I just had the opportunity to rent a 2013 Ford Expedition Limited this past weekend, classification FFAR. I had the chance to review a 2011 Ford Expedition a couple of years ago, which was largely the same truck, but the Limited added enough new features to warrant its own ride report.

How do you spot a Limited? Easiest way to check is the trunk badge, otherwise check to see if there is leather inside. If there is, chances are it's a Limited model. Also, the Limited models feature darkened/blacked out headlights while the standard Expedition has normal silver headlights.

I really liked the standard Expedition when I last rented it, but the Limited added a level of refinement and creature comfort that was sorely lacking in the standard spec trim. The truck I rented was brand new, having all of 3(!) miles at pickup, tying my low mile record. My particular Expedition was clad in Tuxedo Black metallic paint on charcoal black leather, and stickered at $49,275 as equipped with no options.

The Expedition really is a nice looking SUV. I prefer its F150-derived styling to the aging Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon lineup.






The interior is well thought out, especially if you're hauling. Unlike the GM products that are so common in the fleet, both rows fold flat and out of the way.

Interior cabin space - both rows folded:



Interior cabin space - third row folded:



Rear passenger climate, heated seat, and audio controls:




Driving Impressions
As with the old XL model, the ride quality was pretty good for a large truck. Even at highway speeds the cabin was much quieter than other competitors (Tahoe/Yukon, Chrysler Town and Country). Small-ish wheels (only 18's as equipped) and high profile tires (also the same setup as the 2011) made for a pleasant and bump-soaking ride. The 5.4L V8 is Flex Fuel capable and had plenty of power. Ford quotes 13/18 for mileage on this 4x4 equipped model (FRAR/RWD only vehicles are rated at 14/20). I averaged 14.2 MPG on all highway driving. Why so low? For one, the truck was brand new, so the engine was not broken in. Second, this was driving fully loaded through the mountains, and there was a strong headwind all day. A gas miser this vehicle is not, but that should be expected.

Note: the only way to tell if your Expedition is 4WD is a little knob on the left side of the stereo with drive mode selection. There is no other badging or external cues.

Equipment:
This particular Limited model was equipped with the 300A package, which includes a healthy amount of equipment. Highlights include:

Heated/cooled front leather seats (heated second row)
340 watt stereo w/SYNC (more on the SYNC setup later)
Power folding third row
Power liftgate
Leather and full wood steering wheel
Rear view camera
Autodim rear view mirror and driver's side exterior mirror
Front/Rear parking sensors
Rain-sensing wipers

As with the 2011 model I reviewed (sadly, the entertainment system has not been updated since my last ride report), the SYNC application in this application is clunky at best. If you're familiar with the SYNC system this won't be too difficult to use but the voice commands can be infuriating, and the lack of a large color screen to guide you does not help. I found the manual controls (using a combination of the "seek" and "OK" buttons) to be much more effective to pair/use bluetooth devices. My main complaint is that as this is integrated, you are using SYNC on an old-school radio head unit that Ford has been using, relatively unchanged, for almost a decade. It is not as seamless or smooth as the SYNC in any of the other Ford products I've rented.

The stereo itself sounded great and was much crisper than the the Bose setups standard in the Tahoe/Yukon twins. The system also includes a subwoofer. My truck did have active Sirius; the trial is for 6 months. It is a bit annoying to access the Sirius, as there is no dedicated button on the radio for it. (hint: use the "AUX" button on the head unit, or the "MEDIA" button on the steering wheel to access the 3 SAT bands). Unfortunately, the touch screen that is familiar to many a SYNC hater is only available with the +$3,095 301A equipment package (which includes such other features as a sunroof). Unfortunately, National does not appear to be ordering this package, most likely because the highest end of this class is covered by other vehicles like the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, and Infiniti QX56.

Finally, the seats were AMAZING. Yes, worth the bold/underline/caps. They were that good. After 10+ hours I did not feel stiff or sore at all. They were bolstered in exactly the right places and the thigh cushions were not too short as on the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon. The steering column only tilted (no telescope), but this was only a minor annoyance as I was able to find a comfortable driving position by adjusting the seat and the pedals.

Pros:
V8 Power
Amazing seats
Significant load capacity and full flat load area
Ride quality and refinement
8 passenger capacity

Cons:
Terrible gas mileage (to be expected...)
Clunky SYNC system can be infuriating to use on the ancient radio
Steering column does not telescope, only tilts
Gas mileage (worth repeating)

Verdict
A fantastic upgrade and still my favorite large SUV in the National fleet. Feels much higher end than the Tahoes and Yukons that pervade this rental class at National. If you can find a Limited model, take it. You won't regret it!