It might seem excessive, but this long-wheelbase luxury SUV is worth every penny—even the parts I didn't like

The way I see it, even the Navigator’s unintuitive infotainment system is worth that nearly $200k asking price. Why? Because buyers in this luxury segment aren’t necessarily shopping for functionality and practicality; rather, they’re shopping for big and bold statements! Luxury brands have a little more wiggle room to play around with practicality, or the lack of it, as long as they can overcompensate with the party tricks. And the Navigator does just that! 

I thought the Rejuvenate app was silly, at first, but it quickly became one of my favourite things about this car. When the vehicle is in Park, you can tap the Rejuvenate icon and then select from a few different themes to appear across the panoramic and centre screens — my favourites are the waterfall and aquarium. Once activated, there are calming sounds, as well as a guided meditation. This feature comes with a driver-seat-only function, in which the driver’s seat also experiences certain reclining positions, warming and massaging for five or 10 minutes at a time.

While the passengers won’t get that added function, they can also experience the ambient lighting and even one of Lincoln’s digital scents (not a huge fan of those scents, but I’m generally a fragrance-free kind of person). Enjoying five minutes of relaxation before picking up the kids from school, this “calm before the storm” is a pleasantly surprising feature that I did truly enjoy.

Moving on. While driving, that panoramic screen is a little distracting, but the part of it that is directly in front of you houses your gauge cluster, as well as the navigation screen, which is pretty convenient; it even pulls the map directly from your wirelessly connected phone. The half that faces the front passenger is divided into three sections while the car is in Drive. You can swap out the info shown and tailor it to your preferences to show things like clock/date, trailering info, tire pressure, media, etc. All that said, as big as that screen is, I found the infotainment screen to be on the slightly smaller side considering how many options it houses; I would have preferred a slightly bigger centre screen.

You’ll either get super-comfortable in one of the front seats, or you won’t. If you can’t, it’s likely because finding the perfect fit comes at the cost of some 30 available ways to adjust your seat. Of course, some of these movements are done via the infotainment screen, but some are done the more traditional way: via buttons on the side of the seat, which will always makes the most sense to me.

There’s a ton of headroom and legroom in all rows, but why wouldn’t there be? This monster has a height of 1,981 mm (78 in) and length of 5,636 mm (222 in). In the tested Black Label trim, passengers in the second row also get massage seats, but if you’ve got kids in car seats, then they won’t be able to take advantage of that feature. There’s a centre console in between the second-row captain’s chairs that allows rear passengers to control the music (this can either be very helpful or very annoying). Rear-seat entertainment includes a screen behind each of the front seats, but unless you plan on frequently road-tripping this gas-guzzler, it likely won’t be used very often, as most passengers tend to have their own personal devices these days. One thing I loved about that centre console was the amount of covered storage space it allowed for, including in the form of a slide-out bin at the bottom.

The third row is easily accessible. A click of a button on each second-row seat guides the seat to move forward, making room for a hop into the third row. Keep in mind, while the third row’s seats may be comfier than most third rows and can accommodate average-sized adults, it’s a bit bumpy back there, and some of my rearmost passengers ended up nauseous. 

Cargo space tops out at 1,059 litres behind the third row, which sounds like a lot and is actually sufficient in most cases, but it’s also a lot of vertical space, and unless you’re stacking boxes back there, I’d prefer more flat space to load grocery bags. With the third row folded down, that space doubles, and you can fit the best Costco haul of your entire life. 

All trims of the AWD Navigator (long or longer) get a 3.5L V6 that makes 440 hp and 510 lb-ft torque. The vehicle is rated to guzzle some 15.7 L/100 km on the local city roads and 10.9 on the highway, which gives it an average fuel consumption of 13.6 L/100 km, which is just about exactly what we saw over the course of our week with it.

Note that you don’t need premium gas in this big thing, which I thought was interesting. However, premium fuel is recommended for optimal output and maximum horsepower, as well as for better efficiency if you’re towing something (this 6,000-lb SUV can tow up to 8,700 lbs when properly equipped). And let’s face it, if you’re a Navigator owner, I’m going to assume the difference between regular and premium gas prices isn’t your biggest worry.

If you’ve driven a big vehicle before, then this is no different. In fact, while I wouldn’t say it feels like a smaller SUV, it doesn’t quite feel as massive as it is, and even turns into tight corners a bit better than expected. Regardless, I find myself taking turns a bit slower in fear of toppling over. Additionally, I’m not a fan of the steering wheel — I prefer a circle over this squircle-looking thing. Even though it doesn’t feel wide, it most definitely is heavy and feels a bit jerky to pick up speed.

On the highway, BlueCruise can be activated for hands-free driving. It allows you to set your speed limit, then it takes control, including identifying when there’s a possible lane change. I like that, unlike GM’s Super Cruise, it doesn’t just change lanes automatically; it gives you a little more control, which I appreciate.

Thankfully, there’s a really great backup camera; I don’t think I could reverse into a parking spot with something this big if I didn’t have the surround view to guide me. That said, it’ll be important to ensure you’ve got lots of room around you; do not underestimate the Navigator L’s length.

Much like some of the other pricier cars I’ve tested over the last few years, the Navigator is worth every penny, even for the parts of it I don’t like. If you’re buying a Navigator because you’re looking to satisfy very specific everyday needs and wants, then you’re buying it for the wrong reasons. And if you’ve ever calculated pricing by equating it to how many diaper boxes you could buy, or how many used minivans you could’ve bought, then this isn’t the vehicle for you.

Canadian pricing for the 2026 Navigator starts at $119,495 (plus $2,595 freight and PDI fee). If you want the L variant with the longer wheelbase, it’s an extra $4k. We’re in the top L trim that starts at $152,995, but this tester has an additional $20k worth of add-ons, bringing its total before taxes and fees to $173,820! 

Pricing for the 2027 Navigator has also been announced, and some trims see a slight increase in price, while a few are actually lowered, but in the grand scheme of luxury pricing, it’s mostly pocket change, regardless of up or down. The 2027 base Navigator and Navigator L are increased by $500, as are the Reserve models. The priciest versions actually see a decrease in price, both getting price cuts of $2,000 for the 2027 model year, meaning the 2027 Navigator L will start at $150,995. (Note that the freight and PDI fee also increases by $200 to $2,795.)

My kids have already told me this is their favourite car that they’ve been in, ever. And quite honestly, I get it. No one needs this much luxury, but at the same time – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – it’s not really overdone. It’s actually quite amusing and luxuriously comfortable, but maybe I’m just still thinking about that serene waterfall and calming Rejuvenate feature.

I’d definitely recommend the Lincoln Navigator to anyone thinking of making the very high jump up into the driver’s seat (the automatic running boards help). However, despite sketchy EV sales, I’m curious as to when we may be getting an electric Navigator to go head-to-head against the Cadillac Escalade IQ.

✔ Lots of interior space
✔ Rejuvenate feature is very calming
✔ Great backup camera

✘ Vents move via the infotainment screen
✘ Nauseating ride in the third row
✘ Squircle steering wheel

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