Where do we even begin when comparing two massive vehicles — there’s just so much to cover! Literally, these two SUVs just cover so much area, and yet, somehow, still don’t manage to do the job of a minivan — c’mon, you didn’t think I wouldn’t make that comment, did you? But we’re not here to talk about minivans; I’ve done that more than enough. We’re here to compare the 2024 Ford Expedition with the 2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
First thing’s first: these two vehicles are vastly different when it comes to wants versus needs in a large SUV, especially if you’re looking at higher trims.
The Ford Expedition tested in the King Ranch trim was simpler, to say the least. But when it comes to comparing two large vehicles, each costing more than $100,000, “simple” just ain’t gonna cut it. I can only assume that someone spending that kind of money would want something a little more than the King Ranch is offering. Enter the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Tested in the Series III trim, it’s some $30,000 more than the Ford, but you’ll get a lot more stuff you really don’t need. Since we’re already talking about cost, let’s start there.
Canadian pricing for a full-size SUV
The 2024 Ford Expedition starts at $78,020 (plus $2,295 destination fee) while the 2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer starts at a much, much higher price: $127,220 (plus $2,695 destination fee). The tested models are the King Ranch for the Ford, fourth rung in a five-trim lineup; and, for the Jeep, the Series III, sort of the top trim of two, because above it you move into the Grand Wagoneer L trims.
The tested Ford has a sticker price of $105,690 (before fees) which includes the $1,195 trailer tow package and a couple other pricey features. The Jeep rings in at a whopping $135,940 (before fees) and also has a trailer tow package included for $1,295, in addition to the $2,695 rear-seat entertainment package, plus a couple other added costs. We’ll get into some details in a bit, but overall, I’d say even though the Grand Wagoneer is quite a bit pricier, it’s the better value of the two. You’re going to get way more high-tech features in the Jeep than the Ford. If you’re spending over $100k, what’s another $30,000? You’ll probably want a really comfy ride, too.
Which full-size SUV drives better?
For an additional $30k, the Grand Wagoneer is a lot smoother than the Ford. The Expedition is a little more bumpy and wobbly, making me feel a bit seasick — I guess that makes some sense when you’re driving something boat-sized. It felt like I was hitting every bump in the road. On a good note, it’s actually pretty simple to park, despite being massive. The cameras are really good, and you can easily see everything and reverse-park without an issue. The GW is equally as easy to park, but one thing I wish it had is a physical button to display the cameras on the screen instead of putting the car into reverse or searching for it on the screen, which is a distraction.
You can click here to take a look/compare the two vehicles’ specs side-by-side, but here’s some general info on the two all-wheel-drive SUVs.
| Ford Expedition King Ranch | Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III | |
| Engine | 3.5L V6 | 3.0L I6 |
| Maximum Power | 380 hp | 503 hp |
| Maximum Torque | 470 lb-ft | 500 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 10-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Towing | 9,200 lbs | 9,859 lbs |
How much gas does a full-size SUV need?
Well, considering neither of these vehicles have any kind of electrification, it’s fairly reasonable for them to gulp fuel, rather than sip. The Grand Wagoneer takes some bigger gulps, and more expensive ones, too, since it requires premium fuel. NRCan has it rated at a combined average of 14.3 L/100 km (16.3 city, 11.8 highway) while the Expedition is rated for a combined 12.6 L/100 km (14.1 city, 10.7 highway).
If you’re driving an average of 20,000 km annually, you’ll be spending roughly $4,862 a year on gas with the Jeep. If you want to save over $1,000 in gas, the Ford will cost roughly $3,741 per year.
How practical is a full-size SUV?
Duh, both SUVs are spacious, but mostly by the numbers and not necessarily in usable space. If it’s a family vehicle, and you’ve got young kids like me, then there’s really no reason they need to be able to stand up straight in a car, for example. The Grand Wagoneer’s exterior dimensions are a bit bigger than the Expedition’s overall; however, the interior tells a different story. There’s more front and rear headroom in the Ford, as well as a bit more front legroom, while the second row gets almost equal amounts of legroom in both vehicles.
If I had to choose one of these vehicles based on the rear, it would be the Ford, but only if we’re not taking pricing into consideration, which is nearly impossible. The Expedition is just simpler. The Grand Wagoneer has a fancy screen in between the second row’s seats that controls the rear climate, but in a family vehicle, if it’s not a seat, I don’t want or need it.
When you’ve got kids going in and out, the space in between the two captain’s chairs is actually the most ideal, so you don’t need to frequently flip or fold any second-row seats down. I’ve said this several times before in other reviews: if you’ve got car seats strapped into those second-row seats, you don’t want to be moving them just to get people into the third row, which is what makes that centre walk-through so family-friendly. Then again, price-wise, give me all the extra high-tech features, right?
Behind the third row, the Jeep has more cargo space (804L vs the Ford’s 593L) but all three-row SUVs have limited cargo space behind the third row (due to them not being as awesome as minivans). If you’ve got a big Costco haul, which we did while driving the Ford, then that back is a little squishy. We had to put one of the seats down; thankfully there’s a 60-40 split back there, otherwise my son would have nowhere to sit.
Likewise, in the Jeep, cargo space is adequate and there’s also a 60-40 split third row. If you fold down the third-row seats in either of the SUVs, then a whole bunch of space is opened up and you can almost fit a whale, but you may have to leave a kid behind.
Features in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs Ford Expedition
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer has more high-tech features than the Ford Expedition, but a lot of them aren’t necessary in a vehicle. I have driven the Jeep Grand Wagoneer before, but I still find it overwhelming. There are screens everywhere, but there are also buttons everywhere, including one that can bring the gas pedal closer to your foot. Good looking out for us shorter people in the world, Jeep.
Both SUVs have a wireless phone charger and can wirelessly connect to Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. There are two centre screens in the Jeep; the top one is huge and controls almost everything. It is pretty intuitive, as is the Uconnect system Stellantis vehicles use. I found Ford’s interface to be a little more confusing, but it’s far from the worst I’ve used.
The bottom screen in the Jeep is basically for all your climate controls and heated/ventilated seat functions. One thing I absolutely hate in the Expedition is the climate-control setup. I really dislike when vehicles have one button that’s used for two completely different things. I’m grateful there’s a volume knob, but the volume knob also doubles as the fan speed. And so you’ve got to click that fan button and then change the speed. And if you don’t change it fast enough, it reverts back to being a volume knob.
There’s also a passenger screen up front that you can hook up to a gaming system. It works while the car is being driven, but there’s a privacy screen so the driver can’t be distracted by a passenger having fun on a Nintendo system — also known as me not being distracted by my husband playing games. If you’ve opted for the rear-seat entertainment screens, those gaming consoles can also be hooked up back there with an HDMI cable. The Ford has some interesting games that can be played on the centre screen, but not while the car is moving. My son played a few while waiting (for me) in the car with his dad.
Bonus points also go to the Grand Wagoneer for the McIntosh sound system; I’m not a music expert, but it’s one of my favourite systems. And maybe half-point for the massage seats because they’re also included in the Jeep, but they’re just meh.
Competition in the pricey full-size SUV segment
Would I recommend the Ford Expedition to someone? It really, really depends on what exactly you’re looking for, because unless you’re a diehard Ford fan, there are definitely other full-size SUVs in this price range offering more value and comfort, one of those being the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Keep in mind the Ford does have a much lower starting price in its base trim, but even then, if you don’t need something quite this massive, I’d also take a look at the Toyota Grand Highlander.
Is bigger really better? Definitely not, but if you’re comparing two big SUVs and you’re looking for something that screams “Go big or go home,” then the Grand Wagoneer is definitely the winner. That said, for some $130k, you can also go big and go home in a Cadillac Escalade. So, what are you really looking for in this pricey segment?
Check out the latest Ford Expedition and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Click here for more Millennial Mom’s Reviews.
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