Expedition v Navigator - 2025 - Questions/Opinions?

[Husker4theSpurs]

Hello!

I currently own a Black Label Navigator L and have a new Black Label Navigator L on order, but the delays have me re-thinking my decision. I really like the sliding console and the larger and higher placed middle screen on the Expedition over what's available on the Navigator. I feel like the massive screen under the windshield is just a bit much on the Lincoln as well--not to mention the massive difference in price.

On the build tool you can now build an Expedition with the 22" rims and the Ultimate Platinum package--previously required 24" rims. I like the Stealth Package but want the 2nd row bench.

Wondering if I'll miss the dealership experience but the Ford dealer is closer to our home.

Anyone have anything else I need to keep in mind when considering the differences between the two?

 

[dlcorbett]

Wow omg...im so mad right now. not only can you now order the ultimate with 22s, it comes at a discount(only 500 but still). Im not getting an expy now, but This is what I wanted from the jump, the ultimate with 22in wheels.

I did a write up comparing the expy and navi after test driving both, I believe its in this thread. My wife and I came to the agreement that we were getting an expy. The expy with the spp or ultimate pkg feels so similar to the old nav in material feel, while feeling as luxurious as the new nav. The ride is a bit smoother, the sound systems almost as good, its oddly quieter, and the seats are all around better. The biggest reason though, The expys controls were easier to get used to. The nav we tested was a bl, and tbh, if we tested a jet pkg, we would've probably felt different. But, in our opinion the bl nav is not worth the 30k delta over the expy.

New Nav Test Drive

Wifey and I were finally able to test drive a lincoln navigator. The one we tested was a black label L, with 22in wheels. Msrp was 122k. This writeup isnt going to be that detailed as my other write ups, because frankly, i did a write up on the expedition already, so ill only be talking about...

www.expeditionforum.com

 

[rockycat]

I’m madder than you. I ordered an ultimate on October 28th. Finally got a build date of June 9th. Then Ford says they can’t get the 24 inch wheels in May and pushes my build date to August 11. So I go in and order a stealh SPP package and changed my original order so that I don’t loose my place in line and keep the same order number and VIN. The order tracker immediately reflected the SPP. No change on the August 11 date so far. But now Ford says you can order an ultimate with 22 inch wheels. I did a build and if you choose Ebony Bright Faced Aluminum Wheels with the ultimate package you get a minus $1270 discount. So I’m keeping the Stealth but i wanted 2nd row bench seats. My ultimate was $91745 MSRP and the Stealth is $85140 MSRP so I’m saving $6355 which includes the $1270 discount. Now all I can do is hope they build it in 3 weeks. I sent a letter to Ford Customer Service in June but I haven’t head anything. This will be my 14th Expedition since 1999.

 

[Husker4theSpurs]

Wow omg...im so mad right now. not only can you now order the ultimate with 22s, it comes at a discount(only 500 but still). Im not getting an expy now, but This is what I wanted from the jump, the ultimate with 22in wheels.

I did a write up comparing the expy and navi after test driving both, I believe its in this thread. My wife and I came to the agreement that we were getting an expy. The expy with the spp or ultimate pkg feels so similar to the old nav in material feel, while feeling as luxurious as the new nav. The ride is a bit smoother, the sound systems almost as good, its oddly quieter, and the seats are all around better. The biggest reason though, The expys controls were easier to get used to. The nav we tested was a bl, and tbh, if we tested a jet pkg, we would've probably felt different. But, in our opinion the bl nav is not worth the 30k delta over the expy.

New Nav Test Drive

Wifey and I were finally able to test drive a lincoln navigator. The one we tested was a black label L, with 22in wheels. Msrp was 122k. This writeup isnt going to be that detailed as my other write ups, because frankly, i did a write up on the expedition already, so ill only be talking about...

www.expeditionforum.com

Thank you for sharing that. I was starting to feel crazy for thinking this ... the difference for similarly priced and equipped about $10-11k but I'm finding myself liking the Expedition a bit more overall. I think the height and size of the center screen and the sliding console are winning me over. I just have to make sure to get a darker color to hide that back hatch. I'm thinking Dark Matter? Or Stone Blue. I almost always get black, white or dark gray though ...

 

[dlcorbett]

Dark matter gray was the color my wife wanted. Also, the expy spps look so good on the road.

 

[tangbang]

... I just have to make sure to get a darker color to hide that back hatch. I'm thinking Dark Matter? Or Stone Blue. I almost always get black, white or dark gray though ...

We ended up selecting this color, also sensitive to the black glossy hatch. Doesn't hide the contrast as well as black but wanted something different and the Wild Green helps a bit with the hatch.

 

[dlcorbett]

https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2025-ford-expedition-platinum-tested.html

Edmunds tested and had glowing praise for the expy. They said the navigator doesnt feel as nice for the price. This was echoed by consumer reports, though they haven't posted their expy review yet.

 

[tangbang]

great review and mirrors my experience so far - glad I went with the '25 Expy Max.

 

[GC2019]

I drive an F-350 Super Duty Limited, and my wife, and Expedition.
We ordered a 25’ platinum non ultimate and received it in late May.
it’s everything we expected and more.

I saw it this way. We pay cash and can afford what we want, but I just can’t spend 100k on a fast depreciating SUV unless it’s super. I’d rather not do that. The standard platinum was what I felt was great value for the equipment. There really wasn’t anything at all special that attracted us to the ultimate. The Ultimate was a 13k+ upgrade, and too close to a Nav or Escalade. If the standard platinum wasn’t what it was, we would have probably skipped the ultimate and gone with the Escalade.

Ford must have seen the gap between the standard and ult, and closed it by removing what we wanted the most, the folding steps and the upgraded and necessary suspension upgrade..which makes all the difference in ride.

 

[3rd Expyowner123]

IMO, the lower level Platinum is what used to be called Limited. Suspect marketing was trying to gain perception that the Platinum ( lower tier) priced favorably to top of the line Chevy or GMC versions.

 

[tangbang]

I drive an F-350 Super Duty Limited, and my wife, and Expedition.
We ordered a 25’ platinum non ultimate and received it in late May.
it’s everything we expected and more.

I saw it this way. We pay cash and can afford what we want, but I just can’t spend 100k on a fast depreciating SUV unless it’s super. I’d rather not do that. The standard platinum was what I felt was great value for the equipment. There really wasn’t anything at all special that attracted us to the ultimate. The Ultimate was a 13k+ upgrade, and too close to a Nav or Escalade. If the standard platinum wasn’t what it was, we would have probably skipped the ultimate and gone with the Escalade.

Ford must have seen the gap between the standard and ult, and closed it by removing what we wanted the most, the folding steps and the upgraded and necessary suspension upgrade..which makes all the difference in ride.

All this (well, except for the F-350 Super Duty Limited part)

 

[CoolViper777]

I'd get a pre 2025 Expy over any Navigator any day of the week. I think it looks better, more beefy, and looks really sharp in White. Same mechanicals, so it really comes down to the packing. We ended up getting a 2019 Expedition Platinum 4x4 back in Feb 2024 with 22K miles. We first bought a CPO 2020 (or 2021 I forget) Navigator in Dec 2023, but returned it during the 14-day return period Lincoln offered. I don't think much as changed from 2019 to 2025/2026 models except for the Blue Cruise, etc.

The Navigator had the super-duper 10 way, or 30 way adjustable seats, and the high-end audio system. And my wife and I found that those super-duper adjustable seats sucked big time. You didn't sit in them, you sat on them, the side buckets were just too narrow, no matter how you adjusted them. And we aren't that big. The audio system sounded thin, lacked bass (our former 2014 Chrysler T&C sounded much better) The push button gear selector (PRND) was awful on the Navigator, so far away and non-intuitive.

Suprisingly, I hadn't considered the Expy before. Our White exterior/tan interior Platinum is high-end inside, with power seats and massage on both front seats. A decent dial on the console for shifting (which is light years better than the stupid Navigator push buttons on the dash). Comfortable front (and rear) seats. Lots of cup holders in the Expy, more than twice as many as the Navigator (what a stupid design they did for the Navigator, you always need lots of cupholders for families).

Looking at the 2025 Expy, and I see they've muddled up the good design the pre 2025's had. What's with the stupid oval steering wheel? The dial shifter is on the dash again? And the drivers dash doesn't look centered, looks like they just stuck a screen on top of the dash, and it's isn't nicely integrated.

 

[dlcorbett]

Love you guys but its weird ppl come in the 5th gen threads to shit on it. Im sayin this as I may get a 4th gen nav over a 5th gen expy.

As far as the 4th gen, I owned both and I liked my 4th gen nav more than my expy. Ride was better, 14 speaker sound was better, and interior feel is out of this world. I agree the seats of the expy are more comfy on the bottom, but the back rest was better on the nav.

The 5th gen expy is so improved, its almost as good as the new nav to the point where the extra 20k-40k delta isnt worth it.

 

[dlcorbett]

I'd get a pre 2025 Expy over any Navigator any day of the week. I think it looks better, more beefy, and looks really sharp in White. Same mechanicals, so it really comes down to the packing. We ended up getting a 2019 Expedition Platinum 4x4 back in Feb 2024 with 22K miles. We first bought a CPO 2020 (or 2021 I forget) Navigator in Dec 2023, but returned it during the 14-day return period Lincoln offered. I don't think much as changed from 2019 to 2025/2026 models except for the Blue Cruise, etc.

The Navigator had the super-duper 10 way, or 30 way adjustable seats, and the high-end audio system. And my wife and I found that those super-duper adjustable seats sucked big time. You didn't sit in them, you sat on them, the side buckets were just too narrow, no matter how you adjusted them. And we aren't that big. The audio system sounded thin, lacked bass (our former 2014 Chrysler T&C sounded much better) The push button gear selector (PRND) was awful on the Navigator, so far away and non-intuitive.

Suprisingly, I hadn't considered the Expy before. Our White exterior/tan interior Platinum is high-end inside, with power seats and massage on both front seats. A decent dial on the console for shifting (which is light years better than the stupid Navigator push buttons on the dash). Comfortable front (and rear) seats. Lots of cup holders in the Expy, more than twice as many as the Navigator (what a stupid design they did for the Navigator, you always need lots of cupholders for families).

Looking at the 2025 Expy, and I see they've muddled up the good design the pre 2025's had. What's with the stupid oval steering wheel? The dial shifter is on the dash again? And the drivers dash doesn't look centered, looks like they just stuck a screen on top of the dash, and it's isn't nicely integrated.

Just to clarify, theres a lot of changes from 4th gen and 5th gen trucks. They dont feel remotely similar in how they drive. Overall, the 25s are quieter and smoother. The steering wheel feels great and material quality is leagues above the 4th gen.

I did a side by side test of an expy max platinum (drivers pkg) 25 and nav l bl 24. I will echo, the b&o is actually better than the revel, and tbh, is one of the best sound systems ove heard on a modern car. The nav felt tighter and less floaty. I actually preferred the controls in the expy than the nav. Having too many buttons can become confusing while driving. Except the drive mode, everything in the expy is put where it needs to be and easier to access. I also love that the wheel and pedal adjustment is in the steering wheel because its just a thumb move to get to where u want it.

 

[CoolViper777]

That's interesting. I'll have to drive a 2025 Exp just to check it out. I mean, our 2019 Platinum Exp drives like a rocket. In some ways, I feel it's a little scary, because while it eats up highway miles, around local twisty roads, I much prefer my 2011 Lexus LS460 sedan. Its even faster with a V8 but has better road handling.