The 2025 Lincoln Navigator Takes Widescreen Infotainment to a Whole New Level

The arms race of opulence continues in the full-size SUV segment in the U.S., and a new Navigator is leading the charge for Lincoln in its battle against Cadillac and others. The flagship SUV from Ford’s luxury brand is now in its fifth generation—the 2025 Lincoln Navigator debuts a big redesign to the exterior and even more radical changes inside.

The mechanicals are largely unchanged from the previous model. The new Navi will still be powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6—more or less the same engine as that of the Ford F-150 Raptor. The Navigator’s twin-turbo V6 makes 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty for the 6,000-pound SUV.

The engine is still paired to a ten-speed automatic transmission and the SUV is only available with full-time four-wheel-drive. Towing capacity maxes out at 8,700 pounds, same as before, and still requires the Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package. There will still be short and long-wheelbase options for those who want lots of cargo room even with the third-row seats up.

The big changes are all in the outer and inner design of the new Navigator, which finally shares the looks of the Aviator and Nautilus. Normally, that wouldn’t be something to brag about for a vehicle that costs nearly double as much as its smaller siblings, but Lincoln’s new design language is quite sleek and handsome.

That holds true for the 2025 Navigator, which is still an immense SUV with seating for up to seven passengers plus the driver. The Navigator remains as imposing as ever with its 122.5-inch wheelbase in standard configuration, and the long wheelbase measures 131.5 inches. But the outer design has been smoothed over, removing some of the accents that made the old Navigator look busy or full of superfluous lines. The new model strikes a good pose with an uncluttered profile all around. It has standard 22-inch wheels, and optional 24-inch wheels are available for the first time ever on a Navigator.

There are no traditional chrome accents on the body of the big SUV. Instead, there are satin aluminum touches or blacked-out accents on the Jet Appearance Package. It seems that shining chrome, once the hallmark of American land yachts, has become passé. What now differentiates a car from a luxury car (or an SUV like the Navigator from the Expedition) is accent lighting.

The Navigator has a new lightbar at the front end that illuminates sequentially when a driver approaches. The taillights are also tucked into a lightbar that illuminates during the SUV’s welcome sequence, which also adjusts the driver’s seat and mirrors to the saved presets. The taillights are on a new rear gate, which Lincoln calls the Split Gate. It opens both upwards and downwards, separating below the lights. The top three-quarters lift automatically thanks to the Open on Approach feature, when the SUV detects the driver’s key fob is nearing the rear of the vehicle.

Inside is where the biggest changes can be seen, but Lincoln is taking a different approach to the interior of its flagship than rivals like Cadillac. Of course, it’s all about screens! But more screens and bigger displays aren’t always better.

Instead of slapping a huge screen on the dash, Lincoln designed a stepped dashboard with a 48-inch panoramic display set further behind the steering wheel. This is not a touchscreen (gasp), because that wouldn’t be practical given the layout. There’s an 11-inch touchscreen within easy reach that sits above a row of gear selector and start/stop buttons. Under that, is a crystal-like volume knob.

Lincoln says the point of the stepped dash was to keep the driver’s eyes “up and out” on the road, rather than have them looking down, shifting between focal points on the horizon and a big screen set lower on the dash. This seems like a new approach that could make screens less of a distraction.

The steering wheel is flat at the top and bottom to make it easier to see the display, since there is no screen directly above the wheel. Lincoln chose to go with touchpads on either side of the wheel to control settings. These d-pads are notoriously bad, however, and we’ll have to wait and see if the Navigator’s new cabin can overcome their reputation.

Moving on to the audio portion of the A/V, I’d say the Navigator has the Escalade beat on audio given that its 28-speaker sound system comes from Revel Audio—makers of the famous Performa line. The Escalade’s 19 speakers (in base trim) come from AKG, but both Revel and AKG are owned by parent company Harman, so it’s likely that one will not blow away the other.

There are up to 14 USB ports available in the cabin, which is more USB ports than most people have in their living rooms. Then again, that’s less than two ports per person, although passengers can use the first- and second-row wireless chargers to juice up their phones. Lincoln’s goal was to bring the comfort of the first row back to the second and third, and it mostly succeeded. The third row now has 40/20/40 split seats that do a good impression of captain’s chairs.

Lincoln is also big on ADAS for the Navigator. BlueCruise hands-free highway driving is standard on all models: it’s desgined to help with braking, accelerating, and steering, delivering Lane Change Assist with a tap of the signal stalk when the path is clear. The Navigator will come with a four-year subscription to BlueCruise.

Other features include In-Lane Repositioning and Turn Signal View, which projects a camera view of the adjacent lane on the big screen when the turn signal is used. And Intersection Assist helps drivers stay safe during left turns at stop lights by providing audible alerts and applying the brakes if an oncoming vehicle is detected.

Lincoln wants to make its flagship a home away from home, and while the idea of a “third space” (in addition to your home and place of work) is played out, the Navigator makes a great shelter for the weary with things like Lincoln Rejuvenate, which gives drivers a massage and uses the Lincoln Digital Scent to turn the SUV into a “spa on wheels.”

If the Navi can’t compete with the Escalade on performance, then Lincoln will give Cadillac a run for its money on opulence and style. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator will go on sale next spring, but we won’t know exactly for how much until we get closer to the sale date early next year. The former Premiere trim (or base model) is no longer offered, meaning that the Reserve and Black Label trims are the only ones available. Lincoln says the new flagship will start under $100,000. For reference, the outgoing Navigator Reserve starts at $97,690.

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