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| 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum |
Disclosure: Ford Canada generously loaned us a 2019 Ford Expedition for testing and review purposes. All words and opinions are my own.
First Impressions of the 2019 Ford Expedition
The Bow Valley Parkway is covered in snow, but it’s no sweat for our 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum. We deploy the terrain management system’s snow mode and continue down the winding mountain road to the Johnston Canyon trailhead. The Expedition handles well even where snowdrifts are a few inches deep.
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| 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum cabin |
In the back seat, the girls are comfy watching movies. With TONS of space in the second and third rows, even adult passengers would have ample legroom. Up front in the roomy cabin, we enjoy a comedy program on SiriusXM Radio; good thing the kids have headphones on! Before we know it we’re at the trailhead.
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| Mirrors fold in and running board lifts up when you park |
Power-deployed running boards fold down when we open our doors making it easy to step out. We grab our backpacks from the trunk then realize the food bag is stuffed way in the back, behind the suitcases. No worries, I can access it from the second row. I tip and slide my daughter’s captain’s seat forward (no need to remove the booster seat) and voila, trail snacks. We’re ready to hike!
Day 1: Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park
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| Lower Falls at Johnston Canyon, Banff |
It’s a short, but scenic 1.2 km walk to Lower Falls, through forest and over a lofty catwalk that hugs the canyon wall. We take our time looking at ice flows and waterfalls, before making our way down to Lower Falls where jagged shards of ice extend into a turquoise plunge pool. Next, we go in the little tunnel that leads to a viewing platform and listen to the water rushing behind the ice.
Castle Mountain, Banff National Park
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| Castle Mountain, Banff |
We pull over by the bridge just south of Castle Junction and walk down to the river for a beautiful view of Castle Mountain. Known as Miistukskoowa to the Siksika, and formerly known as Mount Eisenhower (from 1946 to 1979), Castle Mountain is super photogenic and best visited at sunset. Ambitious hikers can hike to the summit via Rockbound Lake. For a shorter, but also rewarding hike, try Castle Lookout.
On the Highway: 2019 Ford Expedition Engine & Safety Features
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| 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum |
We return to Canmore via the TransCanada Highway (Highway 1). Although the Expedition is built on the F-150 platform, it handles better than I expected and accelerates quickly when you hit the gas. With a 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission that makes 400 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque (@2,250 rpm), climbing hills and towing are no problem for the Expedition! In fact, the Expedition can tow more than other SUVs in its class: a whopping 9,200 pounds (4173 kg)!
Day 2: Sulphur Mountain, Banff National Park
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| Sulphur Mountain, Banff |
After a good night’s sleep and big breakfast, we’re ready to climb a mountain! There are over two dozen switchbacks to the top of Sulphur Mountain, but they’re not too steep, so it only takes a couple hours to reach the Upper Terminal. We explore the interpretive centre, have a snack, then walk the boardwalk to Sanson’s Peak, the site of an old weather station (still standing) and cosmic ray station (dismantled). Spring is a quiet time to explore the summit, so we hang out longer than usual – and even go to the theatre to see the short video about Banff – before enjoying the free gondola ride down (from after Thanksgiving to before May long weekend, or after 7 pm in summer). Read more about the hike and Upper Terminal in our story: Hiking Sulphur Mountain and Sanson’s Peak, Banff.
Day 3: Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
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| Cross country skiing at Canmore Nordic Centre |
Morning is chilly, so we visit Canmore Museum and do some climbing at Elevation Place before heading over to the Canmore Nordic Centre.
We love Canmore Nordic Centre because we can cross country ski, toboggan, skate, and snowshoe here. Fortunately the Ford Expedition and our roofbox can accommodate all our gear for a multi-sport, multi-day trip: cross country skis, downhills skis, snowshoes, ice skates, helmets, sleds, microspikes, goggles, boots, ski poles, cooler, groceries, backpacks, and luggage for four. We ski to the Meadow Hut, play games in the training grid (What time is it Mr. Wolf and tag), and skate on the rink next to the Day Lodge.
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| Mine Meadow, Canmore Nordic Centre in summer |
In summer, you can mountain bike (75+ km of trails plus mountain bike skills park), try orienteering, or play disc golf at Canmore Nordic Centre. You can also stand-up paddleboard (SUP) at nearby Canmore Reservoir or hike to Grassi Lakes; the trailhead is just a couple kilometres down the road.
Quarry Lake
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| Quarry Lake Day Use Area, Canmore |
Quarry Lake Park is a great sunset spot if you don’t want to drive far from Canmore. The lake loop is 1.8 km and dog friendly (offleash area except for the lake itself).
Day 4: Troll Falls
Troll Falls is a fun, short hike you can do year-round! Ice cleats or microspikes are required from late fall through spring as the trail gets quite icy. 1.7 km one way.
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| Troll Falls, Kananaskis |
Kananaskis River
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| View from Mount Allan Drive Bridge |
2019 Ford Expedition Platinum Review
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| 2019 Ford Expedition at Nakiska |
Our favorite features of the 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum are how roomy and comfortable it is, the safety features, connectivity, and conveniences like hands-free tailgate and voice-activated navigation. It looks really sharp too!
Seating and Cargo Space
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| The 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum has lots of legroom! Image Credit: Ford Canada |
From the cabin to the third row, seating is spacious and comfortable. The Expedition is one of the few large SUVs that actually has a usable third row (not just for kids)! With the standard second row bench seat, the Expedition seats 8, but the model we tested seats 7 with split captain’s chairs in the second row. My kids preferred the captain’s seats and my husband and I liked being able to easily move the seats (without removing the booster seats!) when we needed to access items in the trunk. Since we’re short and the trunk is long and high, we often had to go in the back seat to get stuff, but it wasn’t too bad.
Large doors make getting in and out easier for folks in the back, and for passenger convenience, every row has its own USB ports and climate control. All told, the Expedition has 6 USB ports and 15 cupholders. Available heated second row seats are a nice add-on for cold climates.
When you fold the third row of seats folded down, you get an impressive 63.6 cubic feet of cargo space. This is plenty of space for a big Costco run (with room to spare), or weekend getaway. We easily fit ski gear for the four of us in the Expedition. For multi-day, multi-sport trips, however, a roofbox is required. Both rows of seats fold down flat if you need to transport big boxes from Ikea.
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| 2019 Ford Expedition trunk |
Safety Features
Infotainment System
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| 2019 Ford Expedition Cabin with 8-inch Sync 3 touch screen infotainment system Image credit: Ford Canada |
The Ford Expedition Platinum comes with an 8-inch Sync 3 touchscreen with a voice-activated navigation system, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, and 4G LTE mobile hotspot. Taking the time to sync my phone and set up voice commands (took all of two minutes) was totally worth it to be hands-free and keep my eyes on the road. We enjoyed SiriusXM radio and having wifi onboard too!
Other fun gadgets include a wireless charger in the cabin, dual headrest rear seat entertainment system, and surround-view camera system to help you when backing up or parallel parking. While the kids loved watching movies in the back, they didn’t like the top loading DVD players. Disc changing would be easier if the DVD slot were on the side instead of the top.
Under the Hood
As mentioned above, the 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum has a 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 10-speed automatic transmission that makes 400 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque (@2,250 rpm). It offers best-in-class towing, and is capable of towing a boat or trailer weighing up to 9,200 lbs. (4173 kg)! The 2019 Ford Expedition’s mileage wasn’t bad on the highway (10.6 L /100 km), in the city, it averages 14.1 L / 100 km. If you want to save on gas and can wait until later this year, you’ll have the option of getting a 2020 Ford Expedition with a diesel engine – or a hybrid engine (to be confirmed)!
Exterior
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| 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum exterior |
The Expedition boasts attractive lines, huge power moonroof, LED lights, rain sensing windshield wipers, and a collection of sensors that offer excellent visibility when backing up or parking. A hands-free liftgate makes it easy to load stuff in the back without putting it down first to open the trunk, mirrors fold in when you park (handy since the vehicle is so big), and running boards fold in when you close the doors offering better clearance. The Platinum trim also comes with 22″ polished aluminum wheels for better handling.
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| Check out that moonroof!! |
Is the Ford Expedition our next Play Outside Ride?
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| 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum |
In Closing
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| The 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum is perfect for large families and towing a trailer or boat! |
For More Information
Visit Ford Canada – 2019 Expedition for complete specs and pricing.
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