Powerhouses in every way

The Ford Expedition first debuted as a 1997 model and has managed to create a loyal fan base since then. In less than 30 years, Ford has jockeyed around with the Expedition’s identity and managed to make it extremely competitive. The Chevrolet Suburban can trace its roots back to the mid-1930s, and it has been one of the most successful vehicles produced by the automaker. It is now on its 12th generation, and while it’s still popular, competition has been heating up.

Ford and Chevrolet have different philosophies regarding powertrains, packaging, and performance. In this comparison, we’ll see what those differences look like in print. It’s always interesting to see how different these two vehicles are despite being designed with the same mission statement: being utilitarian truck-based SUVs that tow a lot, hold a lot, and are built for family comfort while being rugged. That’s a tough task.

2025 Chevrolet Suburban: “Variety is the spice of life”

Yes, the Chevrolet Tahoe is less expensive, but it’s less commodious, too. Currently, a base model 2025 Chevrolet Suburban runs over $64,000. That’s not a misprint, and that is a huge issue with this SUV. 4x4s run about $3,000 more. A base model LT 2WD with the Duramax diesel starts at just under $73,000, while a base model RST (rear drive) with the 6.2-liter V8 starts at nearly $81,000. Base model Suburbans come with the 5.3-liter V8 that makes 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. The 6.2-liter V8 that makes 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque makes more sense if you want usable power. A more expensive, most logical choice is the 3.0-liter inline-six Duramax diesel, which cranks out 305 hp and 495 lb-ft of torque.

If you opt for the diesel, you can get 21 mpg city and 27 highway rear-drive, or drop 1 mpg if you get the 4×4. That adds up to a potential range of over 700 miles. The base 5.3-liter V8 gets 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway, with highway mpg dropping 2 mpg with the 4×4. The more powerful 6.2-liter V8 is rated at 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway, with highway mileage dropping by 1 mpg with 4WD. All Suburbans come with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban comes in six trims: LS, LT, RST, Premier, High Country, and Z71 (with 4WD only). The most expensive and luxurious trim is the High Country 6.2 4×4, which starts at just under $87,000. No matter the grade, you will get an updated interior, an 11-inch digital cluster, and a massive 17.7-inch touch-screen infotainment display. Additions like 4WD, air ride, and interior upgrades are either trim-specific or options.

The Suburban can tow between 7,400 and 8,000 8,000-lbs, depending on the powertrain and trim package. As I stated earlier, there are many ways you can equip the 2025 Chevrolet Suburban. Ford, Jeep, Toyota, and Nissan have nowhere near the bandwidth of GM when it comes to this big people mover’s variety. With its upgraded interiors, new off-road packages, and three capable powertrains, it’s a heck of a benchmark to surmount. Still, Ford has an interesting answer.

2025 Ford Expedition: Improved in just about every way

There are two sizes of Expedition: the regular model, which is on par with a Tahoe, and the Expedition MAX, which battles it out with the Suburban. A base model 2025 Ford Expedition starts at $62,000, with the MAX and 4WD adding $3,000 each, unless you get the Tremor trim, which has 4WD as standard. Internally, the Expedition holds a maximum of 144.5 cu-ft, while the Expedition MAX holds 123.1 cu-ft of maximum cargo space. Passenger space is close, but the Suburban is a bit larger and about 4 inches longer. That slightly smaller size can be overlooked when you see the two powertrain options available.

The base engine is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, which makes 400 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque, while its high output (HO) option makes 440 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. On paper, the Expedition and Expedition MAX destroy the Suburban’s 0 to 60 mph times by a large margin. The Expedition MAX HO offers an EPA estimated fuel economy of 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. 4×4 models drop to 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The base engine increases those numbers by about 1 mpg, and there is no diesel or V8 powertrain available for the Expedition.

The Expedition comes in four trims: Active ($62,000), Platinum ($74,430), Tremor ($81,030), and King Ranch ($83,655). If you opt for the off-road-ready Tremor, you cannot get it in the MAX configuration. The Expedition features a massive 24-inch instrument panel and infotainment display. Below it, there’s a secondary 13.2-inch center-stack touchscreen, which removes a majority of hard buttons. Like GM, there are quite a few options, but I speculate that the off-road Tremor model will garner the most interest.

Towing capability ranges from 6,100 to 9,600 lbs, depending on the powertrain and trim. The maximum towing capacity is second only to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s 9,850 lbs capacity. That means Ford trounces GM in the towing department as well.

Final thoughts

Both vehicles have some exterior updates but lots of interior improvements. They are outstanding for highway travel, utilitarian, and capable. They both offer off-road-capable variants, and they are both updated with better UX/tech. It comes down to driving both back-to-back, competitive trim-to-trim, to find out which is best for you. With some prices undercutting GM, Ford’s new Expedition and Expedition MAX are faster and tow more while not holding as much or offering as many powertrain options. As it stands, though, both Ford and Chevrolet have proven that they are serious about competition.

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