2021 Ford Expedition MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2021 Ford Expedition is rated 18 to 19 mpg combined across 3 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 3.5L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic.

EPA fuel economy

2021 Ford Expedition · 3 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

19MPG combined

17 city 22 highway

$3,300 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score3/10

3.5L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic

Best version costs $5,500 more in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.00 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Nov 12, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $3,300 to $3,450 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2020.

More complaints than most Expedition years

The 2021 drew 85 owner complaints in its first three years, against 45 for a typical Expedition year: 1.8 times as many. It is not a year to avoid, which takes at least twice the typical count and at least 50 complaints.

No Expedition year stands out enough to avoid; best year: 2019. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.

Every Expedition year ranked The 2021 Expedition's recalls and problems

Every 2021 Expedition version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
3.5L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic Best EPA listing: Expedition 4WD	19 mpg	17 / 22	$3,300
3.5L turbo 6-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic EPA listing: Expedition 2WD (also Expedition MAX 2WD)	19 mpg	17 / 23	$3,300
3.5L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · MAX EPA listing: Expedition MAX 4WD	18 mpg	16 / 21	$3,450

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.00 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
3.5L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic	$3,158	$263	$15,789
3.5L turbo 6-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic	$3,158	$263	$15,789
3.5L turbo 6-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 10-speed automatic · MAX	$3,333	$278	$16,667

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Ford Expedition MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 16 to 20 mpg (every year from 2010 to 2026); highest in 2018.

2021: gas 19 mpg

Show as a table

Ford Expedition best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2010	16
2011	16
2012	16
2013	16
2014	16
2015	18
2016	18
2017	18
2018	20
2019	20
2020	19
2021	19
2022	19
2023	19
2024	19
2025	19
2026	19

Every Expedition year's ratings in one table

How the 2021 Expedition compares

2021 full-size SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2021 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Chevrolet Tahoe Best: diesel	24 mpg	18 mpg	$3,450
Chevrolet Suburban Best: diesel	23 mpg	18 mpg	$3,450
GMC Yukon Best: diesel	23 mpg	18 mpg	$3,450
Ford Expedition This page Best: gas	19 mpg	19 mpg	$3,300
Toyota Sequoia Best: gas	15 mpg	15 mpg	$4,150

Chevrolet Tahoe vs Ford ExpeditionMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests side by side

2021 Expedition recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 12 safety recalls and 243 owner complaints for the 2021 Expedition.

Owners most often describe jerking or harsh shifting (44 complaints, 18%), then loss of power (41). NHTSA's overall crash rating: 5 stars.

See the 2021 Expedition recalls and problems

Questions

Does 4WD lower the 2021 Ford Expedition's gas mileage?

No. Versions that differ only in drive share the same combined rating: the 3.5L turbo 6-cyl gets 19 mpg combined with two-wheel drive and 19 with 4WD.

Does the 2021 Ford Expedition need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2021 Ford Expedition version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2021 Expedition's MPG compare with the 2020?

For 2021, the best gas version is rated 19 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Nov 4, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.00, midgrade $4.61, premium $5.01, diesel $6.13 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Nov 12, 2026 and complaint file dated Nov 11, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.