2023 Lincoln Navigator

Lincoln’s Navigator is a full-size, seven- or eight-passenger luxury SUV now in its fourth generation. Among the earlier luxury SUVs to hit the market when it was released in 1998, this model has always been based on Ford’s Expedition platform, which itself is derived from Ford’s truck platforms. This latest Lincoln was overhauled for the 2018 model year and then refreshed in 2022. Popular among livery drivers, this truck-based SUV is ideal for luxury buyers looking to prioritize interior space and comfort.

The Navigator was updated for 2022, so this year sees few meaningful updates aside from some additional color choices. This model comes in three basic trim grades. The Standard base model starts at $81,860 (all prices include destination), the Reserve at $93,830 and the Black Label at $111,150. The long-wheelbase version tacks on about 12 inches of additional cargo space and about $3,000 to the price of the Reserve or Black Label. 

Because of its truck-based roots, plus its overall American style of big luxury, the Navigator is closely aligned with its longtime rival, the Cadillac Escalade. Jeep’s resurrected Grand Wagoneer also matches this space-first big brute approach to luxury. Other non-truck rivals line up in terms of price and general shape, though they often outpace the Navigator in terms of driveability and refinement. These models include Mercedes’ GLS, BMW’s X7 and even the Range Rover. Dynamically, the Navigator doesn’t feel as agile as the Cadillac or Range Rover, instead, its forte is smooth, straight cruising.

All Navigator models are powered by an excellent 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that Ford and Lincoln use to good effect throughout their lineups. Offering 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, this robust yet smooth engine is a worthy replacement for thirstier V8s yet up to the luxury duties in this Navigator. It’s paired with a discreet 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. 

Space is a key asset thanks to the body-on-frame construction and its independent rear suspension. It offers more passenger volume than the Escalade (as well as BMW and Mercedes competitors); pick any row and tall adults can sit comfortably. Comfort is a priority particularly on Reserve and Black Label models that have what feel like infinitely adjustable front seats. The interior design and style doesn’t have the future-oriented look of the Escalade’s acres of sleek screens, but it does fold in a welcome dose of sophistication while smartly balancing the use of screens and old-school physical buttons. 

While the Navigator doesn’t match the Escalade’s gee-whiz features, it still has enough to keep luxe shoppers happy. This includes a 13.2-inch touchscreen navigation system with Ford’s SYNC 4 system, a 12-inch configurable digital instrument panel, ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, a head-up display and pre-collision alerts and braking with pedestrian detection. While these features help the Navigator keep up with more recent rivals, the execution of the Navigator still feels a bit outdated, though never lacking in sophistication nor comfort.

Performance: 13/15

All Navigator models come with a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 that makes 440 horsepower and 510-pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and either rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive.

Don’t let the V6 fool you when its rivals offer V8s: This is an impressively healthy and robust powertrain. The engine never indicates it’s not a burly V8; there’s always plenty of rich torque at any speed, and turbo lag doesn’t exist. The transmission it’s paired with offers seamless and well-timed shifts and is alway ready to serve up a nice dollop of grunt. 

The V6 also doesn’t shy away from towing duties, offering as much as 8,700 pounds of towing capacity on the regular wheelbase model with rear-wheel drive. Even the 8,100-pound abilities of the least-capable Navigator (long-wheelbase model in four-wheel drive) top those of most Escalade models. 

Fuel Economy: 8/15

Rear-wheel drive Navigators are rated by the EPA at 17 city, 23 highway and 19 mpg combined, while opting for four-wheel drive drops each of those figures by 1 mpg. 

Those figures are decent on paper for a vehicle of this size, but they lag a bit behind other six-cylinder rivals like the Mercedes GLS450 or the BMW X7 xDrive40i, which are rated at 20 and 22 mpg combined, respectively, for their all-wheel drive, six-cylinder models. So if fuel economy is important to you, it might be best to shop German in this segment.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 11/15

The Lincoln Navigator hasn’t been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but it has consistently achieved five-star scores in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) new car assessment program. 

All Navigator models come standard with Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 2.0, a suite of active safety features including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capabilities, lane-centering assist, and speed-limit sign recognition, cross-traffic alerts with automatic braking, pre-collision alerts and braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot assist and parking sensors.

The mid-grade Reserve trim and the high-end Black Label trim also come standard with Lincoln’s hands-free driving system called ActiveGlide. This system was useful and helpful for bouts of hands-free highway driving but it doesn’t match the sophistication of General Motors’ Super Cruise system that’s offered on a variety of Cadillac, GMC and Chevy models. Its communication to the driver about its status was lacking as was its ability to accurately stay in the center of the lane.

Comfort & Room: 13/15

The inside of the Navigator promises exactly the type of coddling, sumptuous comfort you’d expect in a full-size SUV that crosses the $100,000 threshold. It’s quiet, well-built and comfortable at all speeds and in all circumstances. The Navigator excels at offering both people and cargo more than enough space, no matter which row they’re confined to. Room in this Lincoln generally beats rivals from Jeep, BMW and Mercedes and keeps up with the Escalade. 

Front passengers get 24-way adjustable seats on the Reserve trim, while Black Label buyers get 30-way seats up front. That sounds excessive until you dial the settings just right and realize what all the fuss is about. These seats do wonders on long road trips and help the miles melt away.

The second row of seats by default is two captain’s chairs (making the Navigator a seven-seater) with a large center console between them. The seats are wonderfully comfortable and supportive, and they move fore and aft and they recline. For people who want a true eight-passenger SUV, Lincoln offers an optional bench seat in this second row.

Third-row seating isn’t the penalty box here that it is in other large SUVs: The floor is both low (so your knees aren’t in your chest) and flat so three people can sit across. This means adults (not just small kids) can spend meaningful time in the third row without complaining.  

Infotainment: 14/15

The Navigator offers one screen size for its infotainment system. Measuring in at 13.2 inches, it’s a center-mounted touchscreen that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Ford’s SYNC 4 interface. The system works well, with clear menus and easy-to-find functions; it also integrates CarPlay without obscuring other screen functions at the same time. 

There are also some physical knobs and buttons below the screen that control things like the volume or the tuning, which is a welcome respite from the screen-only world that so many luxury brands are incorporating. Many of the climate control functions are also controlled by physical buttons, giving the Navigator a savvy blend of tech and tradition. The Navigator also has three USB-A and C ports for the front two rows plus another two in the third row. 

The Black Label also comes standard with a head-up display that includes a display of the status of the ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, which helps with the functionality of the system overall.  All Navigators also come with a standard 12-inch digital display for the instrument panel, one that’s configurable to display a variety of info, depending on the driver’s preferences.

Cargo Space & Storage: 11/15

The standard-wheelbase Navigator has 19.3 cubic-feet of space behind the third row of seats when they’re upright. The long wheelbase Navigator L has 34.3 cubic-feet of room back there. Fold that third row and the Navigator has 57.5 cubic-feet (and up to 63.6 cubes in certain configurations) and the L has a monstrous 73.3 cubic-feet. 

That’s a bit less space than the gaping Escalade offers (regular length or long-wheelbase which grows to 72.9 cubes with the third row folded down) and the Grand Wagoneer L (85.3), but it’s certainly more than the Mercedes GLS (54.2) or the BMW X7 (48.8). 

Being a luxury SUV, both the second and third row of seats fold flat at the touch of a button. And parents take note: The second row of seats can move up and out of the way to give access to the third row without collapsing, which means you can leave a car seat in the second row and still move it out of the way when loading or unloading passengers. 

Style & Design: 7/10

The Navigator’s overall look and execution is generally on par with the rest of the full-size luxury SUV segment. Build quality is excellent, while the materials (chrome accents, open-pore wood, supple leather) are impressive, but not class-leading. The Navigator tries to belie its Ford roots (remember it’s based on the Expedition SUV) in certain areas, particularly the hard, cheap plastics used in the lower door trim and on interior panels in the third row of seats. These are issues you’ll never find on a BMW or Mercedes. That said, the Navigator’s interior design is starting to show its age, relative to rivals, all of which are newer and more modern.

The exterior design is more of the same; it passes muster as a large, expensive SUV but its look hasn’t evolved enough throughout this generation’s lifespan to truly stay contemporary. Overall, the Navigator will likely please existing Lincoln and Ford customers, but it likely won’t convince someone new to the brand that they should choose it over a Cadillac, Mercedes, BMW or even the Grand Wagoneer.

Is the 2023 Lincoln Navigator Worth it? Which Navigator is the Best Value? 

Based on what the competitive set offers for similar money, the smartest play for Navigator buyers is to opt for the base model, which stickers for $81,420, including destination. This trim gives you all of what makes the Navigator great (stout powertrain, meaningful amenities and impressive safety features) without veering too far into high-priced territory better suited to more luxurious rivals.

The next trim up—Reserve—adds more than $11,000 to the price of the Navigator, without significant changes to the overall experience. The Black Label is then another $17,000 more, and again, it doesn’t change the experience nearly enough to justify the price leap. 

The $100,000-plus world for luxury SUVs is particularly cutthroat and unfortunately for the Lincoln, rivals from Mercedes and BMW are far better at meeting the considerable needs of those buyers.

For 2022 Navigator buyers waiting for their order, Lincoln is offering a $5,000 rebate to a “small number of Lincoln Navigator clients” whose 2022 vehicle will be converted to a 2023. The rebate covers the price increase.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2023 Lincoln Navigator?

The Navigator is expensive to insure, but it’s on par or lower than most of its peers. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,854 for the base, though this averages all 50 states. The L Black label is over $3,270 per year. A Cadillac Escalade owner might pay $2,875 per year to start, while the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is $3,446 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS is $3,100. For a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.