10 Ford Expedition Competitors to Consider

2019 Ford Expedition Stealth Edition front three quarter hero ・ Photo by Ford

Yes, we live in an age when the crossover is king, where the family sedan has fallen out of favor, and the two-door coupe is something of a novelty. But even though crossover SUVs continue to increase in popularity, there is something useful — and comfortable — about an old-fashioned, truck-based SUV.  For one thing, they are uniformly large, offer significant interior space for passengers and cargo, and they are as comfortable as a mid-Seventies American luxury car. And should you need to tow a boat, a pair jet-skis or some snowmobiles, you will find a traditional SUV to have no peers.

For more than a decade, the Chevrolet Tahoe ruled this market, mainly on the strength of General Motors’ serious investment in the vehicle. At the same time many competitors — Ford among them — let their Tahoe competitors age and age, fearing that the segment would soon go away. It didn’t, and Ford recently invested in an all-new Expedition that is a worthy competitor to the Tahoe. If you are interested in the Ford Expedition — and there are very many good reasons to be interested in it — here are ten competitors to consider.

1. 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe

As we mentioned, the Chevrolet Tahoe has been the king of this segment for more than a decade now. Chevrolet has continued to offer all-new versions of the Tahoe (and its popular Silverado pickup truck on which the Tahoe is based). This means the Tahoe has continually been refreshed when other models, like the Expedition and Toyota Sequoia, stood pat. Now there’s an recently revamped Expedition on the market, but the Tahoe remains extremely competitive. Its approach has been to use traditional V-8 engines but to equip those engines with active fuel management that deactivates unneeded cylinders to improve fuel economy.

The base model Tahoe offers a 5.3-liter V-8 delivering 355 horsepower, and an optional 6.2-liter V-8 delivers 420 horsepower. Fuel economy in the base model is more than acceptable at 15 miles per gallon city and 22 mpg highway. Inside, the Tahoe can be equipped like a luxury sedan with a stellar infotainment system that is easy to understand.

Photo by General Motors

2. 2019 Chevrolet Suburban

While the Chevy Tahoe is Chevrolet’s answer to the standard Ford Expedition, the Chevy Suburban — one of the longest-running nameplates in America — is the brand’s answer to the long-wheelbase Expedition MAX. The major difference between the Suburban and the Tahoe is overall length. The Suburban is about 20 inches longer, and that translates into superior interior space for both passengers and cargo.

One big benefit of the longer length is a much more accommodating third row of seating, which is comfortable for three adults. When it comes to powertrain offerings, the Tahoe and Suburban are essentially identical. Both can be equipped with one of two powerful V-8 engines (in contrast to the Expedition’s turbocharged engine offerings.) The Suburban and Tahoe also offer equipment and amenities that are essentially identical. If you have a large garage, the Suburban’s added length could pay off for you.

Photo by General Motors

3. 2019 GMC Yukon

With the GMC Yukon and GMC Yukon XL, you have the equivalents of the Chevrolet Tahoe and Chevrolet Suburban. In fact, we might describe them as near-twins. One major differentiator, however, is the Denali trim level available on both Yukons. The Denali level is a top-of-the-line, nearly all-in luxury trim, and for those who want to go to that (expensive) extreme it offers some unique features that give it added bling — things like unique wheels and added chrome trim.

The Yukon offers the same engine and transmission choices as the Tahoe, and like the Tahoe, it's available in rear-drive and four-wheel-drive versions. The Denali trim offers a swankier interior than the Tahoe — or the standard Yukon — but even in lesser trim levels, the Yukon interior is nicely finished and very accommodating.

Photo by General Motors

4. 2019 GMC Yukon XL

The GMC Yukon XL is the equivalent of the Ford Expedition Max and the Chevy Suburban. Again, wheelbase and overall length are the major points of differentiation. As with the Suburban, the added length delivers more space, especially for third-row passengers, and for additional gear. With the available Denali trim level, the Yukon XL places itself in luxury-vehicle contention, acquitting itself well versus the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. If bling is not your thing, you will likely find lesser trim-level versions of the Yukon XL more than acceptable. One great thing about all the big SUVs these days is their ride quality. Though they are truck-based, they certainly don’t “ride like a truck.”

Photo by General Motors

5. 2019 Lincoln Navigator

You won’t find a closer Ford Expedition equivalent than the Lincoln Navigator. First off, both vehicles are based on the Ford F-150 full-size pickup truck, and both share very similar construction techniques, including the extensive use of aluminum body pieces. But Lincoln has made much effort to differentiate the Navigator from the Expedition in equipment, design, and powertrains.

The Navigator is equipped with a 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6 engine delivering 400 horsepower, 25 more horsepower than all Expedition models, with the exception of the Platinum trim. The Navigator also takes customization to a completely different level, offering several “theme” models including the “Black Label” edition. Like the Expedition, the Navigator is offered in short- and long-wheelbase models.

Photo by Lincoln

6. 2019 Toyota Sequoia

There was a time when the Toyota Sequoia was a solid competitor to the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Suburban, but those days have ended. The Sequoia remains a high-quality vehicle with that famous Toyota reputation for reliability, but the age of the platform has become obvious. The Sequoia offers three-row seating capacity and significant utility, but its interior style and infotainment system are lacking in comparison to the Expedition and its more modern competitors.

The Sequoia’s age also shows in its powertrain, a normally aspirated 381-horsepower 5.7-liter V-8 backed by a 6-speed automatic transmission that delivers 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway fuel economy.

Photo by Toyota

7. 2019 Nissan Armada

The Nissan Armada could be the bargain-buy amongst this group of large suvs. It is based on the Nissan Titan truck chassis. As such, it is powered by a 5.6-liter V-8 engine delivering its 390-horsepower motive force through a 7-speed automatic transmission.

One of the Armada’s strong suits is its upscale interior. The dash is well-designed, and the seating comfort is a cut above many others in the segment. The Armada is available in only one length, equivalent to the Ford Expedition or Chevy Tahoe, so third-row seating, while more than adequate, is not as sumptuous as the Expedition MAX.

Photo by Nissan

8. 2019 Infiniti QX80

If you like the Armada, we expect you will like the Infiniti QX80 even more. Since the Infiniti brand is Nissan’s luxury division, it makes sense that the Infiniti QX80, built on the same platform as the Armada, would essentially be an Armada+. The two vehicles have very similar profiles, but the QX80 has revised details and more chrome trim.

The QX80 is powered by a re-tuned version of the Armada’s 5.6-liter V-8 that delivers 400 horsepower, and the QX80 includes more equipment as standard and generally kicks the whole interior up a notch. Since we are fans of the Armada’s interior, this amounts to just more of a good thing.

Photo by Infiniti

9. 2019 Cadillac Escalade

The Cadillac Escalade has long been a stalwart competitor in the full-size luxury suv segment, so you might not think of it as an Expedition competitor. But if you are seeking a fully loaded Expedition with all the bells, whistles and kazoos available, you would be well-advised to compare it with an Escalade.

The Cadillac is yet another full-sized SUV based on the full-sized GM pickup truck platform, but it does a serious job of separating itself from the Tahoe, Suburban and even the Yukon Denali. It offers a much higher level of standard equipment, plenty of exterior and interior flash, and a more compassionate ownership experience. While the other GM full-size SUVs offer a choice of a 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V-8, the Escalade is equipped with a special 420-horsepower version of the 6.2-liter engine.

Photo by General Motors

10. 2019 Ford Explorer

While the popular Ford Explorer doesn’t offer all of the interior room and amenities of the larger Expedition, it is certainly worthy of consideration. It offers an intriguing list of powertrain choices, and its somewhat smaller size might be handier than the Expedition or Expedition Max. In base trim, it is a front-drive vehicle, which might offer benefits in snow and other inclement weather.

The base engine on the Explorer is a normally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6, and it offers two turbocharged EcoBoost engines — a 2.3-liter 280-horsepower 4-cylinder and a 3.5-liter 355-horsepower V-6. The good news on the Explorer is that it offers plenty of utility and a wide variety of trim levels to suit many budgets.

Photo by Ford