Driven: 2022 Ford Expedition Stealth Edition – Flying Under the Radar

The Expedition redefined comfort among large domestic SUVs by being first to adopt an independent rear suspension with traditional body-on-frame construction. The move not only improves the ride, but also gives additional space for third row passengers and cargo when that row is stowed.

Ford also showed that it wasn’t necessary to equip a big SUV with a V8 engine to offer competitive levels of power and towing capability. That approach carries on with the Stealth Edition package that coaxes an additional 60 horses from the 3.5-liter engine to make 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. The output is delivered to either the rear axle or all four corners via an ultra-smooth 10-speed automatic transmission. Equipped with an optional tow package, this Expedition can pull over 9,000 pounds.

Our 2022 Expedition Stealth Edition looks, well, stealthy with its $395 blue tinted clear coat exterior and gloss black grille, head- and taillamp surrounds, mirror caps and roof rails. There are also black accents on the rear hatch, rear skid plate and power running boards. The 22-inch black aluminum wheels feature a five-spoke design that provides a peek at the red brake calipers.

This treatment gives the Expedition a much tidier look than some of the other chrome bedecked trim levels higher up the ladder. While the understated look lessens somewhat the visual impact of this large SUV, opening the door and climbing up into the cabin reveals an open space that can accommodate up to seven passengers in comfort.

Based on the Limited trim level, the Stealth Edition is fitted with front bucket seats, second row captain’s chairs and a three-passenger third-row bench. Both the second and third rows can be powered up or down from the rear hatch. Featuring black leather upholstery all around, the Expedition Stealth Edition comes with heated and ventilated front seats, second-row heated chairs, tri-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof.

The center of the dash is dominated by a 15.5-inch portrait style touchscreen (a $795 option) with Ford’s Sych4 connectivity. It was simple to pair a cell phone and the large screen was useful when using the navigation on both the native system and the wireless Android Auto connection (it also pairs with Apple CarPlay without a cable). While there are a few redundant controls on steering wheel, you must dig around on the screen for most of the heating/air conditioning, navigation, audio and vehicle settings, which can be a bit of distraction. Still, the screen looks impressive and is probably more intuitive for those accustomed to using a tablet.

A 12-inch configurable digital display in front of the driver gives engine data, vehicle speed, turn-by-turn navigation and status on the all-wheel-drive modes, along with some nifty animated graphics when the vehicle is turned on.

With the third row folded down, the Expedition provided plenty of cargo space and comfort for a party of four for a weekend cabin stay. The ride is supple and there’s plenty of power on tap, but also a surprising amount of tire noise making its way into the cabin on certain road surfaces, which wasn’t expected given the vehicle’s active noise cancellation system.

But over most routes, and over a combination of city streets, urban freeways and two-lane country roads, the Expedition proved to be quick in passing maneuvers with ample mid-range power, confident in its handling and easy to wheel about in urban landscapes thanks to the great visibility the high seating position affords. Any worries about parking on tight city streets were allayed by the array of front, rear and around view cameras on board.

While our Expedition featured a sophisticated all-wheel-drive system with off-road modes, virtually all our driving was done on paved surfaces, so we opted to keep the vehicle in two-wheel-drive. That also helped to deliver fuel economy that was pretty much spot on to the 18- mpg combined given by the EPA.

The base price of this 2022 Ford Expedition is $67,345. Adding the Stealth Edition package that features the black exterior upgrades, 22-inch wheels and the sunroof along with the power upgrade to the engine adds $9,800. Other options on our test vehicle included a $795 trailer towing package, a $995 adaptive suspension upgrade and $1,100 for electric limited slip differential on the AWD system. All in, the Stealth Edition rang in at $81,305 plus destination.

Despite the high cost of fuel, there is a tremendous amount of utility and comfort to be had from full-size SUVs like this Expedition. If you’re looking to carry a group of people, tow things or go off-road, this Ford is well-equipped for the task. With its turbo V6 instead of the V8 its strongest suit is its ability to strike a balance between power and efficiency.