Lincoln created the modern full-size luxury SUV segment when it released the first-generation Navigator in 1998. General Motors quickly responded with a luxury SUV of its own, the Cadillac Escalade, just one year later. Though the Navigator saw early success, outselling the Escalade in each of its first seven years on sale, things flipped in 2004 and Cadillac has dominated the segment ever since. Now though, Lincoln has updated its flagship SUV with what might be the most significant changes in the model’s history.

The 2025 Lincoln Navigator is billed as an all-new, fifth-generation model. Like the Ford Mustang, which recently received a new generation, the Navigator uses a carryover engine and platform despite being labeled as “all-new.” It may share bones with the outgoing Navi, but you can’t tell by looking at it, sitting in it, or driving it.

The design is more aligned with the smaller Nautilus, and the interior features the same massive Lincoln Digital Experience with a 48-inch display. We absolutely loved Lincoln’s latest interior design language in the Nautilus, and the Navigator takes it to the next level in typical flagship form. But are these changes enough to make you consider a Navigator over the Cadillac Escalade? We spent a week driving the Navigator Reserve with Jet Appearance Package to answer that question.

Exterior Design: Biggest Design Expression

Lincoln redesigned its largest SUV, making it look more inline with the Nautilus. This new design language includes a signature grille with an integrated light bar, which illuminates from the middle outward as you approach with the key. The full-width taillights perform a similar sequence. Overall, the fresh styling feels more like a heavy update than a complete overhaul, which is fine because the outgoing fourth-generation Navigator was already a handsome beast. As before, Lincoln offers the standard Navigator and the Navigator L, which is nearly 12 inches longer, nine of which are in the wheelbase.

Buyers of the Reserve trim can choose from only six colors, including our tester’s lovely Gray Mist Metallic Tri-Coat ($750). This vehicle is meant to project elegance, so most of the hues are more muted. Sunrise Copper Metallic Pearlcoat ($2,000) is the boldest color, and is only available on the Black Label. Flashy 22-inch wheels come standard on the Reserve and Black Label trims, but 24-inch Luster Nickel Aluminum wheels are optional for $2,995. The Reserve trim is also available with a Jet Black Appearance Package, which is listed as its own trim level, blacking out the trim and wheels for a more stealthy look.

Customers can also get black wheels, a black roof, and other black accents on the Black Label, but it requires a pricey Black Label Special Edition Package for $8,500. As we’ll talk about more in this review, the Black Label trim and its Special Edition Package do not seem worth the cost.

Interior & On-Board Technology: Rest And Relaxation

Facing newer and refreshed rivals like the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Cadillac Escalade, the Navigator needed a significant interior overhaul. It received that and more. Lincoln calls the new Navigator a “spa on wheels,” and with massage seats in the first and second rows as well as Digital Scents that waft through the air vents, it’s hard not to agree with that billing. There’s even a new Rejuvenation mode that reclines the seat, and plays a calming video on the massive screens. This is one of Lincoln’s best interiors ever, and one of the most luxurious cabins at any price.

There is no such thing as a “base” Navigator for the 2025 model year, as even the Reserve trim comes highly optioned compared to rivals. A 24-way driver seat and 22-way passenger seat include heating, ventilation, and massage as standard. Black Label owners get upgraded 30-way Perfect Position seats. Reserve customers can select between heated bench seats or folding captain’s chairs at no cost, or upgrade to Power Tailored seats that add ventilation and massage with a center console for $2,750. These seats are extremely luxurious, but be warned, they do not fold flat, severely limiting the Navigator’s cargo capacity.

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Lincoln previously offered rear massage seats that did fold flat, but they did not have power adjustment. These new seats do not feature folding tray tables, like the Executive Package in the Escalade, but they do offer better ingress and egress into the third row than the Cadillac. Speaking of the third row, it offers heating on the Black Label trim only with power-adjustment to recline for greater comfort.

Legroom in all three rows is excellent, besting the Escalade (and the longer Escalade ESV) in all but the first row. Unlike the Escalade EQS, the Navigator L doesn’t provide any additional legroom, adding space for more cargo only. In this regard, the Escalade and Grand Wagoneer have the Navigator severely outmatched, offering more cargo volume, especially in their long wheelbase versions. The Navigator does have the advantage of a new split tailgate, which offers an available cargo divider that doubles as a table and a backrest for sitting.

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Infotainment: Rejuvenation Center

Every Navigator comes standard with a 48-inch screen spanning most of the dashboard, falling just short of the Escalade’s new 55-inch screen, which is divided into three segments. We’ll forgive those inches though, because the Navi’s screens are pretty darn impressive. The gauge cluster is a bit overstyled and too simple for our tastes, but the middle and right sides are highly functional. A built-in Google Map is displayed by default, but it can now switch to show Apple Maps or Waze when connected to CarPlay.

There are three tiles to the right, which can display widgets such as trip information, weather, a compass, media details, and more. We’d like to see a bit more functionality, but Lincoln says it can add more widgets via over-the-air updates. A lower touchscreen controls the upper one with a simple layout that’s easy to learn on-the-fly. A 28-speaker Revel audio system comes standard, and we think it delivers sound that’s clearer than the AKG system in the Escalade.

We absolutely loved the Rejuvenate Mode, which plays one of three relaxing audio/visual themes, including waterfall meditation, Aurora Borealis, and water elements. The car leans back the driver’s seat, gives you a massage, and wafts one of the digital scents (located in the armrest) through the vents. After a long drive or a routine school pickup, we could envision parents staying in the car for five to 10 minutes using this function.

Performance: Don’t Fix What Isn’t Broken

There is only one engine available in the Navigator, and it’s a straight carryover from the previous generation. It’s a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, routing power to standard all-wheel-drive via a 10-speed automatic transmission. The boosted V6 produces 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, outmatching the Escalade’s standard V8 but falling short to the Grand Wagoneer’s Hurricane engine on power, but not on torque.

Performance Impressions

There’s no launch control in the Navigator, but you can brake-torque it to get a pretty nice surge off-the-line. We recorded a 0-60 mph run in 5.30 seconds, besting the Infiniti QX80 and Lexus LX 700h, both of which have twin-turbo V6 engines (the latter is also a hybrid). The only Escalades we’ve tested were the V and IQ models, both of which clocked 60 mph in less than five seconds. For a standard powertrain, the Navigator’s EcoBoost engine delivers healthy performance that feels gutsy at all RPMs. This is also Lincoln’s best calibration we’ve sampled of the 10-speed automatic transmission, which is the same one found in the Escalade. Shifts are remarkably smooth in all modes, though the tiny shifter buttons feel like an afterthought to manually control the gears. The Navigator tows up to 8,700 pounds, which is more than the Escalade but less than the Grand Wagoneer, though it requires a Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package ($750).

Ride and Handling

Despite not having air suspension like some rivals, the adaptive dampers in the Navigator do a nice job soaking up bumps and keeping the significant weight in check. The Navigator glides over pavement, and doesn’t exhibit the truck-like bounciness of its rivals. On the highway, it’s supremely quiet and serene, especially with BlueCruise activated. We enjoyed using Lincoln’s hands-free driving software, but it’s squarely behind GM’s Super Cruise, which can now change lanes on its own and follow route guidance. When you are steering on your own, the square-shaped steering wheel can be a bit awkward, so you may want to try it before you buy.

Fuel Economy

Thanks to its V6 engine, the Lincoln Navigator’s fuel economy is superior to the V8-powered Escalade, especially on the highway. It’s rated at 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined. For reference, a 4WD Escalade achieves only 14/18/16, respectively, while the Grand Wagoneer gets 14/20/17.

Verdict & Pricing: A Fabulous Flagship

Lincoln got rid of the Premier trim level, which previously acted as the entry point to the Navigator, thus increasing the price significantly. You will not pay $99,995 (not including $1,995 for destination and delivery) for the Reserve trim, or $103,495 for the Reserve with Jet Appearance Package. Opting for the L body style on any trim adds $2,990. The Black Label trim jumps significantly to $116,995, plus another $8,500 for the Special Edition Package. Aside from the slightly nicer front seats, standard power second-row seats, rear seat entertainment system, and heated third row, we don’t see any huge reasons to spend up on the Black Label. You can just add the nicer second row to a Reserve trim to save thousands. An Escalade looks cheaper on the low end, but doesn’t come with as much standard equipment, and it can be optioned to well over $130,000 with all the boxes ticked.

The Navigator takes everything we loved about the Nautilus and proves it wasn’t a fluke. This is a world-class luxury SUV that deserves a serious look over a Cadillac Escalade, Jeep Grand Wagoner, or even a Japanese or European competitor. It has some shortcomings, particularly in terms of cargo capacity, but it still has the non-American alternatives mostly beat. Only time will tell if Lincoln’s move upmarket will help steal sales away from Cadillac, but if you want more than just a badge, the base Navigator is now nicer than the base Escalade. Adding options to an Escalade will make it at least as nice, but it will cost you more. The choice used to be pretty easy, but Lincoln has changed that.