Auto review: 2025 Lincoln Navigator is definitive American luxury

Miami Herald

06-06-2025

While the 2025 Lincoln Navigator' sales trails the top-selling Cadillac Escalade, it was the 1998 Lincoln Navigator that revived the idea of a full-size, body-on-frame luxury SUV, a segment pioneered by the 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer. And for 2025, the Lincoln Navigator continues to live large in a way that recalls the Lincoln Town Car.
Oops. There, I said it.
The phrase that makes Lincoln executives' eyes roll. And yet, the 2025 Lincoln Navigator fulfills much the same role. Both are unapologetically sizable, body-on-frame luxury vehicles with a healthy dose of chrome flashiness and outsized extravagance. And the Navigator, like the Town Car, benefits from being comfortable in its own skin. It's above hip and trendy, reveling in a knowing American opulence.
Yet this is not just some retro ride. It boasts a 48-inch dashtop screen as big as the bank account it takes to buy the rig. The screen contains everything you'd expect, including an instrument cluster, infotainment system and a passenger-side screen filled with options. It's placed up high, so it's unmissable while driving. But it's controlled by a secondary, center-mounted touchscreen located low on the instrument panel. So changing functions requires looking away from the road, something the large screen was meant to address.
Adjusting mirrors or a tilt steering wheel requires accessing on-screen buttons rather than physical controls, which some may find frustrating. And information density is sparse on the right side of the screen, considering how much real estate it inhabits. But you can play video and gaming apps to either side of the large display when the vehicle is parked. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, Amazon Alexa, Google Maps and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3-D audio system come standard. And there are more than a dozen USB-C ports, so staying connected is easy.
Opting for the top-of-the-line ensures opulence, with 30-way-adjustable front seats, second-row captain's chairs with heating, ventilation and massage, along with wireless charging pads and third-row seat heaters. Actually, it's hard to overstate how nicely trimmed this cabin is, particularly for an American luxury car. Yes, there's the expected wood and leather, but beautifully muted and exuding understated opulence. Then there's Lincoln Rejuvenate, a new option meant to soothe frazzled nerves while the vehicle is parked. When activated, the steering wheel moves up and out of the way and the driver's seat reclines and warms. As the seat massager comes on, the screens fill with soothing visuals, the ambient light turns to soothing tones, calming melodies and subtle aromas fill the air.
But the cabin's goodness is contained in a slab-sided wrapper that's recognizably Lincoln. There's a healthy dose of chrome trim and a large if somewhat generic grille. Its horizontal taillights are a modern update on classic Lincoln lighting. The rear gets a split tailgate, the top part flipping up and the bottom portion dropping down, a la Range Rover. And at night, the large Lincoln star illuminates up front, ensuring everyone knows that you're piloting a truly extravagant mobile family room.
But regardless of how much you spend, there's only one powertrain, whether you opt for the standard Navigator or the stretched Navigator L. Carried over from the previous model along with its platform, a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 and 10-speed automatic transmission generate 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. It's EPA-rated at 17 mpg, and premium fuel is required. All-wheel-drive and an adaptive suspension with continuously controlled damping are standard. Towing is rated at 8,700 pounds with the optional heavy-duty tow package. Also available are trailer hitch assist and pro trailer backup assist, which make trailering so much easier.
Despite measuring 210 inches long and tipping the scales at more than three tons, the 2025 Lincoln Navigator manages to drive smaller than you might suppose. OK, there's no hiding its avoirdupois while cornering, although there's less wallowing than you'd expect, thanks to the suspension. There are foreign competitors that offer sportier handling in similar dimensions, but it's like trying to get an elephant to moonwalk.
That's why the 2025 Lincoln Navigator remains something special. It doesn't try to. It proves powerfully quick, but remains incredibly quiet, comfortable and controllable. It has an easy self-assurance. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator doesn't try to be something that it isn't. And in an age when it seems you can't trust anyone or anything, It's good to be able to trust your Lincoln. That's true luxury.
2025 Lincoln Navigator
Base price: $102,190-$119,190 (including destination charge)
Engine: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6
Horsepower/Torque: 440/510 pound-feet
EPA rating (combined city/highway): 17 mpg
Fuel required: Premium unleaded
Length/Width/Height: 210/80/78 inches
Ground clearance: 8.9 inches
Payload: 1,696 pounds
Cargo capacity: 22-107 cubic feet
Towing capacity: 8,700 pounds
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