trim, Platinum, gains an upgraded version of the same V6 again. This time, it has an output of 400 hp and 480 lb-ft, which falls short of the Timberline and Stealth Performance package options. Unfortunately, it also costs $81,415, though it is a well-equipped version of the full-size SUV.

Hybrid powertrain is missing from the Expedition

The huge engine option missing from the 2023 Ford Expedition is a hybrid variant. Many full-size SUVs, trucks, and more have added gas and electric pairing to their lineup. For example, the platform-sharing F-150 is available with a Ford PowerBoost turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 combined with an electric motor and battery pack. The power is surprisingly excellent, rated for 430 horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque. Not to mention the F-150 Lightning, which eliminates gas usage altogether.

What’s stopping the Blue Oval from developing an Expedition hybrid or electric variant? Using the same hybrid setup as the F-150 only makes sense. After all, both use a 3.5-liter V6, but adding an electric motor and battery pack is the next step. Using a hybrid setup could boost the potency of the Expedition’s engine, plus improve fuel economy tremendously. Furthermore, fuel economy is a massive reason many consumers shy away from full-size SUVs. The 2023 Expedition, for example, gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg combined.

Comparatively, the F-150 Hybrid with rear-wheel drive leads the pickup with 25 mpg combined. The same engine without the hybrid additions averages 20 mpg, slightly better than the Expedition. Not to mention, the hybrid alternative adds power to the F-150, which would be another bonus to SUV owners. More specifically, the F-150 hybrid gains 30 horsepower over the non-hybrid turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 and 70 lb-ft of torque to boot.

Next-gen 2024 Ford Expedition will go hybrid

Although the automaker elected to forego the hybrid powertrain for the 2023 Ford Expedition, it’s coming soon. Experts like Ford Authority report that a complete redesign of the full-size SUV is coming for 2024. With it will come several enhancements, one of which includes an electric powertrain. FA says the Expedition redesign will likely mirror the current-gen F-150 truck. That includes chassis improvements, a new exterior/interior design, and a hybrid variant.

In conclusion, a huge engine option is missing from the 2023 Ford Expedition. For the current model year, there is no hybrid powertrain available. Unfortunately, it didn’t receive the same changes as the F-150 yet. Although, reports indicate that the full-size SUV will undergo the same changes as its pickup brethren for the 2024 model year. With it, we expect the missing hybrid engine option to enter the lineup with a similar output and fuel economy to the Blue Oval’s best-seller.