Derek Shiekhi | Dec 11, 2020
When the fourth-generation Ford Expedition debuted as a 2018 model, it had all-new styling, more EcoBoost-ed power and updated technology. But its western-themed King Ranch trim level was conspicuously absent. Now it's back for 2020. The newest version of the King Ranch combines handsome good looks with luxury content and a substantial amount of standard safety features. Like all other 2020 Expeditions, it's packed with an array of connectivity and infotainment choices.
Ford offers the King Ranch package on both versions of the Expedition. Pricing for the standard-wheelbase model starts at $72,895. The extended-wheelbase Expedition King Ranch MAX has a base price of $75,590; the lightly optioned press loaner Ford sent me had an as-tested price of $81,680.
2020 Ford Expedition King Ranch MAX Exterior
Ford offers the King Ranch MAX in eight colors. If it had gone with Star White or Oxford White, my media vehicle would've looked a lot like many of the King Ranch Super Duty trucks I see hauling and towing things around my hometown of Austin, Texas. Burgundy Velvet, the closest thing there is to a spiritual successor to the Bronze Fire Metallic on the 2015 Expedition King Ranch EL I tested several years ago, would've looked great on it, too.
To my surprise, Ford chose to spec my tester with Agate Black. On paper, it sounded kind of dull. In person, it was much more stimulating. It somehow managed to give an already massive vehicle riding on 22-inch wheels an even greater sense of authority, as if it were designed to transport Texas politicians in convoys run by professional security services. It also made the Stone Gray accents on the front and rear fascias, roof rails, mirror caps, power-deployable running boards and other areas stand out even more.
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2020 Ford Expedition King Ranch MAX Interior
All of those King Ranch badges on the outside of the Expedition were guarantees that the interior would be dressed in rich, warm earth tones. The cabin honored them with brown Del Rio leather on the door panels, seats, dashboard and - my personal favorite - steering wheel. The center console wore a combination of Del Rio hide and Ziricote wood veneer.
RAM's southwestern-themed Limited Longhorn has barnwood trim on the dashboard with a logo branded into it. Ford uses a different approach for applying the King Ranch's "Running W" mark to the seats and center console lid and opts for attractive contrasting leatherwork.
The 2020 Expedition carries on with the familiar Android Auto- and Apple CarPlay-compatible SYNC 3 infotainment system and eight-inch touchscreen display. FordPass Connect and an onboard 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot enable all three rows of occupants to go online with up to 10 mobile devices.
There are degrees to vehicles marketed as three-row SUVs. That much seating doesn't necessarily mean every position is fit for adults. In some utility vehicles, that final row is better suited for children or being folded down to free up more cargo space. The Expedition King Ranch MAX is a three-row SUV in the truest and fullest sense of the term. Ford designed it to be comfortable for everyone inside of it, no matter where they sit. Passengers in the second row have their own heated captain's chairs and climate controls, which pump air through ceiling vents over both back rows. I'm 5'10 and even after I manually slid one of the second-row seats fully forward, I still had enough legroom. Getting to the third row was easy, thanks to the wide aisle. Back there, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I could "sit behind myself" with just enough legroom the same way I was able to in the middle row. With the power seatback tilted fully forward, I had plenty of headroom. That only increased when I leaned it back.
The Expedition MAX was just as ready to carry large amounts of cargo - up to 121.5 cubic feet of it, to be exact. Putting it into maximum haul mode was as easy as pushing a couple of buttons in the cargo bay to power-fold the second- and third-row seats. I could even raise the rearmost row with one of those buttons, but I had to manually flip the middle seats back into their passenger-friendly position.
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2020 Ford Expedition King Ranch MAX Performance
Carrying around seven people or an epic Costco shopping trip takes some serious grunt. The Expedition MAX has it. Its 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 pumps out 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. All of that is channeled through a 10-speed automatic. Four-wheel-drive MAX models like the one I tested are equipped with a 3.73:1 final drive ratio. That setup is good for EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 16 city, 21 highway and 18 combined miles per gallon of regular unleaded. I put 324.4 mixed miles on my tester and averaged 15.9.
Normally, my media loaners are absolutely loaded with options. Ford kept it simple with the Expedition King Ranch MAX. Aside from four-wheel drive, its only other major upgrade was the Heavy Duty Trailer Tow Package. Its key additions include a heavy-duty radiator, integrated trailer brake controller and Ford's Pro Trailer Backup Assist technology. As equipped, my evaluation vehicle was capable of towing up to 9,000 pounds.
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2020 Ford Expedition King Ranch MAX Safety
As one of the top trim levels in the Expedition range, the King Ranch package gets both tiers of Ford's Co-Pilot360 safety tech. The basic version includes automatic high beams, Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Blindspot Information System with Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane-Keeping System and a rearview camera.
The more advanced version, Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist, bundles voice-activated navigation and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go together.
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2020 Ford Expedition King Ranch MAX Overall
With the return of the King Ranch trim level for 2020, the Ford Expedition lineup is complete once again. If an attractive, spacious and powerful upscale three-row SUV is the missing piece in your garage, you can fill it in by going to an AutoNation Ford dealership.
