2018 Lincoln Navigator Review

Even before its redesign, the Lincoln Navigator was one of our favorite luxury SUVs. Capable of comfortably hauling plenty of people and cargo while also towing a heavy load, the Navigator packed lots of versatility, even if it didn't have quite the gravitas of some other rival SUVs. This year's Navigator, however, should hold more sway with valet attendants.

Outside, the Navigator has an entirely fresh and appealing new look. Up front, there's a simultaneously sleek and massive grille and new LED headlights. Under the hood is an impressive new powertrain. The Navigator is powered by a revised turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that now cranks out a stout 450 horsepower. Putting that power to the ground is a new 10-speed automatic transmission that replaces last year's six-speed automatic. Ten speeds may seem like overkill, but you'll hardly notice the shifting, and the additional gearing helps improve both acceleration and fuel economy.

Inside, the Navigator uses top-notch materials on every panel and offers updated, modern tech behind the infotainment screen and three rows of adult-size seating with a massive amount of cargo space to back them up. As with other amply sized models of this class, the Navigator isn't the easiest to drive in crowded urban areas, but overall we think it will be one of the nicest luxury SUVs on the market for 2018.

Notably, we picked the 2018 Lincoln Navigator as one of Edmunds' Best Luxury SUVs for 2018.

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator is available in four trim levels: Premiere, Select, Reserve and Black Label. All trims are powered by the same turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (450 hp, 500 lb-ft) paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard and four-wheel drive is optional for the first three trims; the Black Label gets 4WD as standard.

The base Premiere trim level is standard wheelbase only, and the Select, Reserve and Black Label models are all available in standard-wheelbase and extended-wheelbase (Navigator L) sizes.

Standard feature highlights on the Premiere include 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, a trailer towing package, front and rear parking sensors, a power hands-free liftgate, keyless ignition and entry, tri-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, driver-seat memory settings, first- and second-row leather upholstery (third-row vinyl), eight-way power front seats (with power lumbar adjustment and heating), power-adjustable pedals, power-folding second-row captain's chairs with heating, and a power-folding 60/40-split third-row bench.

Also included is a configurable gauge cluster display, 10-inch touchscreen display with the Sync 3 interface, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, six USB ports throughout the cabin, voice controls, navigation, a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and a 14-speaker surround-sound audio system.

The Select adds 22-inch wheels, adaptive suspension dampers, power-folding running boards, upgraded leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view parking camera system and a wireless charging pad for personal devices. Just a bit further up the ladder is the Reserve trim that adds exterior welcome lights, 24-way power-adjustable front seats (with ventilation), illuminated seat belt buckles and a panoramic sunroof.

Optional for both the Select and Reserve is the Technology package (adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation with automatic braking, a head-up display, lane departure warning and intervention, an automated parking system and automatic high beams) and a Heavy Duty Trailer Tow package.

The Black Label Navigator adds the above two option packages as standard plus additional chrome exterior trim, upgraded leather upholstery, ambient interior lighting and a 20-speaker stereo system.

Some of the upper trim level items are available as stand-alone or packaged options on the lower trim levels. Other notable options include a rear-seat entertainment system (with dual headrest-mounted displays) and 30-way front seats with massage.

Both the standard- and extended-wheelbase versions have three-row seating, with captain's chairs in both the first and second rows. This places the Navigator's standard seating capacity at seven passengers, but a three-person, 40/20/40-split second-row bench seat that increases seating capacity to eight is available on the Premiere, Select and Reserve trims.