The New Expedition Timberline Brings Ford Bronco Bones to the Big Brawler
The new-for-2022 Ford Expedition SUV has four-wheel drive, pretty good clearance, and even a low-speed transfer case. But that doesn’t mean it’s an off-roader. Sure, you can take it confidently off-road, but the new Timberline package adds some F-150 Raptor goodies to get the off-road party started in this massive seven- or eight-passenger SUV. From the Raptor, the Timberline gets the 440-horsepower V6, 10-speed transmission, and skid plates. From the Bronco, the new package gets some off-road tech that helps it navigate tighter trails.
Ford went to its own parts (and software) cataloged to upfit the Expedition Timberline
To make the Timberline, Ford took a regular Expedition and added off-road goodies from the F-150 Raptor and the Bronco. The Timberline has that truck’s heavy-duty underbody skid plate. It also adds a new suspension, and Trail Turn Assist from the Bronco, which will brake the inside wheels in the dirt to help the big Expedition make tighter turns. Even with that assist, the Timberline is too big to thread tight trails. It comes with the same twin-turbo 2.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine as the Raptor.
You can spot a Timberline Expedition by its Active Orange accents, similar to the safety gear hunters wear when they, too, want to be spotted in the wild by humans. Expeditions start at $65,835, or $69,695 for the Timberline package. Though it’s an extra expense, it would be hard to duplicate the Timberline from an off-road catalog, and impossible not to add the Trail Turn Assist without Ford’s blessing. Or a very clever hacker.
All Expeditions come well equipped to take on urban jungles
The 2022 Expedition comes standard with Ford’s easy-to-use SYNC 4, or can add the SYNC 4A with a 15.5-inch high-def touch screen. The system can also add over-the-air updates to the Expedition. You can order a Bang & Olufsen sound system and rear-seat entertainment with Amazon Fire TV.
When it comes to driver safety, the Expedition adds Road Edge Detection, which works like lane-keep assist, and Intersection Assist, that uses the front camera to monitor cross traffic and can brake if you need to. It adds several other driver aids, too, which could come in handy on this truly massive SUV. It is 6.7 feet wide, the Max (long) version is 18.5 feet long, and it weights 5,600 pounds. The Max can also hold 79.6 cubic feet of stuff in the back, or a cargo-van rivaling 121.5 cubic feet behind the first row. The Timberline package is not available in the Max version, however.
The Expedition Timberland is a good overlander starting point
Overlanders should rejoice. The Ford Expedition has taken the already impressive Expedition Timberline and created the Off-Grid concept to show what can be done with the Timberline. The concept adds a 2-inch lift over the normal ride height, taking it to 12.6 inches. Fox Performance Elite Series shocks with compression adjustments make the ride smooth off-road. Add a roof tent, a light bar, bead lock rims from Method, and some other goodies and you’re ready for the world.