2005 Lincoln Navigator Test Drive

Refining a Behemoth

Still comfortable and classy, Lincoln's pioneering luxury SUV is showing its age--and the future doesn't promise much change.

From The Driver's Seat

The Navigator is a behemoth. Not quite as big, say, as its cousin the Ford Excursion (the Navigator is derived from Ford's Expedition SUV) -- but massive nevertheless. All that size translates into a ride that, as befits a Lincoln, is every bit as comfortable as one might expect.

It is also appropriately luxurious -- our big gripe about the Escalade was that it wasn't luxurious enough. There is plenty of leather and wood and nickel trim throughout the interior and, of course, plenty of room. One of the things that Ford, and by association Lincoln, does well is dashboards and controls. All the knobs are easy to reach and easy to read. These may not be as fancy or as perfectly machined as what one might find in a BMW or a Lexus but they are still eminently sensible.

Navigator also comes with a few extras that emphasize its luxuriousness. For example, standard features include fog lights and reverse sensors, and options are a rear entertainment system (great for kids) and navigation.

It is easy to imagine with all this comfort and size -- not to mention its rugged yet sophisticated good looks -- that the Navigator would appeal to all kinds of drivers. It's just upscale enough that driving it is an ego boost but, with its three rows of seating, also practical enough to safely transport a largish family. (Note to all automakers, not just Lincoln: Please come up with a better way to access the third row. Only a contortionist or a 10-year-old child can get back there with any degree of ease.)

But for all its size, the Navigator surprisingly lacks muscle. Part of the problem is that because of its size, it's one of the heaviest passenger cars on the road. Under the hoods of most cars, the 5.4-liter 300-horsepower V-8 engine that comes in the Navigator would give you all the power you could want -- but when you're taking 5,774 pounds of steel and aluminum from a standing start to 60 mph, it's just not good enough.

This is where Cadillac's SUV outguns the Navigator. That SUV's 6.0-liter V-8 engine produces 345 horsepower and 380 foot-pounds of torque that can really rocket the Escalade down the highway (the best unofficial 0-to-60 mph times have been around 7.5 seconds; that compares well with a lot of sports sedans). The Navigator's pickup, by comparison, is mushy and slow.

And don't think that this lack of oomph makes for better gas mileage. With a range of roughly 12 mpg in the city and 17 on the highway, it's every bit a gas hog as the other SUVs in its class.