I just upgraded from a 2008 Honda Odyssey to a 2017 Expedition EL. The impetus for the upgrade was the need to tow a ~6600 lb trailer, while maintaining room for 8. The Odyssey was also beginning to have too many mechanical issues as it approached 200K. So far, I've taken the EL on three road trips over over 500 miles, including two while towing. My family normally has at least five people when traveling, so we needed the extra length for luggage and the short wheelbase was never in contention. The only other alternative was a Suburban/Yukon XL, but the higher price and cramped third row made us go with the EL. I briefly considered a Mercedes GL/GLS which is rated to tow up to 7500lbs. But despite the Mercedes' superior interior quality, luggage space was lacking when using the third row.
The vehicle is great for what it does. I wish the packaging was a bit better. My 17 mpg average is unfortunately spot on the EPA rating. The gas mileage leaves a bit to be desired both towing and not towing, but I think that's par for the course for this type of vehicle. The high load floor really eats into the interior space, as the Odyssey is roomier in the rear, with a much shorter overall length and gets much better mpg. Folding the rear seats sucks in pre-2017 models. The newer 2018+ models have a simpler mechanism. The high rear load height also isn't the most convenient, but again, I think that comes with the territory with a truck platform. An air suspension option would have been nice, but of course there's maintenance concerns with extra mechanical tech. I've been tempted to get a tune for towing even though its really not necessary. Acceleration hasn't really been an issue even with my 3.31 gears, but premium does wake the engine up a bit. My passengers already notice too much when I really give it the gas. I prefer premium because I don't have to lean into the throttle as much to get going, so there's less "jerk" during acceleration to draw attention to my driving.
I've also noticed it's a bit squirrely on the highway and takes more effort to keep centered, both when towing and not towing. I don't know if that's attributable to tires or the increased interaction with the wind. Parking hasn't been an issue for me, but I've always been the type who always reverses into spots, so it's not much more difficult than my van was. The extra width makes entry and exit a bit more difficult, especially in the rear (no sliding doors).
I can't do a comparison with the regular wheelbase, as I've not driven that model. But if you need to haul at least five people and their belongings, the storage space in the regular wheelbase may be inadequate. One of my trips had six people and we were nearly maxed out for storage while using the 3rd row for passengers. I drive this vehicle purely for practical reasons and it's not a daily driver. But if you're the type of person who likes large vehicles and do not need the extra length, the regular wheelbase is probably fine. Overall I think this is best vehicle in its class for people who carry lots of passengers and tow. I suspect the regular wheelbase is more popular because most people don't really need all the capabilities of a large truck based SUV. I say this because many unibody SUVs, and especially minivans, can carry as much people and things as the Expedition with better fuel economy and driveability. I also rarely see these vehicles towing. But of course everyone is entitled to make the decision that works best for them.
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