The term luxury vehicle now covers every size category. Luxurious trucks would have been unheard of two decades back but then manufacturers began to see a new trend where the luxury market was headed. Now, both Cadillac and Lincoln are trying to one-up each other as they lay on the bling for their full-size truck offerings.
The Lincoln Navigator 4X4 goes back to 1998 and over the years has been refined, reaching a level of luxury, comfort and performance far beyond what it was in the late 20th century. Now starting just under six figures, the Navigator is a beauty of a beast. Handsome from whatever angle you look at it, this family hauling SUV can pamper you with the latest amenities in the passenger cabin all the while pulling what you want behind it. The power-to-pull comes from a 3.5-litre twin turbocharged V6 rated at 450 horsepower and 510 lb. ft. of torque. It accelerates with authority to hustle you and yours around town with little effort. I didn’t calculate urban fuel consumption but on the open highway running at 110 km/h managed an average of 12.3 L/100km or 23 m.p.g. (like anyone who can own one would really care). The 10-speed automatic shifts smoothly up and down, but can be a little clunky downshifting when not fully warmed up.
Of course the ride is smooth, comfortable and quiet. The independent rear suspension helps in this area and also aids in giving third-row passengers some additional space. The suspension tuning is a little more firm than I expected but far from being sporty. After all that’s not what the Navigator is. Overall, the suspension offers ride quality and dynamics much better than live-axle equipped, full-sized SUV competitors.
On the inside, driver and passengers are pampered big time. Lincoln designers have gone all out in providing a passenger cabin that dazzles with chrome, leather, exotic woods and transparent surfaces. Turn the drive mode knob and you get full-screen animation and graphics that have a Starship Enterprise look.
Seats are ventilated and heated with an optional massage feature that’s a delight to the butt and back on a long drive. Adjustable front seats are perfect and easy to use. I like the steering wheel which provides a wide range of functions without being a distraction. If you really need a family hauler of this size and can afford the price tag, bigger kids get plenty of leg, shoulder and hip room in the second seat. The third row is ideal for little kiddies. Tick off the rear-seat entertainment system option ($2,350) and middle-seat riders can enjoy their own video screen in a floating mount on the seat ahead. Wireless headphones are provided. The third seat row folds down to open up the cargo area. There is an extended Navigator which gives you even more space behind the third seat. The panoramic sunroof adds light in addition to the massive windows which give passengers a commanding view outside.
You can get into a basic Lincoln Navigator for $88,150. I was given a Reserve model which includes more standard equipment and trim starting at $91,150. The option list on my rig wasn’t lengthy but was pricey; the trailer towing package was a $2,000 hit. The technology package which includes active park assist and lane keeping, etc. is a $3,000 option. Tiered cargo management will cost $500 and the Iced Mocha paint on my test Navigator cost $700. A few other minor items put the final tab over $102,000 including destination but not GST. Some might think a price tag over $100,000 is excessive but it’s not when you start pricing luxury cars. And how about some of the nice pickup trucks on the road these days. $70,000 plus for a fancy crew cab is not unheard of, but good luck getting massaging seats in a pickup.
Read more of Garry Melnyk’s Auto Talk at https://www.stalbertgazette.com/st-albert/scene/auto-talk
