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Best Car Deals for April 20252024 Lincoln Navigator vs 2024 Cadillac Escalade
If you’re looking to add a little luxury to your life, you don’t want to miss out on our showdown between the 2024 Lincoln Navigator vs. the 2024 Cadillac Escalade!
Navigator vs Escalade: Which is the Best Luxury SUV?
Let’s face it: we all could use a little luxury from time to time. In the case of the 2024 Lincoln Navigator and the 2024 Cadillac Escalade, they take luxury to an entirely different level. Both models promise drivers a ride like no other that blows past “comfortable” and into “heavenly”.
Drivers also get the latest and greatest tech features and a big boost in performance over other SUVs. These full-size beauties are designed to get you and your family (or other lucky passengers) from Point A to Point B with style, class, and attitude. Who doesn’t want to show off a little, after all?
The 2024 Lincoln Navigator sees no major changes this time around. All Navigator models now come standard with full-time four-wheel drive so there is no rear-wheel drive option. The base model now has a classier name, the “Premiere”. The BlueCruise 1.0 hands-free driving system is subscription-based and now runs for four years rather than two. Lincoln also brought back Flight Blue Metallic to replace Ocean Blue as one of the color options. The Lincoln Navigator starts at $82,765 and goes up to $110,750 for the top-trim Black Label.
Cadillac fans will find that the 2024 Escalade rolls onto the scene with no changes at all. None. Nada. The folks at Cadillac are putting all of their efforts into the all-electric version – the Escalade iQ – which is slated to launch later this year. The Escalade starts at $81,895 and the performance based V-Series trim level has an MSRP of $152,295.
Specs
The 2024 Lincoln Navigator is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine and a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission producing 440 horsepower and 510 lbs.-ft. of torque. All models come standard with full-time four-wheel drive. The 2024 Lincoln Navigator loves to drink fuel, so drivers can expect to get 16 MPG city/22 MPG highway.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade features a couple of engine options. The first is a big 6.2-liter gas-powered V8 that makes 420 horsepower and 460 lbs.-ft. of torque. The second option is a diesel inline six-cylinder that musters 277 horsepower and 460 lbs.-ft. of torque. Both engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Both RWD and AWD configurations are available.
A Sport Platinum trim adds dark exterior features to the Premium Luxury Platinum trim. There is also a V-Series trim which gives you a big boost in performance by adding a monstrous supercharged 682-horsepower V8 under the hood.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade gets an EPA-rated 14 MPG city/19 MPG highway for all standard V8 RWD models. AWD models get 1 MPG less than that. If you decide to get the high-performance V8, you can expect to only get 11 MPG city/16 MPG highway. The diesel engine is the most efficient and gives you 21 MPG city/27 MPG highway.
Driving and Performance
The 2024 Lincoln Navigator gives drivers plenty of straight-line punch to play with. In our test, the Navigator launched from zero to 60 MPH in 5.3 seconds – an impressive feat for a large, beefy SUV. Unfortunately, the steering felt numb in the corners and the soft suspension did the bulky framework no favors. It was too bouncy, and you felt every inch of its massive size as you steered it. The 22-inch wheels also give it some jitters with plenty of impacts and rebounds to be felt on the bigger bumps.
The 2024 Lincoln Navigator can tow up to 8,300 lbs. when properly equipped.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade provides a cushy ride thanks to its independent rear suspension, as well as air springs and adaptive dampeners on higher-end trims. The base V8 engine gave the Lincoln Navigator a great chase on our test track, racing from 0-60 MPH in just 5.9 seconds.
For more torque and better fuel economy, we suggest giving up some of that straight-line speed for the more docile diesel-powered inline six-cylinder. If you’re all about performance, you need to get the supercharged 6.2L V8 under the hood. In our test, the supercharged V8-equipped Escalade blasted off from 0-60 MPH in just 4.3 seconds! That’s blazing fast for a big ol’ SUV and is even quick for many high-performance cars out there.
The handling on the supercharged V8 version is better tuned than the standard version making it handle much better as well. The 2024 Cadillac Escalade can tow up to 7,700 lbs. when properly equipped.
Comfort and Interior
The interior of the 2024 Lincoln Navigator is cavernous and majorly luxurious. High-quality materials such as open-pore wood, leather, and high-quality plastics surround you. Higher trims offer options like 30-way (that’s right, 30) adjustable massaging front seats that are so adjustable that you can even adjust the right and left thigh supports to different heights. Even third-row passengers benefit from the immense size and get an additional 1-inch of legroom compared to some competitors.
The Lincoln Navigator also sports a 13.2-inch touchscreen with a quick and intuitive infotainment system that can auto-update over the air courtesy of an onboard 5G Wi-Fi hotspot. The standard sound system is a 14-speaker system by Revel, but upgrading gets you a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D stereo.
Standard wheelbase Lincoln Navigators provide 20.9 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet with the second row folded down, and 103.3 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded down.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade has an equally impressive interior. Real leather is standard on all but the base trim (which has faux leather) all over including the dashboard and door panels. The ambient interior lighting is adjustable and aluminum speaker grills add major dashes of class. There is plenty of room to go around even on the standard wheelbase version thanks in part to the independent rear suspension. There is more legroom for third-row passengers on the long-wheelbase version.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade features some slick electronics such as a digital dashboard that has to be seen to be believed. It comprises three curved OLED displays layered on top of one another to create 38 inches of screen space. Some of this space is the driver’s gauge cluster while the rest is used for infotainment system information.
Other features include an augmented-reality navigation system, available rear-seat entertainment packages with two 12.6-inch displays, and streaming capabilities. A standard 19-speaker Studio sound system is available on the Luxury, Sport, and Premium trims with the Platinum trim getting a 36-speaker AKG Studio Reference system. Can you say, “Wow!?”
Trims and Features
The 2024 Lincoln Navigator is available in 3 trim levels: Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label. There are also extended-wheelbase models (L) available in the same trims.
The base trim is the Premiere trim, and it comes standard with features such as adaptive LED headlights, automatic high-beams, synthetic leather upholstery, hands-free liftgate, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, power-folding heated and ventilated second-row seats, power-folding third-row seats, power running boards, 20-inch wheels, adaptive suspension, tri-zone automatic climate control, a 110-volt AC power outlet, wireless smartphone charging, 13.2-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, Wi-Fi, 14-speaker sound system, satellite radio, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, forward collision mitigation, evasive steering assist, automated parking system, parking sensors, and a surround-view camera.
Stepping up to the Reserve trim gives drivers illuminated power running boards, 22-inch aluminum wheels, upgraded 24-way power-adjustable front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Lincoln’s BlueCruise 1.0 automated driving system, and a head-up display. Drivers can also unlock three option packages which include a 30-way power-adjustable and massaging front seats, a premium 28-speaker sound system, exterior and bumper details, 22-inch black aluminum wheels, a heavy-duty tow package, and an illuminated Lincoln badge on the grille.
The Black Label trim is the top-shelf Navigator and adds all luxury package options plus special 22-inch wheels, complimentary car washes, curated interior color and trim packages, extended maintenance plan, and digital key technology which allows drivers to use a smartphone app to unlock, start, and drive the Navigator.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade is available in six trims: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, Sport Platinum, and V.
The Luxury trim is the base Escalade and comes with synthetic leather upholstery, keyless entry, remote start, keyless ignition, wireless phone charging, a hands-free liftgate, tri-zone climate control, dash-spanning 16.9-inch infotainment screen, 14.2-inch instrument cluster, heated front and rear outboard seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, a 19-speaker AKG Studio sound system, lane departure warning, forward collision warning with automatic braking, and front and rear parking sensors.
The Premium Luxury trim adds on a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, heated and ventilated front seats, a head-up display, an automated parking system, rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, and opens up a touring package featuring soft-close doors and adaptive air suspension, a performance package with trailer hitch assistance, trailer brake controller, electronic limited-slip differential, and upgraded suspension, and a heavy-duty trailering package with an auxiliary trailer camera, trailer tire pressure monitoring, and upgraded cooling. Other standalone features include Super Cruise hands-free driving assist system and rear-seat entertainment system.
The Premium Luxury Platinum trim comes with most of the listed options of the previous trims plus soft-closing doors, a leather-wrapped instrument panel/console/upper doors, a rear-seat entertainment system, massaging front seats, adaptive air suspension, and a 36-speaker AKG premium audio system with Bluetooth headphones.
The Sport and Sport Platinum have features that mirror those of the Premium Luxury and Premium Luxury Platinum trims with gloss black exterior trim and exclusive visual appointments.
The Escalade V comes with the same features as the Premium Luxury Platinum plus some show stopping power to boot. Specs include a supercharged 6.2L V8 engine, V-spec driving modes, Brembo high-performance brakes, and performance-tuned adaptive air suspension.
The Verdict
Reaching a verdict on a matchup like this means we must consider all the small things that add up. The Lincoln Navigator is a spacious and luxurious full-size SUV with plenty of speed off the line to appease nearly any driver and a barrage of tech features that make the luxury seethe from every nook and cranny.
The 2024 Cadillac Escalade offers drivers great engine options not including the intense, monstrous supercharged 6.2L V8 option available on the V trim. It also comes fully loaded with tech gizmos that make life easier for the driver (and passengers).
Since the Escalade comes with more standard tech, such as the dash-spanning digital gauge cluster/infotainment touchscreen, as well as the engine options, we have to say that the 2024 Cadillac Escalade is the top pick of this showdown. It simply offers drivers more in terms of options and seems to have more thought put into its design than the 2024 Lincoln Navigator.
Of course, we are talking about vehicles that literally give you massages as you go down the road, so either one of them is a viable option for those who are looking to get into a full-sized luxury SUV. We just think that getting a massage while driving a 682-horsepower beast is more appealing.
As the saying goes, “You can’t hide money.” That is certainly true with the 2024 Lincoln Navigator and the 2024 Cadillac Escalade.
