Suburban Ford of Waterford
6975 Highland Rd
Waterford, MI 48327
248-206-5459

Compare the2026 Ford ExpeditionVS 2026 Lexus LX

2026 Ford Expedition
2026 Lexus LX

Safety

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Ford Expedition achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Lexus LX has not been tested.

Both the Expedition and the LX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

Warranty

There are almost 12 times as many Ford dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Expedition’s warranty.

Reliability

The Expedition has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The LX doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Expedition’s optional 3.5 turbo V6 produces 31 more horsepower (440 vs. 409) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 479) than the LX 600’s standard 3.4 turbo V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Expedition uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The LX requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Expedition has 5.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the LX 700h’s standard fuel tank (23.6 vs. 17.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Expedition has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the LX 600’s standard fuel tank (23.6 vs. 21.1 gallons).

The Expedition has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The LX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Expedition higher (5 out of 10) than the Lexus LX (4). This means the Expedition produces up to 5.2 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the LX every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Expedition stops shorter than the LX:

Expedition

LX

60 to 0 MPH

129 feet

135 feet

Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Expedition Platinum’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the LX (285/40R24 vs. 265/55R20).

The Expedition Platinum’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the LX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Expedition Platinum offers optional 24-inch wheels. The LX’s largest wheels are only 22-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Ford Expedition has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus LX has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Expedition has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Expedition flat and controlled during cornering. The LX base model’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Expedition’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The LX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Expedition’s wheelbase is 10.3 inches longer than on the LX (122.5 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Expedition is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the LX.

The Expedition Active 4x4 handles at .76 G’s, while the LX 700h Overtrail pulls only .68 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Expedition Active 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the LX 700h Overtrail (27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 29.4 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Expedition has a greater minimum ground clearance than the LX (8.7 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Expedition to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Expedition Tremor’s minimum ground clearance is 2.5 inches higher than on the LX Luxury/Ultra Luxury/F Sport (10.6 vs. 8.1 inches).

Chassis

The Ford Expedition may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 300 pounds less than the Lexus LX.

The front grille of the Expedition uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The LX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Expedition Tremor/Platinum Stealth uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The LX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Cargo Capacity

The Expedition’s cargo area provides more volume than the LX.

Expedition

LX

Behind Third Seat

21.6 cubic feet

11 cubic feet

Third Seat Folded

60.8 cubic feet

44 cubic feet

Second Seat Folded

108.5 cubic feet

64 cubic feet

The Expedition’s cargo area provides more volume than the LX 700h Overtrail.

Expedition

LX

Third Seat Folded

60.8 cubic feet

n/a

Third Seat Removed

n/a

39 cubic feet

Second Seat Folded

108.5 cubic feet

62.4 cubic feet

The Expedition’s cargo area is larger than the LX’s in almost every dimension:

Expedition

LX 700h Overtrail

LX

Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)

18.8”/49.4”/85.8”

n.a./36.5”

10”/44.7”/66.5”

Max Width

58.4”

51.8”

51.8”

Min Width

51.2”

41”

41.3”

Height

36.9”

39.8”

37.8”

The Expedition’s available rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The LX Ultra Luxury doesn’t offer folding rear seats, only a ski pass-through.

The Expedition’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The LX’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Lexus LX is limited to 8000 pounds. The Expedition 4x4 offers up to a 9600 lbs. towing capacity.

The Expedition 4x4 can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Expedition can be unhitched and driven around locally. The LX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Expedition’s available exterior PIN entry system. The LX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Model Availability

The Expedition is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The LX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

The Ford Expedition outsold the Lexus LX by almost 11 to one during 2024.

Suburban Ford of Waterford | 6975 Highland Rd Waterford, MI 48327 | 248-206-5459

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