Ford Expedition to counter GMC Yukon?
FORD has unveiled its new fifth-generation Expedition SUV for the North American market, again sparking questions about its potential as a rival in Australia to GM’s incoming new Yukon.
The Expedition has been on sale in North America for almost 30 years, and while it has never officially been sold here, the factory-backed arrival of its F-150 sibling – along with a renewed interest in big, powerful American vehicles – could finally see the huge three-row SUV come to Australia.
Along with the Yukon, its arrival here would see the Expedition compete on price with models like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and its premium Lexus LX cousin, along with the new-generation Nissan Patrol.
Officially, Ford Australia has no plans for the Expedition. “The Ford Expedition remains left-hand drive only and unavailable for Australia. We have no news to share in regards to any plans to introduce the vehicle locally,” a spokesperson told GoAuto today.
Of course, the F-150 was once a “no plans” model, so measure your grains of salt accordingly.
If the Expedition does reach our roads, sealed or otherwise, it should be well-equipped for the job. For 2025, the Expedition gets entirely new front and rear styling, a comprehensively redesigned cabin with a wealth of modern tech, and a version of the ladder-chassis architecture that underpins its truck sibling, the F-150.
Ford has not offered specific details on any changes to that platform, but it’s been plenty loud about its new Expedition Tremor model – “the most off-road capable Expedition ever” – with underbody shielding, 33-inch all-terrain tyres, claimed best-in-class ground clearance, an electronic locking rear-differential and off-roading control systems to help keep the big family SUV on course.
All of this, along with the de rigueur niceties like a massive (24-inch) panoramic display, would seem to make the Expedition a shoo-in if Ford Australia decides to take on the Yukon as its done by throwing the F-150 up against GM’s Chevrolet Silverado and the Ram 150 – all newly launched as Australian-converted offerings to buyers hungry for more power, noise, towing muscle and presence than our usual utes can offer.
The Yukon, due here in 2025, will be offered with a 313kW/624Nm 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine or a more efficient 227kW/673Nm turbo 3.0-litre petrol six, with a braked tow rating of up to 3800kg.
The Expedition misses out on a V8, offering instead a 300kW/650Nm 3.5-litre petrol V6 in regular trims (Active, King Ranch and Platinum), while the Tremor gets the High Output version with 328kW and 690Nm.
For interior space, the Yukon rides on a 3075mm wheelbase, compared to the Expedition’s longer 3115mm SWB and stretched 3352mm LWB options.
Ford’s big SUV ticks the right boxes for a local fight, then, leaving only the question of whether the Blue Oval’s local arm wants it and whether headquarters can spare the production capacity. And, like the F-150, it would need to be converted locally – a job for conversion partner RMA.
The company’s 21,000sqm Melbourne facility can remanufacture 20 F-150 trucks each day on a single shift for around 5000 units per year, and Ford has sold 1634 F-150s so far in 2024 (VFACTS September figures) – although it has suffered a handful of recalls already this year.
MORE: Ford Australia begins F-150 deliveries
Launching the Expedition in Australia would require the usual engineering, testing, compliance and factory tooling work – so any potential debut is unlikely to occur soon, and Ford may choose to watch Yukon sales before moving on a decision.
Ford has also sold nearly 19,000 of its new-generation, Ranger-based Everest SUVs in 2024 – a comfortably segment-leading position that could bolster the Expedition’s appeal further as a bigger and more powerful ‘upgrade’ for buyers already impressed by the Everest’s success and styling.
And, unlike the unrelated but deeply unlucky Endura SUV –known in the US as the Edge – Ford already owns the Expedition trademark in Australia.
If Ford Australia wants to one-up the Yukon on the luxury front, it could also bring in the Expedition’s premium offshoot, the Lincoln Navigator.
A Lincoln play would require some negotiating with Autogroup International over its upcoming RHD-converted Navigator launch, along with a fresh investment in marketing a ‘new’ premium brand – but it could prove a long-term winner for Ford as a post-Jaguar, Aston Martin and Volvo play in the local premium market that arch-rival GM’s Cadillac is now launching into.
In the end, Ford Australia may choose to wait on the anticipated large seven-seat electric SUV.
“In contrast to two-row crossovers that we believe will be a very saturated market, we believe Model E (Ford’s electric division) can be highly differentiated in markets where we know the customer well, like the three-row utility space,” global Ford boss Jim Farley told analysts on the company’s first-quarter earning results last year.
Whether in Everest form, Expedition or an unnamed electric option, seven-seaters are a segment Australian buyers can’t get enough of – although it remains to be seen if Ford in Australia would see Kia’s 453 year-to-date EV9 sales as an enviable position.
If nothing else, we could see some of the Expedition’s features ‘trickle down’ to the popular Everest, particularly the “hang out space” Ford Split Gate at the rear, or, at midlife update time, the new steering wheel and a switch from portrait to the wide panoramic displays featured in the Expedition.