2019 GMC Acadia vs 2020 Ford Expedition

The 2019 GMC Acadia was a handsome SUV with a shorter wheelbase that provided an athletic stance and an upright grille that gave it an upscale appearance. Despite not being marketed as an upscale SUV, it was as nice as, if not nicer than, the more expensive Buick Envision. The Acadia had broader appeal than other GM vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox and Buick Envision. Although considered a midsize SUV, it felt closer in size to compact competitors like the Nissan Rogue.

The Acadia came in several trims: SL, SLE-1, SLE-2, SLT-1, SLT-2, and Denali. The base SL trim featured 17-inch wheels, 7-passenger seating, remote keyless entry, 3-zone climate control, and heated power side mirrors. Higher trims added features like LED headlights, Sirius XM, power liftgate, fog lights, and more. The SLT-1 trim, recommended by CarGurus, included a Bose 8-speaker stereo, driver-assistance features, and a Black Edition appearance package. The Denali trim added luxury features like a hands-free power tailgate, HID headlights, and leather-appointed seating.

The 2020 Ford Expedition, last redesigned in 2018, was a cleanly styled full-size SUV. While some might have found the styling boring, its clean design aged well over time. The King Ranch trim featured 22-inch aluminum wheels, a mesh grille insert, LED headlights, and exclusive gray-painted lower exterior trim. The Star White metallic paint on the test SUV looked terrific, though the taillight shape and roof C-pillar design were points of contention.

Inside, the King Ranch trim had special Del Rio leather in Mesa over Ebony, with numerous King Ranch logos. The cabin was nice, but there was quite a bit of hard plastic, especially in the lower-level XLT trim. This was hard to accept at the SUV’s base price and borderline offensive at the higher trims like King Ranch and Platinum. The Lincoln Navigator, based on the Expedition, solved this problem to a large degree.

The 2019 GMC Acadia offered two engines: an inline 4-cylinder and a V6. The V6 was not available in the base SL or SLE-1 trims but was optional in the SLE-2 and SLE-1 with FWD. The SLT-1 AWD, SLT-2, and Denali trims came standard with the V6. The base 4-cylinder engine made 193 horsepower, while the 3.6-liter V6 engine produced 310 hp, delivering fantastic acceleration. Power was sent through a 6-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels or available AWD. The AWD system featured GMC’s Active Twin Clutch system, allowing for different driving modes. The V6 Acadia could tow up to 4,000 pounds when properly equipped. Fuel economy for the base SL with the 4-cylinder engine and FWD was 21 mpg city, 26 highway, 23 combined. The SLT-1 AWD with the V6 returned 17/25/20, and observed fuel economy was 19.8 mpg.

The 2020 Ford Expedition featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 375 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 2,250 rpm. A 10-speed automatic transmission delivered power to the rear wheels or optional 4WD. The Expedition had 9.8 inches of ground clearance, except the MAX 4WD, which had 9.7 inches. The standard Expedition could tow 9,300 pounds with rear-drive and 9,200 pounds with 4WD. The driving experience was mostly pleasing, with the twin-turbo engine supplying plenty of power. The adaptive damping suspension on the King Ranch trim did a fantastic job of quelling excessive ride motions, though the ride could be busy on imperfect pavement. The independent rear suspension design improved ride and handling and conserved interior space. Fuel economy for the King Ranch with RWD was 17.7 mpg, slightly below the official EPA rating of 19 mpg.

The 2019 GMC Acadia provided a solid amount of space for the driver and front passenger, with deep trays for small items and functional in-door bins. The SL, SLE-1, and SLE-2 featured 7-passenger seating with a middle bench seat, while the SLT-1 AWD had second-row captain’s chairs, reducing seating capacity to 6. The second-row seats were comfortable and provided decent head- and legroom, but the third-row seats were suitable only for kids. Cargo space was 12.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats, 41.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and up to 79 cubic feet with both rows folded. This was small for the midsize SUV class, barely more than the biggest compact crossovers. The test model came with rubberized floor mats, making it great for outdoor activities.

The 2020 Ford Expedition excelled at towing, carrying cargo, and hauling people. The King Ranch’s power running boards made it easy to step into the SUV. The front seats were heated and ventilated, and the steering wheel was heated. The Expedition offered tons of interior storage, including a dual glove compartment and a huge bin under the center armrest. The King Ranch had heated second-row captain’s chairs, providing first-class accommodations. The third-row bench was genuinely comfortable for adults, thanks to impressive legroom. The standard-length Expedition offered 19.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seat, while the long-wheelbase Expedition MAX offered 34.3 cubic feet. With the third-row seat folded, the standard Expedition had 57.5 cubic feet of cargo space, and the MAX had 73.3 cubic feet. Folding the second row provided 104.6 cubic feet in the standard Expedition and 121.5 cubic feet in the MAX.

The 2019 GMC Acadia’s base SL trim came with a 7-inch touchscreen running GMC’s IntelliLink infotainment system, which included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, five USB ports, and a WiFi hotspot. The SLT-1 trim upgraded to an 8-inch screen, and the Denali trim added standard navigation. The SLT-1 and SLT-2 trims added a 4.2-inch color information display within the gauge cluster, while the Denali trim featured an 8-inch display, turning it into a semi-digital instrument panel. The Acadia was also available with a color head-up display providing information such as vehicle speed, engine rpm, and safety alerts.

The 2020 Ford Expedition featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync 3, which included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sync 3 was easy to use but sometimes slow to respond. The Expedition also offered FordPass Connect with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, a navigation system, an available Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, a rear-seat entertainment system with dual screens, and Pro Trailer Backup Assist. The trailer technology was especially helpful for frequent towing, providing a knob on the dashboard to control the trailer’s direction.

The 2019 GMC Acadia came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, and traction control. The Driver Alert Package 1, standard on the SLT-1 and optional on the SLE-2, added a blind-spot warning system, lane-change alert, and rear park assist. The SLT-2 trim added the Driver Alert Package 2, which included low-speed forward automatic braking, lane-departure warning, pedestrian detection, forward-collision alert, adaptive headlights and high beams, rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors. While comprehensive, much of this tech was standard on base trims of other vehicles like the Toyota RAV4.

The 2020 Ford Expedition came with Ford Co-Pilot360 as standard equipment, including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The ADAS worked well, being smooth, accurate, and subtle. In crash tests by the NHTSA, the Expedition earned 5-star ratings in every test and a 4-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS had not tested the Expedition at the time of the review.