Tuesday, July 1, 2025

5th Gen Ford Expedition vs. 5th Gen Lincoln Navigator

Ford's flagship full-size SUV, the Expedition, has reached its fifth generation. It's now more rugged and more luxurious enough to tackle uncharted heights while rewriting the rules of what a luxury SUV should be.

2025 Ford Expedition

Starting at $62,320 plus additional costs, the fifth-generation Ford Expedition is now more Republican than before with new and exciting ways to keep this flagship SUV going for more.

2025 Ford Expedition
2025 Ford Expedition

The all-new Ford Expedition shows us what a luxury full-size SUV should be. On the outside, you'll find a front end inspired by today's F-150, taillights that echo those on the Toyota Verossa, and a body shape that's still decidedly boxy. It's still the Expeditions that rich Texans and Republican politicians can't get enough of, even in its new off-road-oriented Tremor variant.

2025 Ford Expedition
2025 Ford Expedition interior

2025 Ford Expedition
2025 Ford Expedition interior

The new interior showcases the business class of this Republican-friendly SUV. Behind the wheel, you will be greeted by the new Panoramic 24-inch display that tells important driving info from navigation to entertainment. Although you still get a touch screen with smartphone connectivity and knobs for the radio controls, it offers a Flex Powered Consle that slides up for more storage and aisle room. On the comfort side, it can accommodate up to eight people, and it features a power-folding second-row bench seat with a Tip-and-Slide feature for easier third-row access. Go for the MAX variant and you'll have a boot space big enough for almost everything. There are other new useful features for the all-new Expedition, such as the all-new Multifunction Ford Split Gate, the available Cargo Tailgate Manager with backrest, and a 360-Degree Zone Light, among others. Handy for almost every situation.

2025 Ford Expedition
2025 Ford Expedition

The all-new Expedition is still powered by the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 turbo engine, but it now produces 400HP of power and 480lb-ft of torque. Some models have a High Output version of the said engine with up to 440HP of power and 510lb-ft of torque. They're all mated to a 10-speed Automatic with SelectShift.

Underneath, the all-new Expedition features Continuous Control Damping Suspension and Independent Suspension for better stability and dynamics. Sounds luxurious, but if you go for the Intelligent 4WD with Terrain Management System, not only is it good everywhere, it's better for towing thanks to its Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package, giving it up to 9600lbs of towing capacity. The Tremor variant gives off-road capability for the all-new Expedition thanks to its 3.73 electronic locking differential and modified higher-ride suspension with Premium Passive Shocks.

Such features really put the "common sense" for the new model, and to add some more common sense, the all-new Expedition features Ford Co-Pilot360 driver assist tech as well as a 360-degree camera.

So, what can I say about the all-new Expedition? With its powerful styling, luxurious interior, the new off-road-oriented Tremor variant, and numerous features, it's safe to assume that the new model is more Republican than the previous model. If you're a Red State politician, consider the all-new Expedition the one for you, but if you're an A-list celebrity, you'd be better off with this.

2025 Lincoln Navigator
2025 Lincoln Navigator

2025 Lincoln Navigator interior

This is the all-new, fifth-generation, $99,995 Lincoln Navigator. It's the ultra-expensive, all-American, luxury full-size SUV that rewrites the rules of what a luxury SUV should be.

At first glance, the new model is similarly sized to today's Ford Expedition, but with Lincoln's new design language to differentiate it, this is the ultimate essence of luxury.

The biggest surprise is the new interior, which feels like you’re driving a concept car from the future. The Lincoln Digital Experience features the largest panoramic display in its class, as well as an 11.1-inch center-stack touchscreen with Google software. Call it flashy, but its futuristic dashboard layout does showcase the loud and proud side of Lincoln’s usual calm, cool, and collected status.

Offered with a choice of seven or eight seater, the seven-seater variant takes the credit for the Navigator's luxury status, with the available Tailored Seats delivering Business Class comfort while on the move. Not only that, the all-new Navigator comes with the available split gate, the available Cargo Tailgate Manager with backrest, and a 360-Degree Zone Light, among others.

Under the hood, the all-new Navigator is powered by the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost High Output engine with up to 440HP of power and 510lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a 10-speed Automatic with SelectShift. Not only that, it also features Continuous Control Damping Suspension, Independent Suspension, and the Intelligent 4WD with Terrain Management System. It even comes with Lincoln BlueCruise driver assist tech as well as a 360-degree camera, among others.

So, there you have it. The all-new Expedition appeals to the Reds while the all-new Navigator appeals to the Blues. Either way, they're both benefited by their ultra-luxury characteristics that made them alphas of the luxury SUV market. Welcome to the new normal.

Photo: Ford Motor Company

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