Full-size Lincoln Navigator delivers real luxury
num, which helps keep its weight in check, despite being larger than the previous generation, which drove off into the sunset last year.
The style of the new Navigator, while redesigned for this year, is unmistakably Lincoln, with its signature massive chrome mesh grille and a purposely boxy body.
It might be visually sleeker and more contemporary than the vehicle it replaces, but it never loses its imposing presence. A darker hue makes it stand out less, but everybody who sees it knows it’s just visual sleight of hand.
Unlike many vehicles out there, the Navigator sticks to its traditional truck past with a body bolted onto a full steel ladder frame. The only concession is a fully independent rear end with a multi-link suspension that improves on a truck’s solid rear end and leaf springs.
A few years back, Lincoln retired its trusty V-8 and replaced it with a turbocharged 3.5-litre V-6 (similar to what can be found under the hood of an F-150). Although it was already found in last year’s Navigator, the engine was tweaked this year, managing to find 450 horsepower and 510 foot-pounds of torque (70 hp and 50 lb.-ft. of torque more than before).
Despite the increase in power, Lincoln claims fuel economy of 14.9 litres per 100 km city and 11.3 on the highway. That’s an improvement over last year, but the engine now requires premiumgrade fuel. The mileage is helped by a stop/start system that turns the engine off at stops.
The Navigator boasts six drive modes that adjust the shift points on the 10-speed automatic, adjust the adaptive suspension or optimize traction or fuel economy.
True to its truck roots, the Navigator has a tow/haul mode to handle towing up to 3,810 kilograms (8,400 lbs.).
While I have so far looked at the Navigator’s capabilities, I can now talk about what it offers for the occupants.
Old-world opulence is clearly the first impression of the Navigator.
A list to document the numerous standard features would take up most of this page. The driver and front passenger are bombarded with a dizzying list of options for individual comfort. The front of the seat bottoms can be individually adjusted, for example, for people who prefer one leg more supported than the other.
Power pedals adjust to accommodate those with longer or shorter femurs.
The seat backs have upper and lower controls as well as heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. In total, the seat can be adjusted 30 ways, plus it has a massage function.
The Lincoln does fall behind in that last feature, as Mercedes-Benz offerings have up to three different types of massage styles in different parts of your back.
The cabin is a visual and tactile indulgence, with real wood under a surface that feels like glass and supple leather that envelops the body.
The Navigator is like a luxury car on steroids, with head and legroom over and above what any full-size sedan can offer.
Luxury these days also means vehicles with a heavy dollop of technology as well — and the big boy delivers. The dash is merely a screen to which a driver can customize what he or she wants to see. The centre infotainment screen handles everything else.
Second-row passengers get their own screens on the backs of the front seats, along with climate control at their fingertips.
Depending on the configuration, seven or eight adults can travel in luxury — comfortably — together with their luggage. Second- and third-row seats fold at the touch of a button found at the rear hatch.
The Lincoln Navigator isn’t for most of us. But for those who have the means, it is a interesting blend of old-world stately elegance repackaged for a changed world.