2023 Lincoln Navigator

Overview

Inside the 2023 Lincoln Navigator’s gargantuan, boxy package is a tranquil cabin with a living room’s worth of space. That’s what the Navigator is all about—super-sized luxury motoring. It shares its platform with the Ford Expedition, but it has been thoroughly Lincolnized with its own distinctive interior, more premium materials, and comfort-oriented features such as optional 30-way power-adjustable seats with massage. Both Short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase L models are available, both sizes are powered by the same 440-hp twin-turbocharged V-6 which. The turbo-six boasts V-8-like power and punches-up the Navigator’s maximum towing capacity to a stout 8700 pounds. The one thing the Navigator doesn’t have that rivals such as the BMW X7 an Cadillac Escalade do is an entertaining chassis; it’s a pure cruiser rather than a back-road bomber. But if comfort and quiet are what you seek the Navigator has super-sized amounts of both.

What’s New for 2023?

The Navigator receives minimal changes for 2023. The optional electronic limited slip differential is now included on the Heavy Duty Trailer Tow package on Reserve and Black Label models. Diamond Red Tri-Coat joins the exterior color palette, too, and Manhattan Green is now available on Black Label models equipped with the Chalet and Invitation interior themes.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

We’ll let you decide whether the standard short-wheelbase model or the extended L body style is right for you, but we’d recommend the Reserve trim either way. Reserve adds desirable luxury features such as heated and ventilated front seats, a head-up display, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and a host of driver-assistance features. All-wheel drive is available for those who need it, and we’d also recommend the Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow package for buyers who plan to make the most of the Navigator’s 8700-pound towing capacity.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The 2023 Navigator has only one engine-and-transmission combination, but with 440 horsepower, one is all it needs. We found the Navigator to be responsive and genuinely speedy, and the 10-speed automatic shuffles through gears adeptly enough to avoid perturbing dozing passengers. At our test track, the Navigator made it to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. However, straight-line performance is where the Navi’s performance potential begins and ends. Steering feel is numb and its sheer bulk and soft suspension prevent it from being a vehicle that encourages enthusiastic driving. The Navigator’s ride is pleasant enough for a large luxury SUV, but rivals such as the X7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-class offer a more refined and sporting on-road demeanor. When wearing optional 22-inch wheels, the Navigator was sometimes jittery, and sharp impacts were followed by bouncing rebounds—the worst of both worlds.

More on the Navigator SUV

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Unlike its V-8 competition, the Navigator employs a downsized, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 and a 10-speed automatic transmission in the quest for better fuel economy. Despite its smaller engine, it’s far from fuel efficient and earned ratings of 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway in rear-wheel drive guise. For more information about the Navigator’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Navigator’s interior is lavishly spacious and genuinely luxurious. Materials such as open-pore wood trim and massaging front seats are only available in the upper trim levels, but even entry-level Navigators have much to offer. The Navigator’s third row is one of the best examples of that seating arrangement. There is 1.1 inches more legroom in the Navigator’s third row than that of the GLS-class, and other competitors fall even further behind. The Navigator offers optional 30-way-adjustable massaging front seats, a keystone feature for Lincoln’s flagship SUV. The seats are almost sculptural and are so customizable that you can even adjust the individual left and right thigh supports to different heights. The Navigator’s immense size can be a drawback when weaving through traffic or attempting to park, but it’s a huge boon when it comes time to pack for vacation. Short-wheelbase models have limited cargo space with all three rows in use; cargo space is abundant with the third row folded. Long-wheelbase L models have cargo room aplenty even with the third row in use.

The Car and Driver Difference

Infotainment and Connectivity

The Navigator comes standard with an eye-catching 13.2-inch touchscreen and has USB ports in every row. The infotainment system’s graphics are slick and easy to read—important for Lincoln’s presbyopic clientele—and the huge screen is like a glittering jewel atop the Navigator’s prow. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and the system is capable of over-the-air software updates thanks to an onboard 5G Wi-Fi hotspot. A 14-speaker Revel stereo system is standard but a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D stereo is part of the optional Luxury package.

How to Buy and Maintain a Car

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Lincoln also makes its Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assistance technology standard on the Navigator and that includes blind-spot monitoring, automated emergency braking, and pedestrian detection among other items. For more information about the Navigator’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Lincoln’s warranty coverage roughly matches that of its competitors, but there are a few perks that help the company’s customer-service practices stand out from the herd. Owners who choose the Black Label trim enjoy four years of complimentary scheduled maintenance instead of just one year.

Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers six years or 70,000 miles Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for up to four years or 50,000

Specifications

Specifications

2022 Lincoln Navigator 4×4

Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE

Base/As Tested: $81,405/$107,605

Options: Black Label trim (ActiveGlide, head-up display, sunroof, illuminated running boards and grille, Revel audio system, 30-way-adjustable front seats, 22-inch wheels, 4 years/50,000 miles maintenance with pickup and delivery), $24,880; Manhattan Green Metallic paint, $695; second row heated/ventilated/massaging seats with console, $625;

ENGINE

twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection

Displacement: 213 in3, 3492 cm3

Power: 440 hp @ 5850 rpm

Torque: 510 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

TRANSMISSION

10-speed automatic

CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: control arms/multilink

Brakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.2-in vented disc

Tires: Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season

285/45R-22 114H M+S

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 122.5 in

Length: 210.0 in

Width: 79.9 in

Height: 76.3 in

Passenger Volume: 178 ft3

Cargo Volume: 19 ft3

Curb Weight: 6078 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 5.3 sec

100 mph: 13.9 sec

1/4-Mile: 13.9 sec @ 100 mph

Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.0 sec

Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec

Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.0 sec

Top Speed (gov ltd): 124 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 185 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.75 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 16 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/City/Highway: 18/16/22 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

More Features and Specs