2026 Ford Expedition MAX King Ranch: The Family Hauler That Crossed $99K

Southwest style, MAX space, and a window sticker that tells the story of the last decade.

I’ve been driving and reviewing the Ford Expedition for a long time now. My first King Ranch was a 2015 model back in late 2014. We took it on a Thanksgiving family trip, and the whole family was sad to see it go. Since then I’ve had the 2015 EL Platinum on a road trip to D.C., three 2020 Expeditions back to back (including a MAX King Ranch), and last year’s 2025 Tremor and 2025 MAX Platinum.

So when the 2026 Expedition MAX King Ranch 4X4 showed up in my driveway on October 19, I knew exactly what I was looking for. I always come back to the same things with this SUV: the size, the EcoBoost, and how nice a King Ranch interior can feel. Then there’s the price, which has been my biggest gripe every single time.

This one comes in at $99,350 as tested.

Space Silver that looks white

This one is painted Space Silver Metallic. The window sticker and the paint code in the door jamb (A3) both confirm it. But in bright Texas sun it looks almost white, and when it first showed up I honestly thought Ford had sent me a white truck. Seeing it in the shade is the only way to catch the silver.

The King Ranch details are what set it apart. Ford gives it Sinister Bronze grille bars with signature grille lighting, King Ranch badging on the front doors and tailgate, and 22-inch Sinister Bronze aluminum wheels on 275/50R22 all-season tires. This truck also has the Black Painted Roof option.

Two exterior features stood out to me this week. First are the power-folding side mirrors. They fold in when you lock the truck, so you get a visual cue that it’s actually locked. Folding them in also keeps them out of the way of people walking past. Second are the power-deployable running boards. On a vehicle this tall they make getting in so much easier, and they’re a real luxury touch for anyone in the family climbing up into it.

MAX means room for the whole family

The MAX is the long-wheelbase Expedition, and for families that’s the whole point. Every time I’ve driven one, the story has been about the space behind the third row. It’s what lets you keep every seat in use and still fit the luggage for a road trip.

This one is a seven-passenger setup. The second-row seats are heated, power-folding, and tip-and-slide, and the third row is a 40/20/40 PowerFold. In back you get Ford’s Split Gate with open on approach, and this truck also has a dealer-installed Cargo Tailgate Manager. Payload on the door jamb is 1,325 pounds, which covers both passengers and cargo, so remember that when a full family and all their gear pile in.

The King Ranch cabin and a steering wheel I still can’t figure out

The interior is Mesa Del Rio leather with the Running W logo, and it has that Southwest feel King Ranch is known for. I’ve always said the King Ranch interior turns this family SUV into a real luxury vehicle, and that holds true here.

The tech is a big part of it: the 24-inch Panoramic Display across the dash, a 13.2-inch center screen, a 22-speaker Bang & Olufsen Unleashed system, the Panoramic Vista Roof, and the Flex Powered Console. It also gets Pro Power Onboard at 400W.

Then there’s the steering wheel. I’ve driven an Expedition with this wheel before and it was hard for me to get used to. I like driving with one hand at the top of the wheel, and the flat top doesn’t really work for that. With my hands at ten and two, though, it feels great. It’s comfortable and easy to turn, and it almost makes the vehicle feel sporty, which is a little strange in something like this. In a Mustang it would make more sense. In the Expedition I’d rather have a more traditional wheel, closer to the one in the F-150.

I understand why Ford did it. The shape keeps the big display visible. But it feels like they decided on the screen first, realized the wheel was going to be in the way, and changed the wheel instead of the screen. In tight turns it feels like something is missing under your palm. You can still spin it one-handed, but it’s more awkward than a normal wheel.

The touch buttons on the wheel are something I actually like. They aren’t labeled, and their functions show up on the screen when you touch them, so each one can do more than one job. My only complaint is that my palms hit those pads more than I’d ever hit traditional buttons. When I drove the 2025 Tremor I never touched them by accident. This week I did it several times.

EcoBoost power and real-world fuel economy

Under the hood is the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with a 10-speed automatic with SelectShift, Intelligent 4WD with a two-speed transfer case, Terrain Management with selectable drive modes, and continuously controlled damping. Heavy Duty Trailer Tow is standard on this trim. On highway trips, BlueCruise is equipped, and this truck came with a one-year plus 90-day plan.

The EPA rates it at 15 mpg city, 22 highway, and 18 combined. I reset the fuel economy after I picked it up, so these numbers are only my driving. My everyday average for the week was 13.2 mpg, which is 4.8 mpg below the combined rating. I also did one gentle 42.2-mile run to see the best case, and it returned 19.8 mpg. That beats the combined number and sits between the city and highway ratings. So realistically you’ll see somewhere between the two, depending on how and where you drive. I put 233.7 miles on it this week in total.

The price conversation

This is the part I always end up talking about. The 2026 Expedition MAX King Ranch 4X4 starts at $87,060. This one has $9,695 in options and a $2,595 destination charge, for a total of $99,350.

To put that in perspective, the 2015 King Ranch I drove was about $57,000 equipped. The 2020 Expedition MAX King Ranch I reviewed was $81,680 as tested. Today we’re just under a hundred grand, which is up nearly three-quarters from that first King Ranch and about $17,670 more than the 2020 MAX.

As I’ve said before, this is a segment issue, not just an Expedition issue. Full-size three-row SUVs have gotten expensive across the board. But the people who need a vehicle like this the most are big families, and those are the people who feel that number the most.

Final thoughts

The 2026 Ford Expedition MAX King Ranch is a great family vehicle. It has the space a big family needs, it has the King Ranch look and cabin I’ve liked since my first one, and features like the power-folding mirrors and power running boards make day-to-day life with a vehicle this big easier. The steering wheel still isn’t for me, and the price keeps climbing.

If you need full-size, three-row MAX space and can comfortably afford it, this is a really nice way to do it. Just know that the number on the sticker has gone from the high fifties to almost $100K in the time I’ve been reviewing these.

2026 Ford Expedition MAX King Ranch 4X4 as tested

• Engine: 3.5L EcoBoost V6, 10-speed automatic, Intelligent 4WD
• EPA: 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined
• Observed: 13.2 mpg everyday, 19.8 mpg best-case run
• Seating: 7
• Payload: 1,325 lb
• Warranty: 3yr/36k bumper-to-bumper, 5yr/60k powertrain
• Base price: $87,060
• As tested: $99,350 (including $2,595 destination)