Why I Chose the Ford Expedition Over the Chevy Tahoe for 3 Kids Under 4
I’m back in the Ford Expedition!
The Expedition has been a tried-and-true hauler for our family and I couldn’t pass up using it again as our demo car. Specifically, it’s a 2021 version with 71k miles on it - what I’d call well-loved with a whole lot of life still in it.
Originally, the difficulty from jumping up to three kids (especially in car seats) made me want the Expedition to begin with. I was serious about choosing this as our family car, but with so many car tours and SUVs to test out, I haven’t really shined a light on what there is to love about this vehicle.
Today on the blog, I’ll be breaking down my complete thought process when deciding what car would be best for our growing family. Although decisions like this are always difficult as someone who sees so many cars, we are so happy with our Ford Expedition!
What Car Do I Actually Want?
My first step in choosing my next family car was deciding what type of car I wanted — would a minivan make sense for us? What about midsize? Or maybe it was time to take the plunge and get a full size SUV. Prior to the Expedition, I was driving demo cars and getting a new car every 4-5k miles.
My most recent demos were a Hyundai Palisade and VW Atlas — I loved those cars for two kids but when I started to think about adding another I knew I wanted more space and flexibility. I considered a minivan but ultimately felt like the right full size SUV could provide similar functionality without sacrificing the look of an SUV I loved from the demos I drove.
The Best Vehicle For Three Car Seats Across
After I decided on a full size SUV, I quickly landed on my dream car for this stage of life with three kids under age four — a Ford Expedition (not max) with a bench seat. I wanted the bench for our family because I can fit three rear facing children across the bench in the Expedition.
My oldest, George, is still rear facing (at 3 1/2) and knowing I want to extend that as long as possible, getting to a third row to buckle him in and out just isn't feasible. If you are deciding between bench or captain seats I highly recommend reading my comprehensive guide to assess what is best for you in your family planning.
Choosing The Regular Ford Expedition Over The Max
I get a lot of questions about why I chose the Expedition over the Expedition Max. Since I am able to fit my three kids across the bench in the second row, I can leave the third row down and maintain ample trunk space. Another important thing to note is that when you don't go with the extended wheelbase in any of the full size SUVs, you get more cabin space than most of the midsize SUVs without feeling like you are driving a bus.
The extended wheel bases (Suburban, Yukon XL, Expedition Max, Navigator L, etc.) have close to 12 extra inches of trunk space. So, if you don’t need the larger trunk — opt for the shorter wheelbase!
Why I Chose A Ford Expedition Over A Chevy Tahoe
When I shared that I chose the 2022 Ford Expedition — the number one question I received was: Why not the Tahoe?
Here is why I chose the Ford Expedition over the Chevy Tahoe for my family of five!
Independent Seats
Let’s start by breaking down the bench seat and what makes it stand out from other SUVS. To start, all of the seats are independent of each other. This is unique and different from the Tahoe bench seat, which splits 40/60. This means that the passenger side seat is 40% of the bench and the middle seat and drivers side seat make up the remaining 60%. By no means is this a bad design, it is actually quite common throughout SUVs.
The Ford Expedition bench is able to do some pretty cool things due to the individual seats. You can move each seat forward and backward to stagger the car seats — keeping peace between siblings if they’re on each other's nerves.
Another huge benefit is the access to the third row on one side of the vehicle even if there is a car seat installed in the middle. This is huge for families bringing home a new baby, but also who want to use the third row regularly.
I love having the option to sit back there with my younger children. As my family continues to grow and my car seat set up changes, I like that I have the flexibility to move George (once he is forward facing) to the third row on longer trips, leaving an open seat in the second row for me to sit back there with my two youngest kids, while still having easy third row access.
Car Seat Friendly Tilt
Speaking of third row access- the Ford Expedition also has one of my favorite features — the car seat friendly tilt. Unlike the Chevy Tahoe, you can access the third row with a car seat installed with the LATCH system. This means that for all types of car seats: infant seat base, convertible or booster seat, if it's attached with LATCH (not seat belt) the entire seat will tilt without affecting the installation.
I do need to note that this feature is not perfect in every situation because the LATCH system has weight limits. But depending on your set up it could be a game changer and is definitely something to consider! Personally it works for us since I will have baby #3 on an outboard seat and his Clek Liing car seat will be installed with LATCH. I will be able to access the third row with his base installed.
Bench Is Car Seat Compatible
Another huge plus is that the Expedition bench has all of the car seat hardware! It has lower anchors and tether anchors in all three seats and a middle head restraint. The Chevy Tahoe does not have Latch in the middle seat and is also lacking a middle headrest.
These two features offer more flexibility for different car seat configurations, allowing more ease as your family grows without forcing your family to get a new vehicle. For example, if an older child in a backless booster or a parent wants to ride in the third row, they would not be protected from whiplash in the middle seat.
Also, with the addition of lower anchors in the middle it allows for more options when it comes to installation. Car seats can be installed with the seat belt in place of lower anchors but there are some car seats that prefer that you use a LATCH install. One more feature that I love about the Expedition bench is the potential to fold down the middle seat or get it professionally removed to make “faux” captain seats should you ever want to change your set up.
Again, something the Tahoe would not allow because of the 40/60 split.
Ford Expedition LATCH Diagram:
Third Row Benefits
There are also some third row benefits to the Expedition over the Tahoe: The most notable benefit being the addition of two sets of lower anchors in the third row, compared to zero in the third row of the Tahoe.
As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate the options of LATCH in as many seating scenarios as possible. My car seat (the Clek Foonf) actually prefers a Forward facing installation with both the seat belt and LATCH. There are some booster seats that utilize LATCH to help keep the seat in place and reduce projectile risk when not in use.
Refer to your car seat manual to see if they have a preferred installation method to narrow down your placement and installation options. One last note about the third row comparison is that the Expedition has the middle head restraint, and the Tahoe does not.
Ford Expedition vs. Chevy Tahoe Reliability
The 2022 Tahoe reliability ratings are also horrible compared to the Expedition. The Tahoe received a 39/100 overall score from consumer reports with the majority of that poor score due to reliability issues, especially in regards to major problems like Transmission issues. The Expedition’s overall consumer report score was 73/100.
I want to emphasize that the Tahoe is NOT a bad car. It’s stylish, has good performance and is loved by many. I am a firm believer if the car is working for your family it's a great family car. After all, families come in all shapes and sizes :) I hope it’s obvious from this blog that my main focus for choosing the Expedition was the car seat set up that works best for my family.
The Ford Expedition Is NOT Perfect
Is the Expedition perfect? No. For the sake of comparison, here is what I don’t like about my vehicle.
First off, the fact that it doesn’t come with built-in sunshades (however, neither does the Tahoe). This drives me crazy! The Ford Explorer even has them, seems like a crazy oversight to not include them in the Expedition.
I also do NOT like the upgraded iPad screen for the entertainment/navigation system. I find it incredibly hard to use, especially when it comes to climate control. Almost everything takes two clicks when it comes to adjusting temperature or heated/cooled seats and while that may not sound like a big deal, it is not ideal when you’re driving down a highway.
Finally I don’t love the fit and finish of the car — it's basic and boring. If you are looking for more luxury in an SUV that still has similar functionality, check out the Lincoln Navigator. The bench and third row operate the same but the interior and exterior is elevated (as is the price tag.)
After a few months with the Expedition I can confidently say I love the car! I’m looking forward to playing with different car seat configurations and will be sure to update as my car seat set up does!
Do you have a preference of the Ford Expedition or Chevy Tahoe? Please let me know in the comments! And to see all the latest and greatest when it comes to SUVs, check out my latest reviews:
