2022 Lincoln Navigator Review _ Lincoln's King Kahuna!

The Navigator has long been the King Kahuna of Lincoln's lineup, and it just got a little fresher. What's up, folks? I'm Dave Undercoffler, Editor-in-Chief of Autolist.com, a sister company to CarGurus. Today, we're taking a look at the updated Lincoln Navigator. It's a full-size, 7- or 8-passenger, 3-row luxury SUV that competes against some heavyweights from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Cadillac. Not only has it been updated recently, but Lincoln also added its ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, so we're going to take a look at that and, overall, tell you how this vehicle stacks up against its competitors. But before we do, like and subscribe to this channel so you can get alerts on all of our future updates. And, if you have a car to sell, you can do 100% of that online with CarGurus. You'll get offers sourced from our network of thousands of dealers nationwide, and we'll coordinate you getting paid and your car getting picked up. And, since dealers are competing against each other to give you the top offer, you know you're going to get the most money for your car. It doesn't get easier than that. So, Lincoln first introduced this fourth-generation Navigator in 2018, and then refreshed it again for the 2022 model year. So, let's take a look at some of the exterior changes. So, most of the changes are minor, and you may not notice them unless we show you the previous version. So, here's a look at what that is, and now back to this. So, you can see those minor updates add up to give this car a little more of a sophisticated look. These headlights, they're now a little slimmer, and there's a single LED daytime running strip, whereas the previous version had two strips there. Moving to the grille, it now extends lower down in the front of the Navigator. You've also got this chrome strip, and this grille itself is a little more textured. Finally, this chrome strip at the bottom extends the entire width of the vehicle, whereas before it was just a smaller piece. Moving to the side, you can tell the refreshed versions because they now spell out Navigator in big, bold lettering right here. We're testing the high-end Black Label trim, so this has 22-inch alloy wheels. Lower models will get a 20-inch wheel there. And then along the side, you've got refreshed mirrors, and then the door handles have been revised. Alright, moving to the rear, you can see, much like the front of the vehicle, Lincoln refined the back as well, giving the Navigator more of a sophisticated look. These taillights are a little narrower than they used to be. Here's what it looked like previously, and now back to this. So, overall, it's a nice, sophisticated look for the Navigator. One more thing that I like about the functionality back here, in addition to this rear door swinging up like most SUVs do, you can open just the glass for easier accessibility. Under the hood, the Navigator relies on a turbocharged EcoBoost engine that Ford and Lincoln used throughout their lineup of trucks and SUVs. Here, it's a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. It's hooked up to a 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear-wheel drive or optional four-wheel drive. Fuel economy on the rear-wheel drive models is 17 miles per gallon in the city, 23 on the highway, and 19 combined. The four-wheel drive versions lose one mile per gallon on each of those measurements, but I will say that's only on paper. I'm going to tell you a little bit later what we're getting in the real world, and it doesn't match those numbers at all. Now to the inside of the Navigator, and I really like the environment that Lincoln has created here. One of the biggest updates for 2022 was this larger screen. This is a 13.2-inch color touchscreen here. That replaces a 10-inch screen. You also have a 12-inch digital screen for the instrument panel. So you've got some screens, but what I like about this Navigator is that Lincoln does a nice job of balancing tech with sophistication, right? It's not a minimalist cabin. It doesn't go too far with no buttons and all screens. That's always frustrating. You have controls down here for your climate control. These are all physical buttons, and then you have some controls here for your stereo, your tuning, and your volume. And then the screen itself has wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto. One thing that I really like is that while you're in the Apple CarPlay system, you still have these buttons down here. Some vehicles today make you go through a menu to get to these features. Not so here. That's nice. This is the latest SYNC 4 system. And then it has, on top of that, an interface from Lincoln, so it's not just a carbon copy of Ford's setup. As I mentioned earlier, the trim that we're testing on this Navigator is the high-end black label. And one of the things it comes with is one of two interior themes. Our version has the Inspiration theme, so one of the things that includes is this open-pore kaya wood that's also laser-etched. It gives the cabin a really warm feeling, and I like that. Another standout feature on our Navigator are the seats. Not only are they heated, cooled, massaging, and covered in really soft leather, but these are 30-way adjustable. I didn't know you could adjust the seat 30 different ways, but it works here. They're fantastically comfortable, and they're really easy to get into the exact shape to give you the most comfort. Other goodies that our test version has is a really cool, bright, very big heads-up display. It's one of the biggest I've driven recently. That's nice. This audio system is pretty fantastic. I don't normally pay attention to audio systems. This one's excellent. It's a Revel Ultima. And finally, the practicality in this cabin. This is based on a Ford SUV, so there's lots of cubbies. There's lots of storage spaces, wireless smartphone charging down here. I've got cup holders. You've got storage space in there. And then, as you can see, there's a large space underneath this console as well. That's kind of nice. And a little trick. This is actually a pass-through, so it's not connected to this console here. It just gives it an overall nicely designed, sophisticated feel. There are really only two gripes I have about the interior, and they're pretty minor. But keep in mind, this is a $108,000 vehicle, so I'm going to point them out. For one, the wood trim here. Yes, it's real. It looks nice. But the minute you touch it, it feels just fake, frankly. And a comparable Range Rover or Mercedes-Benz, the wood in those is going to feel and look real. So this is a bit of a miss. My other gripe is the shifter placement. As you can see here, you've got your control for the trailer backup. That's a nice feature. Very handy. However, it took me a few days of testing this Lincoln before I stopped reaching for this as if it were a rotary shifter and started reaching for the buttons down here. So, just something to consider. One thing that parents with kids in car seats will appreciate is that you can move this second row of seats out of the way very easily to get to the third row without taking out that car seat. Moving to the rear seats, the nice thing about this Navigator is that it is just as comfortable back here as it is up front. A couple of things I want to point out. First of all, tons of legroom, tons of headroom. That's what you would expect from a full-size luxury SUV. But our version is the black label, so it has some really cool goodies. For one, massaging seats. I've got a screen right here that allows me to control a variety of different functions, including massage. So, let's turn that on while I talk to you guys. That's pretty nice for a rear seat. And not only is it a massage, but it's a real massage. Some vehicles today say they have massaging seats and they just sort of poke at you both in the front or the rear. Not so in this Lincoln. The massaging seats really work, so kudos to Lincoln for that. I also can just adjust these power seats. I've got climate features. And then as you can see, I've got screens here as well. So, a lot of goodies, a lot of things to keep the kids or your occupants otherwise busy back here. A couple of things to note. This is a seven-passenger version of the Navigator. Base models will actually have a bench seat here. One thing about this console is it's not removable. So, if you are someone who's going to be folding all of the seats back here flat to store some stuff or transport stuff, this is kind of going to get in the way, so just keep that in mind. But what's nice is that while you are using it, you do have plenty of cubby space. Down here, we have wireless headphones for the infotainment system. We've got a huge amount of space down below. And there are cup holders built in. There's some down here. We've got some in the door. So, overall, very practical and very comfortable. Finally, if this entertainment screen is not enough for your kids, you do have a variety of charge ports down here so they can plug in their own devices. That's nice. Finally, these seats slide fore and aft to give either you more room here or more room for the people behind you. And I can sit and relax if I need to. That's nice. Another great feature about the Navigator is the space in the third row. Not all third-row SUVs are created equal. Some actually really don't give you a lot of space back here. What's nice about this is a couple of different things. For one, the floor is low. You'll get in some SUVs in the back row. The floor is way high, so it keeps your knees almost up to your chest. Not so here. It's a low floor. It's a flat floor, so I have a lot of space to sit in all three seats. That's really great. I also have quite a bit of legroom and headroom. This is more legroom than the Escalade, about the same legroom as the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Headroom is on par with its peers. And a couple other features back here. I've got two cup holders. I've got a little storage cubby. And there's a USB charge port on this side and as well on the other side. One final trick back here. There's also a power recline button. Now to the cargo space. And as you can see, with the third row up, you do still have some meaningful space behind that row of seats. So that's nice. These also fold flat, giving you a lot more cargo space. So with the third row folded, you can see the second row console and how much higher it sticks up. So if you are one of those people that's going to need the maximum interior space with the seats folded, Lincoln does offer an optional bench seat in the second row, which makes this an eight-passenger vehicle. Finally, just a quick reminder that we are testing the normal wheelbase of the Lincoln Navigator. If you're looking for all of this but in an even larger package, there is the Navigator L. That will add about 16 cubic feet of additional space behind this third row of seats. And it's about $3,000 more, depending on the trim. All right, driving impressions. Generally, they're pretty good, but there are some flaws to this car. So let's get to it. What I like is that this is a quiet, comfortable car. This is a very large luxury SUV, so it should be comfortable. This Navigator has an adaptive suspension system that uses a camera to detect imperfections in the road and then adjust the suspension accordingly. So it does a good job, but there's no hiding or denying the fact that at the end of the day, this is a body-on-frame, big, heavy SUV. This is based on the Ford Expedition. It's built much like a truck. So there's only so much that Lincoln can do to mask some of the bumps in the roads. This is not going to feel as smooth or sophisticated on a bumpy road as maybe the Range Rover or the Mercedes-Benz GLS will. This is going to feel more like a truck-based SUV, which is exactly what it is. And that puts it in a similar ballpark to Cadillac's Escalade. That's also a truck-based SUV. So while there's some chatter coming into the cabin from bumps in the road, there is no road or wind noise to speak of, and that's really nice. In terms of power, the Navigator definitely has enough. 440 horsepower, 510 pound-feet of torque. That's great, both in the real world and on paper. There have been some times, though, when I've been on the freeway or I'm going to pass somebody and I floor it, and it takes the transmission, maybe one or two downshifts, and the engine to kind of spool up the turbos to give you that power. There'd be times I'd like it to be more readily available. So the minute you put your foot down, you're getting that passing power. This doesn't quite have it. It does have different drive modes, so you can put it in a sport setting that will give you more of that power more immediately, but I'd like it to be in the default setting in this Navigator. Otherwise, the steering and the brakes definitely feel good for a vehicle of this size, but there's no masking that this is a big, heavy vehicle. Finally, one of my favorite things is the visibility. It's really good. Some vehicles today are trying to be more aerodynamic, and that comes at a cost of visibility. Not so. This is a big, upright SUV. You can see the road. You can see what's behind you. So that's been really nice. But all of that does come at the expense of fuel economy. As I mentioned earlier, because this is the four-wheel-drive version of the Navigator, it's rated by the EPA at 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 on the freeway, and 18 overall. However, over 350 miles of testing, and a lot of that has been on the freeway, we're averaging 14.7 miles per gallon. So definitely another large SUV that has a turbocharged engine where the on-paper results don't match the real world. So something to be thinking about if you're shopping for this vehicle. So how does the Navigator stack up against the competition? Well, it starts at about $79,000 for a normal wheelbase version, and then goes all the way up to $111,000 for a fully loaded Black Label L. That's a long wheelbase. So that puts it in the company of certainly the Cadillac Escalade. That's probably the closest competitor to this because it, too, is a truck-based luxury SUV. But you could also put it up against the Mercedes-Benz GLS, the Range Rover, the BMW X7, maybe even the Lexus LX or Infiniti QX. In terms of overall sophistication, the Range Rover is going to be the one to beat, but it's also considerably more expensive, so take that into account. Up against the Mercedes GLS, I would probably choose that one over the Navigator if you're looking for something more refined and more just inherently luxurious. Meanwhile, the Cadillac Escalade is going to feel more tech-focused, whereas this Lincoln is going to feel more sophisticated. That Cadillac, remember, the inside has that large curved screen, and the Escalade does have the Super Cruise hands-free system, which, as I mentioned earlier, I do prefer over this Lincoln's ActiveGlide. In terms of safety, all Navigator models come with Copilot 360 2.0, which includes Lane Keeping Assist, Pedestrian Detection, Intersection Assist, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alerts, Post-Collision Braking, and Auto High Beams. This truck also has Active Park Assist, Reverse Brake Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control as standard. So one of the bigger updates to this Navigator is that Lincoln added ActiveGlide. It's a hands-free system that is optional on all Navigator models, and I've got it engaged right now. As you can see, I've got my hands free. Like Cadillac and General Motors' Super Cruise system, it has a driver monitoring system, so there's a little camera on top of the steering wheel that's watching my face to make sure that I'm not distracted. If I were to get distracted, or look at my phone, or look away for too long, it will disengage the system, so I'm really glad it has that. That's just a responsible bit of tech that should come on systems like this, so kudos to Ford and Lincoln for including that. So I've been using the system for the past week now, and while it works, and generally works well, I do have some issues with its functionality. The biggest thing is that it doesn't communicate its status as well as General Motors' Super Cruise. If you're familiar with that system, it has a series of lights built into the steering wheel, red or green or blue, that make it very obvious to the driver what the status of that system is, whether it's ready to be engaged, whether it is engaged, or whether it's disengaged. This car, I'm relying on the display in front of me, or the heads-up display, and it's not as obvious, so that's a little frustrating. I've also noticed that there are times where the system just goes from hands-free to, we need your hands back on the steering wheel, without much of an alert, right? You would hope that would be very obvious to the driver that they need to resume control. There have been times where it just, there's no chime, there's no indicator change. Suddenly, just the system is turned off, and I'm forced to use my hands again, so that's a little frustrating. I would want it more obvious when the driver needs to take control. Finally, the other issue I'm having is the system just generally doesn't seem to be as accurate or working as well as Super Cruise in keeping you in your lane. I've been driving it on some curvy freeways, not sharp curves, mind you, but just some rolling curves, and at times they just sort of bounce around the lane or veered into the other lane, and that obviously is very disconcerting. It's been a few times, so this isn't happening all the time, but it's enough to make me frustrated with the system overall. So, while I'm glad the car has Active Glide, and it's nice to see that technology rolling out to new models, it just doesn't quite work as well as Super Cruise. So, what do you guys think? Are hands-free driving systems like this or Super Cruise ready for the road, and are they safe? Is your next vehicle going to have that? Let us know in the comments below. All right, folks, there you have it, our review of the 2023 Lincoln Navigator. Pros, while you can't beat the interior space for either people or cargo, the powertrain is smooth and quiet and refined, and the Navigator nicely blends tech and sophistication on the inside. Cons, while the ride quality isn't as refined as some of its rivals, the Active Glide hands-free system doesn't work as well as Super Cruise, and the real-world fuel economy lags significantly behind the EPA ratings. So, overall, the Navigator is a jack-of-all-trades large luxury SUV in that it does everything well without any major flaws. So, for reviews or listings of this Navigator, or anything else you're shopping for, be sure to check out CarGurus.com. And before you go, like and subscribe to this channel so you can get alerts on all of our future updates. We'll see you out there.