2024 Lincoln Navigator Evaluation, Pricing, and Specs

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 2024 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 BMW X7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-class offer a more refined and sporting on-road character. Meanwhile, the other big body-on-frame domestics pack more power: the Jeep Grand Wagoneer offers 510 horsepower and the Cadillac Escalade is available with as much as 682 horsepower in V-series guise. When wearing optional 22-inch wheels, the Navigator was sometimes jittery, and sharp impacts were followed by bouncing rebounds—the worst of both worlds.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

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 small-displacement engine, it’s far from fuel efficient, gulping fuel at the rate of 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway in rear-wheel drive guise according to the EPA. 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.

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.

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. 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

More Features and Specs