2016 Lincoln Navigator Road Test and Review

2016 Lincoln Navigator front angle view ・ Photo by Lincoln

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator provides an increasingly uncommon package for today’s consumers, as it’s one of just a handful of luxury-branded, body-on-frame SUVs left on the market. These are the entries that combine true luxury cues with the kind of robust capability that mere crossovers just can’t match. And within this segment, few rivals can match what the Navigator brings to the table. For example, for a full three rows of comfort, the Navigator has the most rear-seat legroom in the class, and that’s complemented by the most available cargo room and the highest tow rating. Nor is there any shortage of premium features, especially in the cabin, where Lincoln’s typically superior leather choices create a particularly refined and sophisticated environment.

Pricing

Despite its impressive comfort and capability features, the 2016 Lincoln Navigator also happens to be the least expensive choice in the class. Now, customers here certainly aren’t looking for cheap rides, but the fact that the Navigator’s MSRP — $63,195 — is nearly $10,000 less than that of a Cadillac Escalade is worth noting. Also notable: The Lincoln’s starting price includes standard heated and cooled front seats, along with heated second-row bucket seating and a power-folding third row. Other upscale standard cues range from real wood cabin accents to a THX II surround-sound audio system to a titanic set of 22-inch polished-aluminum wheels. EcoBoost power is standard as well, while 4-wheel-drive Navigators are priced from $66,770.

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Power, Performance and Fuel Efficiency

We just mentioned the EcoBoost advantage in the previous part of our 2016 Lincoln Navigator review, so now it’s time to get down to the details: The Navigator’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is rated at 380 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, and if that’s a little less horsepower than the Escalade, it’s the same amount of torque. More important, however, is what the Navigator can do with that output: tow up to 9,000 lbs., which is 700 more than a comparable Cadillac. The Navigator also can out-tow body-on-frame rivals from Lexus and Infiniti, besting the Lexus LX 570 by 2,000 lbs. The Lincoln has the highest fuel-economy grades, too, with an EPA line of 16 MPG city/22 MPG highway/18 MPG combined.

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Exterior Design and Lighting

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator stretches some 207.4 inches in length, for a footprint that’s 8 inches longer than that of the Lexus, as well as about 4 inches longer than the Cadillac. Of course, it’s the Lincoln’s dramatic split-wing grille that really makes an impression, even compared to the prominent faces found on its Cadillac, Lexus and Infiniti rivals. HID headlamps build on the Navigator's look, complete with LED signature-lighting accents; LED daytime running lamps and taillights also are standard, as are some nifty “puddle” lamps. These exterior lights create an illuminated “welcome mat” when the driver approaches the vehicle (with the Navigator key fob).

Furnishing extra functionality is standard equipment such as power-deployable running boards, a frame-mounted towing hitch, and integrated front towing hooks.

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Interior Design and Capacities

We also touched on the cabin-size situation earlier in this 2016 Lincoln Navigator review, but again, the details are instructive. For instance, although the Navigator’s rivals are all 3-row vehicles in theory, in practice, none of them have more than 28.8 inches of third-row legroom — making the last row a last resort in those choices. Navigator’s rearmost passengers get 37.6 inches of legroom.

In terms of cargo space, Navigator highlights include a best-in-class 103.3 cubic feet in total and an effective 18.1 behind the third row. The Lexus LX offers a mere 9.1, which is less space than in the trunks of some subcompact sedans.

“Effective” may be the best word for the Navigator's design, too, as highly comfortable function gets the priority over elegant forms.

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Audio and Infotainment

To be clear, the 2016 Lincoln Navigator is a product of the Ford Motor Company, which brings customers not only EcoBoost technology but also the latest iteration of the automaker’s SYNC infotainment system. This new-for-2016 SYNC 3 serves up new hardware and new software, for improvements in usability and accuracy, and it’s supported in the Navigator by voice-activated navigation and the Sync App Link; with that feature, folks can use Sync’s voice recognition capability to access iHeartRadio, Pandora and other mobile apps (compatible smartphone required).

Lincoln leverages a THX II Certified 5.1 Surround Audio System for a superior listening experience, backed by 600 watts of power and 14 speakers — including a subwoofer — that have been carefully placed in the Navigator cabin for optimum acoustics.

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Available Equipment

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator is no doubt loaded with standard luxury features. Yet Lincoln nonetheless found a way to fine-tune this premium package a bit further, with the Reserve Package. This upgrades the Navigator cabin with ultra-lux leather seating, hand-wrapped and hand-stitched premium leather trim — in the owner’s choice of Ebony or Dune — and Ziricote wood appliques. Outside, designers have introduced a 2-tone appearance, showcasing a Black Velvet exterior finish for the lower body sides and a similar shade for the powered running boards. The Reserve model then rides on polished aluminum 22-inch wheels, in a 20-spoke design.

To boost the Navigator’s family-friendly credentials, Lincoln also can supply an INVISION rear-seat entertainment system that has two 7-inch screens mounted in the back of the front seat headrests.

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Safety Ratings and Technology

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator has earned a 5-Star Overall Safety Score from NHTSA, and that’s for rear- and 4-wheel-drive models, regardless of wheelbase (see below). Make of it what you will, but Cadillac, Lexus and Infiniti haven’t had their 3-row SUVs tested as part of the government’s New Car Assessment Program.

On the other hand, the Navigator does lag somewhat when it comes to proactive driver-assistance measures — though a rearview camera and the Blind Spot Information System are both standard.

The Navigator also has some safety exclusives from FoMoCo, like MyKey technology, to help younger, more inexperienced drivers concentrate on actually driving, and the SOS Post-Crash Alert System, which makes it easier for first responders to find the vehicle in case an accident pushes it out of sight.

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Other Cool Info

Let’s say you love everything you’ve read so far in this 2016 Lincoln Navigator review, but you wish there was even more room inside this already massive SUV. In that case, you can move up to the extended-length Navigator. The longest of the Lincoln SUVs, it’s 15 inches longer than the “regular” version — with a wheelbase that’s been expanded by 12 inches — to enable a significant jump in cargo space. The Navigator L, as it’s known, has 42.6 cubic feet of cargo space even when all seats are filled, it has 86.3 with the third row folded, and there are 128.2 cubic feet available with all rows out of the way. Those are increases of 24.5 cubic feet/31.9/24.9 versus the traditional Navigator, and remember, neither Lexus nor Infiniti even offer extended-wheelbase models.

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2016 Lincoln Navigator: Final Thoughts

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator is one of four body-on-frame SUVs from a traditional luxury make, each able to satisfy customers in their own ways. But taking into account the ways most people use these vehicles — that is, as fancy family haulers — the Lincoln stands out in some key areas: passenger space and cargo room. It also manages to achieve both best-in-class tow ratings and best-in-class EPA grades, all for a relatively high-value MSRP. When you throw in the Navigator’s 5-Star NHTSA results, it’s hard to understand why the Lincoln hasn’t caught on with more customers.

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