CARANDDRIVER: 2018 Lincoln Navigator / Navigator L

Overall Rating: 

Lincoln has been working hard for years to overcome its image as an automaker for the aged. This comprehensive redesign of its flagship, the Navigator, complete with a midcentury-modern exterior and a plush interior treatment, may have finally done the job. The Navigator’s 450-hp twin-turbo V-6 provides effortless power despite the massive SUV’s just-over-three-ton curb weight, and features such as massaging seats and a panoramic sunroof are convincingly luxurious. Lincoln has work to do before the Navigator can match the most prestigious of its luxury-SUV rivals, but it should no longer be an afterthought for buyers who seek full-size—make that mega-size—luxury.

What’s New for 2018?

The redesigned Navigator arrives with slick new looks inside and out, a freshened powertrain, and a predominantly aluminum body. Some things haven’t changed: The Navigator is still immense and retains its classic body-on-frame construction.

Trims and Options We’d Choose

There’s no point in buying a huge luxury-brand SUV and then skimping on features. But we also wouldn’t shell out for the Navigator in the expensive Black Label trim, which can cost more than $100,000. The second-from-the-top Reserve trim strikes a good balance, while the long-wheelbase L model means there is plenty of space for cargo even with all three rows of seats in use. The Reserve L starts at $86,200 and includes:

• 360-degree exterior camera with split-view display
• Panoramic sunroof
• All-wheel drive

A 20-speaker Revel audio system is a relative bargain at $1220 (including the requisite CD player), and we’d splurge for the $1250 30-way massaging front seats, bringing the total price of our Navigator to $88,670.

Base Price Comparison