Most folks who spring for a full-size SUV do it out of necessity. A lot of kids, stuff, or both, means a huge vehicle is needed to ferry all of it – or them – around, and many full-size SUV buyers are extremely allergic to minivans, and you can't really blame them. Full-size SUVs aren't built with things like fuel efficiency or drag coefficients at the forefront of the designer's and engineers' minds. Rather, they need to be tough, big, and safe.Ford's full-size SUV, the Expedition, is coming up on its 30th anniversary. Throughout its lifespan, it's sat as one of the most popular full-size models on the market, and competes directly with models like the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and the GMC Yukon/Yukon XL.Luckily for used buyers, Ford's big bruiser has lost a good chunk of its value over the last five years. This means that those who need a full-size SUV for some of the reasons we mentioned before, or any other, for that matter, don't need to spend their life savings on one. Instead, you've just got to pop down to a used car lot. To make things better, the '21 Expedition has one or two aces up its sleeve to sweeten the pot. It's Tough Ford One of the benefits of owning a Ford Expedition is its use of an actual truck frame, rather than something like a front-wheel-drive, crossover platform, such as the one used by the fifth-gen Ford Explorer. Along with the truck frame comes a penchant for hauling heavy loads. This means that those of us who own larger campers or boats can do without a dedicated pickup truck for towing, and can instead just hitch it up to the family hauler without any issues.Towing happens to be one of the 2021 Expedition's most impressive attributes. When the model was released, Ford reported a maximum towing capacity of 9,300 pounds when equipped with the Class IV Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package, also known by its internal option code of "536" In addition, that 9,300-lb capacity could only be had on short-wheelbase models equipped with the 536 package, as the long-wheelbase Expedition Max is only capable of pulling 9,000 lbs. Without the towing package, the '21 Expedition's base maximum is rated at 6,000 lbs.Ford All told, the 536 package included the aforementioned Class IV hitch, upgraded cooling, a trailer brake controller, and a 3.73:1 limited-slip differential (LSD) mounted on the rear axle. Being able to pull that much weight earned the short-wheelbase iteration of the 2021 Ford Expedition a "best in class" ranking, beating out models like the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon despite sporting an engine that was much smaller, and with two fewer cylinders. It's Comfortable FordAnother key aspect the 2021 Ford Expedition seems to excel in is comfort. Despite riding on a dedicated pickup truck frame shared with the F-150, Ford engineers reportedly paid close attention to how the Expedition's ride quality actually felt out on the road. In order to effectively distinguish ride qualities between the F-150 and the Expedition, Ford's team of experts set about designing a different type of suspension system.The main difference resides in the 2021 Expedition's rear end. Back there, its suspension setup consisted of an independent configuration that was tailored for both on-road comfort and mild off-road performance. It was beefed-up to handle towing up to 9,300 lbs, too. For context, the F-150 used an old-school live rear axle with leaf springs. In addition to the independent rear suspension, some Expeditions came equipped with continuously controlled damping, which could adjust the suspension on-the-fly depending on road conditions.Ford In 2021, Consumer Reports published its "Most Satisfying Large SUV" rankings, and the Expedition was sitting right at the top. Notable highlights from CR on the model reported numerous owners expressing praise for an extremely comfortable ride and cabin, along with satisfaction regarding the amount of actual space inside for passengers. What It Offers And What You'll Pay FordFor the 2021 model year, Ford offered the Expedition with five total grades. At base level sits the XL, which carried a base MSRP of roughly $49,625 before any destination fees or taxes were factored in. From there, the next step up was the XLT, then the Limited. On the higher end of the scale was the King Ranch, with the Platinum topping off the model lineup with an MSRP of approximately $75,470. Those who were interested in the extended wheelbase "Max" version of any trim except the XL grade needed to cough up an extra $5k or so. All models except the XL also come standard with third-row seating.Inside the cabin, the Expedition boasts a pair of bucket seats flanking a large center console up front, with either two captain's chairs or a three-seater bench seat in the second row. The second row can be folded flat, along with the third row bench, allowing for a maximum cargo capacity of 104.6 cubic feet. Max iterations enjoy up to 121.5 cubic feet of space. All throughout the Expedition are various storage areas and hidden cubbyholes, meaning you'd be hard-pressed to run out of places to store your stuff.Ford As for standard interior features, seats are trimmed in cloth as standard for XL and XLT grades, with leather acting as an option for the XLT, and as standard fare for Limited and higher trims. Heated and ventilated front seats are optional on the XLT, and standard higher up. The second row gets heated seats as standard, beginning with the Limited trim, along with things like a heated steering wheel, a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, and ambient lighting. A panoramic roof can also be added to the Limited grade.Moving up the ladder even further, the King Ranch models receive special "Del Rio" leather-trimmed seats in the front and second rows, and Platinum models round things off with a standard panoramic roof, massage seats up front, and active noise control, which helps keep in-cabin road noise to a minimum.FordThese days, the 2021 Ford Expedition carries a much more agreeable starting price than it did back when it was new. However, pricing does range widely depending on which trim level you decide to spring for. We'll list them all out below:XL: $26,766 XLT: $31,301 Limited: $33,840 King Ranch: $41,099 Platinum: $38,328 Under The Hood Ford As for powertrain, all Expedition and Expedition Max trims receive the same, 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, although the King Ranch and Platinum grades receive a 25-horsepower and 10-pound-foot of torque boost. Handling the mill's power is a 10-speed automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive sits as the standard drivetrain setup. Ford's Control-Trac Four-Wheel Drive system is available as an optional upgrade. With the Control-Trac setup, users can take advantage of a two-speed transfer case and seven total drive modes, ranging from Normal, Eco, Sport, Tow/Haul, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, and Sand.An FX4 four-wheel drive upgrade is available, which adds upgraded, off-road-ready shocks, skid plates, a 3.73:1 rear axle, and an upgraded radiator, among other things.So there you have it. You can, indeed, have yourself America's most comfortable, and heaviest-hauling, full-size SUV in your driveway for much less than $30,000.
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