Two years into its fourth generation, the 2020 Ford Expedition is a polished example of a large truck-based SUV. It’s based on the formidable Ford F-150 pickup. But does the Expedition offer the right combination of quality, comfort, drivability, reliability, and affordability?

It’s a tall order. But the experts at Kelley Blue Book think it reigns supreme over contenders such as the Chevy Tahoe and the Nissan Armada. Read on to find out why they’ve given the Expedition the “Full-Size SUV Best Buy of 2020” award.

The Ford Expedition’s powertrain, towing, and fuel economy

At the heart of the Ford Expedition is a twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6. This direct-injection EcoBoost engine has enough juice to give bigger V8 engines a run for their money, and this engine is powerful enough to easily move the Expedition’s impressive curb weight, which runs between 5,300 and 5,600 pounds. It’s mated with a smooth 10-speed automatic transmission.

The EcoBoost makes 375 hp for the XLT, Limited, and King Ranch models. The top-tier Platinum trim level produces 400 hp. The Expedition’s torque of 470 lb-ft contributes to its impressive towing capacity of 9,300 pounds when paired with the available towing package. Buyers can choose between rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive

The Expedition reaps another benefit from the EcoBoost engine. At 17 MPG city and 24 MPG highway, its fuel economy is superior to that of the Toyota Sequoia, Chevy Tahoe, and the Nissan Armada.

Exterior and interior styling

KBB’s insiders like the Ford Expedition’s striking exterior design that shows off its sculpted lines and bold chrome trim. Its imposing size also plays up its good looks since it measures more than 17 feet long. The long-wheelbase Ford Expedition Max, at 18.5 feet, offers more than 17 cubic feet of cargo space when the second- and third-row seats are folded down.

And in the King Ranch and Platinum models, size-appropriate 22-inch wheels come standard. They are available on the XLT and Limited trim levels.

One advantage of this Ford’s massive size is its spacious interior with plenty of headroom and legroom for all three rows. The KBB experts drove an Expedition Limited that had comfortable black leather seats with red contrast stitching, which exemplifies the luxury and ease that this SUV offers. The second-row bucket seats tip and slide forward for easy access to the third row. A vast dual-panel sunroof is another upscale amenity that the Limited offers.

The Ford Expedition comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi mobile hotspot. The model that KBB experts drove also featured a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and a pair of USB ports conveniently installed in the third row. A third-row infotainment system is available at this trim level as well as on the King Ranch and Platinum models.

Safety features

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the 2020 Ford Expedition a five-star crash-test safety rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has yet to evaluate it.

Even in the base level XLT, the Expedition has active safety features such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane-keeping assist with lane-departure warning. Adaptive cruise control is available. 

The Ford Expedition’s pricing and value

The experts at Kelley Blue Book appreciated that Ford offers the 2020 Expedition at a wide range of price points. At the lower end of the range, the XLT starts at $54,205 for the RWD version and $57,215 for the 4WD. The Limited’s pricing begins at $64,740 and the King Ranch starts at $74,290.

The RWD Platinum trim level is priced starting at $75,330, while the sticker price for the AWD version is $78,480.

KBB evaluators gave the Ford Expedition a 4.7 out of five stars for its 5-year cost to own rating. They also like that the Expedition’s depreciation was below the industry average. Its resale value was second only to the Chevy Tahoe‘s for the 2019 model year.

These factors, along with the 2020 Ford Expedition’s capability, luxury, and safety, impressed the experts enough to award it with the KBB “Full-Size SUV Best Buy” award for 2020.