Topic: 2017 Ford Expedition Max

[ktm525]

I have been tooling around in a rental Expedition Max while my insurance Company sorts the repair details on the Land Rover. Sorry if most of my review is a comparison against the LR4, I don't get out much.


1) Engine. I have warmed up to the Eco Boost. That low fat torque curve feels like a diesel in terms of power delivery. A little wheezy up top but that is not what this engine is doing 99% of the time. Let the revs sit in the meat of the torque and churn away.

2)Ride: More jittery on the small stuff compared to the LR. It sucks up railway crossings etc at speed very nicely though. Push it to far and the back jumps around hard.

3)Handling? Maneuverability? .: For a big vehicle it is more than acceptable.

4) Electric gizmos: I hate the power tailgate (won't stay closed) and anyone who cant swing the strut assisted tailgate does not have the strength to drive. The retractable running boards are a gimmick and close to useless.

5:Ecoboost: Nice power delivery but I am not seeing any eco... About 15.7L/100km mixed City/Hwy. Worse than the 5.0L DI V8 in the LR4. I put in an even 100L at 1/4 full yesterday.

6:Drivetrain: Well matched 6 speed and bonus a transfer case with a 2WD option and 4L. Next up some rock crawling.

[ktm525]

Update: What a disappointing pile.  Despite the long wheelbase the ride is more jittery than the Ridgeline. The biggest disappointment is the cold weather performance. Lack of proper vents in the second and third row results in heavy frosted windows aft of the first row. Tailgate, and mirrors only partially work at -20 and below. The auto close windows won't (pinch feature?) stay shut at temps below -20. Very finicky and poor.

[SaskSpecV]

Thanks for updating.  I wish more car reviews were done at -20C, you really find out a lot of things not apparent when it's warm outside!

[ktm525]

It's too bad because with a plusher suspension and a few tweaks this would be one stately Prairie Schooner. The lack of airflow in the rear is weird. No separate rear AC unit either.

[KD]

Interesting what you said about the electric tailgate.  I met up with a coworker earlier this summer who was driving a rented Flex.  We had to transfer something out the back of his vehicle into mine and his tailgate wouldn't shut until he moved it up to a flatter piece of ground.  I've always thought they were a liability.

[pi314]

Interesting. Really like the liftgate on the Odyssey. Today I operated it manually, but didn't quite close it correctly (due to snow and the likes) and the power liftgate automatically latched it properly for me, which I found impressive.

[EV-Light]

Update: What a disappointing pile.  Despite the long wheelbase the ride is more jittery than the Ridgeline. The biggest disappointment is the cold weather performance. Lack of proper vents in the second and third row results in heavy frosted windows aft of the first row. Tailgate, and mirrors only partially work at -20 and below. The auto close windows won't (pinch feature?) stay shut at temps below -20. Very finicky and poor.

it seems like there's tons of vents out there:



are they opened and properly positioned? Also are you operating the rear ventilation system? it's a separate unit and not integrated with the front one at all - assuming it works the same way it does in my Explorer.

[Arthur Dent]

We have a brand new Jeep Cherokee rental with an electric power hatch. What an annoying feature as it is slow an inconvenient 99% of the time. It does seem to work ok even in the cold but of course its a new vehicle. How about in 10 years time ...

[KD]

We have a brand new Jeep Cherokee rental with an electric power hatch. What an annoying feature as it is slow an inconvenient 99% of the time. It does seem to work ok even in the cold but of course its a new vehicle. How about in 10 years time ...

Try it when parked on uneven ground.

[pi314]

We have a brand new Jeep Cherokee rental with an electric power hatch. What an annoying feature as it is slow an inconvenient 99% of the time. It does seem to work ok even in the cold but of course its a new vehicle. How about in 10 years time ...

Try it when parked on uneven ground.

How uneven? We live on a hill and I've used the van's all the time.

[ktm525]

I guess I should have been more clear. It has rudimentary controls for the second row that direct air to the feet of the ceiling but no vents that blow on the actual windows. I have tried to direct the ceiling vents to the windows but it does not like to push warm air through these top vents. When using ward air it is coming through the floor.

The kids like to play X/Os  on the frosty windows though so it is not a total loss.

I will say the RWD option is nice as is the easily defeatable traction control. It makes turning the big beast around on a snowy road very easy. Loves to pivot. I love RWD in the winter.