Decades ago, Continental was the name most people would automatically associated with Lincoln, the Ford Motor Company’s upscale brand. At its peak, it was a massive sedan that dominated the road wherever it was driven and became synonymous with American luxury motoring.
But times have changed, with SUVs and crossovers having largely replaced sedans as the luxury vehicle of choice among the majority of buyers. So it is with Lincoln, whose full-size Navigator SUV is now the brand’s most recognizable and, arguably, most desirable model.
Lincoln completely redesigned the Navigator last year, so 2019 brings no changes aside from new paint colours and a move to make a formerly optional technology package part of the uplevel Reserve trim’s standard kit. As before, the range starts with a Select trim level.
So the Navi’s basics remain the same. The sole engine is a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 that makes 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque and puts that power through a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive.
Luxury crossovers are common, but truck-based SUVs like this are fewer in number. With the Navigator, Lincoln goes up against the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX 570 and Infiniti QX80 as key competitors, but you can also count the GMC Yukon Denali among the vehicles fighting for a piece of the pie. Lincoln is the only one that has moved to a relatively high-tech turbo V6; those other trucks still use V8s with varying levels of fuel-saving technology.
To say that Lincoln is serious about the Navigator’s upscale status is an understatement. You can specify yours with pearl finish on the centre console and 30-way(!) adjustable front seats with massage, heat and ventilation functions. Second-row occupants get their own audio and climate controls and the third row seats have electric adjustments.
Tech items include the Sync 3 infotainment system, a 20-speaker sound system, a customizable 12-inch gauge cluster and a head-up display. Even the headlights get in on the act, projecting a beam that’s wider at lower speeds and narrower and longer for better long-range visibility in highway driving.
The turbocharged V6, 10-speed transmission and a lighter, aluminum-intensive structure help cut fuel consumption, which Lincoln estimates at 14.9/11.3 L/100 km (city/highway), notable improvements over the previous generation model.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
