2022 Ford Expedition Timberline borrows Bronco tech to gain off-road capability

Two new models of Ford’s big Expedition SUV add a more powerful engine for the 2022 model year, and one delivers an off-roading feature borrowed from the hot-selling Bronco.

The Expedition Timberline and Stealth Performance models are rolling into dealerships now.

Prices start at $69,695 for the off-road-focused Expedition Timberline.

The Stealth Performance package emphasizes sporty looks, with gloss black grille, mirror caps, running boards, red brake calipers and 22-inch black aluminum wheels. It’s a $9,800 option on the Expedition Limited, for a starting price of $74,095. Prices for the 2022 Expedition start at $52,620.

The 2022 Ford Expedition Timberline is surprisingly capable off road, despite its bulk.

All prices come from Edmunds.com and Ford. They exclude $1,795 in destination charges and the markups some dealers are charging due to COVID-19-related vehicle shortages.

I recently spent a day driving both, including taking the Expedition Timberline off-road at the popular Holly Oaks ORV park north of Detroit.

They both feature a high-output version of Ford’s twin-turbo 3.5L V6 that produces 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard. All Timberlines have four-wheel drive, while Stealth Performance offers rear- and four-wheel drive.

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The Expedition has been on sale since the 1997 model year. The current model went on sale as a 2018 model. The Timberline and Stealth Performance models joined the lineup for 2022.

The 2022 Ford Expedition Timberline is surprisingly capable off road, despite its bulk.

Target: Jeep Grand Wagoneer

The Timberline clearly targets the popular new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the first SUVs from the legendary SUV brand that’s big enough to compete directly with Ford’s Expedition.

Big SUVs like the 210-inch-long Expedition and 221.9-inch Expedition Max don’t get used off-road as much as smaller vehicles like the Bronco. Towing is more likely to be the make-or-break feature for their well-heeled owners, many of whom haul boats, campers and horse trailers. The Timberline’s EPA fuel economy estimate is 16 mpg in the city, 19 on the highway and 17 in combined driving.

The 2022 Ford Expedition Timberline is surprisingly capable off road, despite its bulk.

The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are 214.7 inches long.

The new Expedition models claim several wins versus the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer:

  • Timberline has the most ground clearance in its class, 10.6 inches, compared with a maximum 10 inches for Wagoneer.
  • Timberlines weigh 4% less than the Jeep Wagoneer SUV and boast  a better power-to-weight ratio.
  • Ford’s high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine tops the output of the Jeep SUVs’ 5.7L and 6.4L Hemi V8s.

The upcoming Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer L models will measure 226.7 inches when they go on sale as 2023 models, probably in the second half of 2022. Jeep says they will increase towing capacity to a class-leading 10,000 pounds.

Don’t forget Chevy

The Expedition’s traditional prime competitors, the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, are 210.7 and 225.7 inches long, respectively. Their base engine is a 5.3L V8 that produces 355 hp and 383 pound-feet of torque.  A 10-speed automatic transmission is standard.

The sporty-looking Expedition Stealth Performance targets the Tahoe RST model with 85 more horsepower and 127 pound-feet more torque than Chevy’s 5.3L V8.While the Jeep badge implies the Wagoneers have strong off-road capability, Chevy doesn’t have a trim level to compete with the Timberline. Yet.

All the vehicles have three rows of seats to carry up to eight people. They are among their manufacturers’ most profitable vehicles.