Lincoln's redesign of the Navigator three-row SUV signals the brand's tech-rich future, evolving its small Nautilus offering into a true flagship package.
The Lincoln Navigator remains the brand's flagship and continues to attract the youngest and most affluent customers. It stunned the world as the first luxury SUV when it debuted in 1998. It was soon followed by the Cadillac Escalade, and the two have been locked in a fierce battle for domestic luxury SUV dominance ever since.
The fifth-generation three-row SUV will debut as a 2025 model with a new exterior design, fresh interior options and more luxury for second- and third-row passengers.
All body panels except for the doors are new, giving the model a new upright shape. Lincoln introduced the signature light bar seen on the Nautilus to the Navigator, but doubled it down: The light bar sweeps upward over the front headlights like a bird's wings, and the taillights swing back as if the vehicle is flying.
The Navigator badges on the fenders are larger than on the previous model, and Lincoln has removed the chrome and added more satin finishes.
Like many Ford vehicles, the doors still have a numeric keypad for unlocking without a key.
22-inch wheels are standard, with new 24-inch wheels available for those looking to upgrade.
The lower-priced Navigator Reserve model, shown at an exclusive media preview in Detroit earlier this week, features what a company spokesman calls “atmospheric” styling, with light paint but dark and copper accents on the sides, front, rear and wheels, showing buyers on a tight budget still get luxury detailing.
The Navigator now features a split liftgate with a large upper panel and a smaller lower panel that work separately to hold items in place, allowing users to reach for items without having to fully open the door. Owners can also open the door hands-free by holding the key fob near the Navigator's rear door; no kicking motion is required to activate a sensor.
The front end of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator features a double light strip on the grille to welcome the driver. Ford Motor Company The rear view of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator when parked. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator features a new split tailgate that opens up and down simultaneously. Ford Motor Company
The BMW X5 and Range Rover have similar style liftgates.
“There's a big difference between a football being dropped and an expensive wine bottle being dropped in the driveway. We made it really accessible, really usable without having to put the tailgate down. But we've evolved from that simple premise to really delving into the back of the vehicle and making it a real destination for the customer and really bringing the luxury to the back of the vehicle,” exterior design lead Earl Lucas told Newsweek.
“And as you can see, we created seating after a long round of golf. We put down carpeting to make it a little more comfortable. With that same idea in mind, we also looked into changing golf shoes after coming off the course and installed lighting that is tied to the liftgate.”
The cargo area also features two USB charging ports and a 120-volt outlet, making the Navigator even more convenient when on the road with the family.
Lincoln has improved the second- and third-row seating for this generation, as well as the rear-seat entertainment system, which Lincoln says now works like an Apple iPad with pinch-and-zoom functionality, allowing users to share movies or watch their own.
Heated third-row seats are optional, and the third row also splits 40/20/40 into a bucket seat/armrest configuration for passengers.
The Navigator's second-row seats are nearly as plush as the front row and come with heating, cooling and massage capabilities, as well as buttons for accessing the third row.
Front passengers are greeted by a 48-inch widescreen display at the top of the dash that combines with the standard touchscreen below to serve as the infotainment portal. Similar to the display in the Nautilus, this large display can show navigation, music, weather and other information in multiple customizable areas. The display is framed by Revel speakers with copper accents that match the speakers in the doors and rear.
The Navigator also features the Nautilus' unique steering wheel shape. The steering wheel has some digital buttons and some physical controls. Volume is controlled by a crystal disc in the center console, but the steering wheel also has customizable controls. With Google Assistant, many of the key functions are available via voice control.
Lincoln's interior designers explained that they wanted to give the instrument panel (IP) a clean look and eliminate extraneous buttons and switches to create the feel of an indoor spa. They also moved the climate control directional controls to a touchscreen, similar to some recent EVs from Rivian and Tesla.
2025 Lincoln Navigator interior. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator features a 48-inch widescreen display. Ford Motor Company 2025 Lincoln Navigator interior. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator is offered in seven- or eight-passenger configurations and two sizes. Ford Motor Company
“The design is about eliminating clutter. We're looking for simplicity, modernity. We lowered the IP a little bit and the new placement allowed us to have a two-tone IP, so it allows for a lot more. It's soft, it spreads out like wings into a nice curvaceous space, but then it goes straight out to the door, so it looks like a continuous design,” Marsha Salzberg of Lincoln Color and Materials told Newsweek .
The in-car spa-like Rejuvenate experience uses air conditioning, perfumed scents, calming imagery and heated seats with massage functions to help drivers relax while parked on the way home from work or before their commute, or after their commute or before the evening.
Newsweek teased the Nautilus's arrival of the feature earlier this year, when the automaker said the technology would be implemented in the car's 2025 model year.
Blue Cruise, Hands-Free and Eyes Up Driving Assist features will be standard on all 2025 Lincoln Navigator models for four years with no subscription fee. Lincoln says the system, now in its fourth version, offers improved lane-centering, smoothness and available road distance.
Newsweek tested the latest version of BlueCruise in its first-drive review of the Ford F-150 a few months ago and found that it's significantly improved and can compete with General Motors' SuperCruise.
What is Compass Viewpoint?
Lincoln Navigator takes on Cadillac Escalade
The redesigned, next-generation 2025 Lincoln Navigator is looking to entice customers with plenty of options to choose from, including Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet, Rivian, and more. Most importantly, its tech upgrades bring it closer to the Cadillac Escalade, long considered the luxury leader in its segment.
Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Back-Up Assist are features that help with hooking up a trailer. Lincoln says 30 percent of owners do some kind of towing, and the Navigator can tow 8,700 pounds.
What remains the same for this generation is the powertrain, which is still a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, making 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque — more than the base-model Cadillac Escalade but less than the supercharged Escalade V model.
All-wheel drive and adaptive suspension are also standard, along with drive modes for a more comfortable or aggressive driving style.
When asked about competitors such as Cadillac, a Lincoln representative explained that the differences are in both personality and catalog.
“Cadillac does a great job, but they're a little flashy, a little aggressive, I would say. We're not aggressive or flashy. We're about refined, quality craftsmanship and health and comfort. There's a place for everyone,” Salzberg said.
Orders for the new SUV will begin in October and it is expected to arrive in dealerships next spring.
Lincoln hasn't yet revealed pricing, but the current model starts at $85,260. The 2024 Cadillac Escalade will retail for $81,895, and the new Infiniti QX80 will retail for $82,450.
