SW17LS

I was up near the Briggs Chaney auto park today to get a new temporary tag for my car (long story), and I stopped by the Lincoln dealer and checked out a Navigator. Based on the excellent reviews I've read both here and elsewhere I've been wanting to check one out for a while. As many of you know I seriously considered getting a luxury SUV instead of my 2017 LS460L, so I'm pretty familiar with the segment having just driven a bunch of stuff within it.

The vehicle I drove was a very low optioned Premier trim, sticker price was just over $76,000. It was the only Navigator they had, he says they sell quite well and they can't keep them on the lot, but he did say that they've learned that the lower trims are what they stock, because they have a much harder time moving the Reserve and Black Label trims with $85k+ sticker prices, which doesn't surprise me. Overall, I was very impressed with the truck, and my opinion of it is considerably higher than it was before I drove it.

Exterior:

I don't love the look of the truck, although others do. Its a little flat and square for me, I like the little more shaply look of a lot of other vehicles such as the Lexus LX, Range Rover, even the Infiniti QX80, and to my eye the Escalade is also sharper looking. However, its attractive and well made, paint finish was pretty good, at the bottom of the segment in that regard though IMHO. There was some notable gloss differential between the plastic trim and bumper components and the painted metal panels on the vehicle. This truck only had the 20" wheels which look way too small for the size of it, and it had the basic headlights which again are improved upon by the higher end units. The vehicle is BIG.

Interior:

Heres where I was really impressed. Even in base trim, with the base leather, seats etc I thought material quality was outstanding. Heads and shoulders above the Lexus LX, which has very low rent feeling hard plastic on the lower dash and door panels, this vehicle had high quality soft touch plastics and stitched trim everywhere despite its much lower point of entry price. Displays and controls, all very high quality and the layout is functional as well as being unique. I don't care for the way Lincoln does the gauge cluster with the numerals only illuminating when the needle is near, I prefer a more typical looking virtual gauge cluster. This model had open pore good trim which was excellent, and the basic seat leather is very high quality. The basic seats were very comfortable despite not having Lincolns 36 way super duper seats. Interior space is very good, ample second row and third row space. Cargo capacity behind the third row is basically nonexistent (this was not the L vehicle). I agree with others who have said the vehicle differentiates itself from Ford very well. I also sat in an Expedition while I was there and the vehicles feel very different.

One glaring omission is the complete lack of a sunroof. A vehicle in this class should have a sunroof as standard equipment IMHO.

From a material quality standpoint, I would say the vehicle is ahead of the LX by a mile, ahead of the Escalade (which is ahead of the LX) and really and truly is on par with a non Autobiography Range Rover. Very impressive. When you consider this is the base trim, and is only $76k thats quite something.

Ride and Drive:

As I have mentioned before I personally don't care for body on frame vehicles. I don't need to tow, and IMHO if you don't need to tow a vehicle such as this has more drawbacks than it does benefits. I will say though I was really impressed by how light and small the Navigator felt on the road. Much easier to drive and more livable with every day than an LX, or an Escalade, while not being quite as quiet or nice riding as a Range Rover or a loaded Q7. The ride was a little firm over small juts and potholes which was surprising with the small diameter wheels and made me a little concerned about the bigger wheel options, but at speed that settles down to a nice even flat ride, which is smooth without being what I would consider "supple". The LX has a nicer overall ride, but it feels much heavier out on the road which is tiring in day to day driving.

Noise is well controlled, but overall its a little louder than the LX and the Range Rover, a little more tire and wind noise enters the cabin than on those vehicles. I found it quieter than I remember the Escalade feeling. Cornering was quite flat, and overall the feel of the truck hid its size and weight extremely well. A vehicle you could drive every day for sure.

How does it fit in for me?

So I said before that I would buy a Navigator over an Escalade, but not an LX or a Range Rover. Having driven the truck, I think I would likely now opt to purchase one over an LX, but I would still rather have a Range Rover. I think from a price perspective it makes a lot of sense that the dealer said the lower packages sell better than the upper packages, its really a ton of vehicle at that $80k or so price point, when you get up towards $90k+ though, there are other options, unless that is you seriously need to tow.

Overall, very impressed with the car, way more impressed than I was with the Continental. Way to go Lincoln!

mmarshall

Thanks for the write-up. I didn't know they were at local dealers yet. I've got to get off my tush and go sample one myself...especially since the Lincoln test-drive offer expires March 30.

Sounds like your description of the interior pretty much matches the one I saw at the D.C. show. I agree that the material-quality inside blows most of the competition away. I don't see how the Escalade can continue to sell in the numbers it does when more people get a taste of the Navigator.

Jill said recently she talked to a guy who had just picked one up....listed for 101K. At that price, almost certainly a Black Label. They have some nice customer-perks in the Black Label trim, including free car-washes for life....though, in general, I still prefer to do it myself. Still, that option is nice for aging bodies, or like when I had my heart and/or knee surgery.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

mmarshall

That RWD 10-speed, BTW, was jointly-developed with GM...as was the transverse-FWD 9-speed.

SW17LS

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

great review, thanks! i was looking at q7's and the pricing climbs QUICK especially if you want air suspension. i guess the 80-100k big ute is becoming the new normal...

SW17LS

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

yardie876

The panoramic vista roof is an option for the Navigator and standard on the Navigator L. I agree, it should have been standard on all trims.

https://www.lincoln.com/luxury-suvs/...atures/design/

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

SW17LS

Aron9000

Sunroof is one feature I could give a rat's *** about, especially a standard sized one. Had a couple of cars with them, some without them, t-top(love that feature), full convertible, sunroof cars, it stayed closed most of the time with the shade drawn to keep the heat out. Granted the newer panoramic whole roof is glass ones are pretty damn cool, especially if you are into impressing your passengers. Still the big panoramic roofs are prone to squeaks/rattles(Cadillacs have this problem along with the super stiffly sprung Ford F250/350 with this feature).

Back to the Navigator, I've sat in one at the dealer, man it is one fine machine. Blows the Escalade and Land Cruiser out of the water in terms of how nice the interior is put together and designed. The Lexus LX is pretty damn nice inside, but I give the trump to the Navigator in terms of space, design and all the gee whiz menus/tech being much more up to date. Really about the only SUV's that can beat the Navigator interior are certain trim levels of the Audi Q5 and Q7, Porsche Macan and Cayenne, and the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar. Even the Benz GLS/GLE aren't as nice inside as the new Navigator, and I really do like Benz.

SW17LS

Toys4RJill

I agree. There are some people who just don't want a sunroof. I do not like my sunroof unless it is a evening drive. All our cars have a sunroof and the headroom is tighter on both our SUVs.

mmarshall

Yep, I also agree, although I do understand Steve's point about 80-90K vehicles having them as standard equipment. But I specifically don't want one on my vehicle. In many cases, it impacts headroom, and, although they are much more reliable than they used to be, the manufacturers, from that I can tell, don't offer emergency hand-cranks for them any more if the electronics do fail. They also can (and sometimes do) develop rattles and squeaks with time...although modern computer body-engineering has compensated, to a large extent, for the reduction in roof-rigidity you once had with that big square hole in the middle.