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Every Ford team sweats the small details when it comes to making sure each vehicle meets customer needs. For the team behind the 2025 Ford Expedition, creating the perfect lighting for nighttime family activities was a hands-on mission.
To ensure the new available Zone Lighting feature was bright enough for real-world fun, Ford engineers used a simple, relatable test: a deck of playing cards.
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The 2025 Ford Expedition's available Zone Lighting is a feature that provides 360-degree illumination around the vehicle, allowing you to light up specific exterior zones individually or all at once.
This customer-focused approach helps guarantee that whether it's a game of go fish at a campsite or rummy at a late-night tailgate, families and friends can linger longer and create more memories wrapped in the security of bright LED illumination, making it one of the best family-friendly SUVs for night activities.
The "Linger Longer Lighting Experience" was a key goal for the redesigned Expedition. Ford's research showed customer desire to extend family time on trips and outings.
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"We heard that our customers' best moments are often cut short simply because it gets dark," said Craig Patterson, Ford SUV marketing manager. "With Zone Lighting, we're giving them back that time, ensuring a family can linger longer after a day at the beach and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate without the day having to end."
To turn this insight into a functional reality, the Expedition team went beyond simple lab measurements. During vehicle testing in dark environments, engineers set up a table next to the Expedition and dealt a hand of cards. This practical test became the benchmark for success.
By activating the liftgate lighting zone directly behind the vehicle, the team could evaluate if the illumination was truly sufficient for a family to enjoy a game together and have easy access to cargo items, like snacks. The goal wasn't just to light the ground but to provide ample, clear light on the tabletop, ensuring the feature is perfectly suited for the activities customers value.
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Yes, the Expedition's Zone Lighting is engineered specifically for activities like camping and tailgating. The system's real-world testing ensures it delivers practical, usable light where families need it most.
"It’s one thing to measure lumens, but it's another to see if you can easily tell a heart from a diamond in the middle of the woods at night," said Adrian Aguirre, Ford Expedition chief engineer. "Using playing cards was a simple but effective way to put ourselves in our customers' shoes. If the light wasn't good enough for us to play a game, it wasn't good enough for the Expedition’s Zone Lighting."
This meticulous testing process also validated the system's dual purpose of recreation and security, making the Expedition an ideal SUV with exterior lighting for camping.
The same powerful lights that illuminate a card game also provide a profound sense of safety.
The system's illumination extends to the sides vehicle, where the mirror puddle lights and roof rail lights help create a circle of light around the vehicle, a feature customers identified as a true functional enhancement for early-morning departures and late-night returns.
"That same need for security is crucial when you're returning to your vehicle after an evening out," Patterson said. "Think about heading back to your car after a late movie or dinner. Instead of walking into a dark, uncertain area, with Zone Lighting, you can illuminate the entire space around the vehicle so you have a clear path directly to it and can see its surroundings before you arrive."
With the 2025 Ford Expedition, Ford has delivered more than just a lighting feature; it has provided a tool for making memories. By focusing on real-world use cases, right down to a simple game of cards, Ford ensures that the adventure doesn't have to end when the sun goes down.
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This focus on family convenience is also seen in other new features, such as the standard Split Gate for easier cargo access and an updated interior designed for modern family travel.
Q: How do you control the Expedition's Zone Lighting?
A: You can control Zone Lighting through the vehicle’s Ford Digital Experience infotainment screen inside the cabin.
Q: Is Zone Lighting available on all 2025 Expedition models?
A: Zone Lighting is designed for outdoor and family adventures. It’s a standard feature on King Ranch, Tremor and Platinum trims and available on Active.
Q: What are the benefits of Zone Lighting for families?
A: The primary benefits for families include extending outdoor activities like camping and tailgating after dark, providing convenient lighting for loading or unloading gear, and enhancing security by illuminating the vehicle's surroundings in dark environments.
Q: Do any other Ford vehicles have Zone Lighting?
A: Zone Lighting is an available feature on the F-150, Super Duty, Ranger, Expedition, and Bronco.
