Ford Expedition vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2025 Ford Expedition was a testament to the form-over-function design ethos, reminiscent of a modern school bus but with a more attractive flair. Its slab sides and rectilinear silhouette ensured ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room, making it clear that this vehicle was designed for transporting people comfortably. Despite its utilitarian design, Ford's designers incorporated stylish elements such as horseshoe-shaped daytime running lights framing a bold grille, integrated headlights, and off-roading lamps on the Tremor trim. The Expedition's profile was simple, with a distinct character line running from the headlights to the taillights, and a range of wheel designs from 18 to 24 inches. The rear featured a two-tone paint job and a new split-gate tailgate, offering practical benefits like preventing luggage spillage and providing a convenient resting spot when parked.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, on the other hand, pursued a conservative and familiar design path, drawing inspiration from the popular RAV4. This resulted in a vehicle that looked like a larger RAV4, offering seating for up to eight and impressive cargo space. The interior emphasized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. While glossy hard plastics and unlined storage surfaces were present, the controls were logically laid out with matte black surfaces and white iconography. The climate system was simple and user-friendly, but the infotainment interface had a tiny volume knob and lacked a tuning knob, which could be frustrating for some users.

The 2025 Ford Expedition was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. The Tremor trim featured a high-output version of this engine, boosting power to 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. Despite its 5,794-pound curb weight, the Expedition's powertrain excelled on highways, offering a comfortable and quiet ride. The ten-speed automatic transmission handled shifts smoothly, and the multi-link rear suspension provided a stable ride over rough terrain. The Tremor trim, with its increased ground clearance and off-road enhancements, performed admirably on challenging off-road courses, although its size limited its hardcore off-roading capabilities. However, the Expedition's fuel economy was poor, with 2WD models rated at 16 mpg city, 24 highway, and 18 combined, and 4WD models performing worse.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate quickly, with a traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning common in CVTs. While the Hybrid Max sacrificed some fuel efficiency, achieving 27 mpg compared to the regular hybrid's 36 mpg, it offered a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds. During testing, the Hybrid Max averaged 23.3 mpg on a mountainous route. The powertrain provided rewarding acceleration, and the ride quality was soft and isolating, although undulations in the road could cause some vertical bounding and lateral rocking. The handling was secure at moderate speeds, but the tires scrubbed and squealed early when pushed hard.

The 2025 Ford Expedition excelled in towing capacity, with a maximum of 9,600 pounds, surpassing the Chevrolet Tahoe's 8,400 pounds. Inside, the Expedition offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 36.1 cubic feet in the Expedition Max. With all rear seats down, the Expedition provided 108.5 cubic feet, and the Expedition MAX offered 123.1 cubic feet. The minimalist interior design featured touch-sensitive trackpads on the steering wheel and climate controls housed in the touchscreen, which some users might find too high-tech for a large SUV.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid offered comfortable seating in all three rows, with almost 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. The Platinum trim featured a mix of leather and artificial suede upholstery, providing a smart and upscale look. The second-row captain's chairs with a removable center console allowed for easy access to the third row. The Grand Highlander offered 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 57.9 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 97.5 cubic feet with the second row down. However, the long rear doors and sharp corners could pose challenges when buckling children into safety seats.

The 2025 Ford Expedition featured a groundbreaking 24-inch driver information display, offering ample space for Google Maps projection and a selectable widget. The steering wheel had a flattened profile, which Ford called a "squircle." The 13.2-inch touchscreen display used a Google-based operating system, requiring an active cellular data plan for full functionality. The Ford Connectivity Package offered one year of complimentary access, with subscription options available afterward.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services plans provided features like a Wi-Fi hotspot, automatic collision notification, and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was user-friendly, although the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously and the low-contrast font could be frustrating. The Platinum trim included a color head-up display, a camera-based digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2025 Ford Expedition had not yet been rated by the NHTSA, and the IIHS ratings were based on a previous-generation model. However, it came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts. BlueCruise 1.4 was available on select trims, offering hands-free driving capabilities.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a range of standard safety features and driver-assistance technologies. While the lane-keep assist system occasionally strayed too close to lane markers, the overall safety tech operated with accuracy. The Grand Highlander received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to "Acceptable" ratings for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.