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2025 Buick Enclave vs Honda Pilot2020 Lincoln Navigator Review
The 2020 Lincoln Navigator is an SUV that does almost everything well including haul people and things in supreme luxury without the slightest concern.
2020 Lincoln Navigator – media.lincoln.com | Shop 2020 Lincoln Navigator on Carsforsale.com
What’s new for the 2020 Lincoln Navigator?
For 2020, the Lincoln Navigator gets a slew of upgrades. All Navigators will come with automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, automated emergency braking, and more with Lincoln Co-Pilot360. In addition to the safety features, every Navigator will also come with heated and ventilated front seats, power-operated running boards, and adaptive dampers. The Navigator Reserve is available with a monochromatic package that equips the SUV with special exterior trim. 2020 Lincoln Navigator Reserve and Black Label trim models also get illuminated versions of the powered running boards.
The Breakdown
Fantastic styling
Supreme interior space
Above average climate control
Handling is disappointing
Oddly placed controls
Over-sensitive driver aids
Adaptive cruise should be standard
2020 Navigator Specs
- 450 horsepower from base engine
- 510 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 3 available trims
- 20.9 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 103 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Monster hauling and towing capability
- Incredibly clear and bright audio quality
- NHTSA 5-star crash test rating
- Complimentary maintenance coverage
2020 Lincoln Navigator Powertrain
There’s nothing like feeling 450-horsepower at your right foot in a vehicle like this. While there are arguments to be made for vehicles like the Tesla Model X (which is much faster), but it can’t handle all the cargo that the 2020 Lincoln Navigator can. So when you put your foot down in here it’s shocking just how fast a vehicle this big can actually be.
We also love that those willing to pony up the cash for a Lincoln as opposed to the Ford version of this vehicle, the Expedition, will be getting 75 more horsepower from its 3.5L V6 mill. The 10-speed automatic is sublime too. Here’s a subtle feature other reviews won’t often tell you about. The auto start/stop is fantastic. It’s so fast to react that you’re never left without power to move, plus it’s quiet too.
If there’s anything to complain about when it comes to the Navigator, it’s handling. Highway handling is severely unimpressive. For those that remember driving huge SUVs before 2010 or so, the Navigator will feel similar behind the wheel. In a straight line it’s happy, but changing lanes with any sort of gusto or swerve to avoid something in the road and it’ll feel sort of like a drunken hippo with a bad leg. It takes multiple seconds to settle back into a steady groove.
The Navigator’s brakes are solid, but feature a strange progression. Around the 50% pedal engagement mark they ramp up much more quickly than they do for the first half of travel. Still, they’re reassuringly reliable.
Towing & Payload
Lincoln getting the best version of this turbocharged engine sure helps out the towing capacity. At 8,600 pounds when properly equipped, the 2020 Lincoln Navigator is an outstanding choice for those who want to haul people and things at the same time. Of course, to achieve those feats, buyers will want to be sure to get the HD trailer tow package.
2020 Lincoln Navigator Fuel Economy & MPG
The EPA rates the 2020 Lincoln Navigator with four-wheel drive at 18 miles per gallon combined. That takes into account its 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway ratings. The rear-wheel-drive version doesn’t do any better in the city, but bumps that number to 22 mpg on the highway, which marginally increases the combined rating to 19 mpg. While it might not sound like much, it’s better than rivals like the GMC Yukon with its thirsty 6.2-liter V8.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Having driven everything from the GMC Yukon Denali XL to the Kia Telluride, it’s clear that the Lincoln Navigator is in a class of its own when it comes to interior space. As a taller guy (6’6), I almost never fit in the second row of a vehicle without some contorting, but the 2020 Lincoln Navigator is the exception. There’s so much space in both of the front two rows that four people my size could easily fit for hours on end without discomfort.
The interior materials are of high-quality throughout the vehicle. The door cards, the dash pad, and the center console all feel top notch. There’s something to be said as well for the huge panoramic sunroof that retracts about half-way. In the right setting, it’s a wonderful way to get a little natural light in an otherwise dim cabin.
Finally, cargo space inside the Navigator is copious. If you took the Navigator on a road trip, it has enough room to carry four adults (plus one a furry friend) and carry everything you could possibly need and more in the back. Storage is, in a word, fantastic. If we had needed to haul anything, we’re confident that the 2020 Lincoln Navigator is up for the task.
Entertainment & Technology
Ford and Lincoln products all benefit from an outstanding Sync system that’s been updated in the 2020 Lincoln Navigator. It’s so fast that most of the time it’s connected before your seat belt is fully buckled. The user interface is well laid out and overall very impressive. If there’s one thing to complain about, it’s a slight delay in swipe gesture recognition that can be read incorrectly by the system.
Beyond that, we love the impressive audio quality from the sound system and the plethora of charging spaces. That includes the rear control center which houses HVAC controls, media controls, a cigarette style outlet, and a household style outlet to boot.
Safety Features
The 2020 Lincoln Navigator has earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the IIHS and a five-star crash test rating from the NHTSA. Both highlight how safey-forward the Navigator is. Sometimes though, safety systems like forward collision warning or lane keeping assist inside this SUV can be comically aggressive. Still, that’s far better than the alternative.
2020 Lincoln Navigator Trims & Pricing
Standard – $77,480
The base 2020 Lincoln Navigator is a great SUV. It comes with an outstanding 14-speaker sound system, LED headlights, powered running boards, heated and ventilated seats, a 10-inch infotainment system with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and tri-zone climate control. Every Navigator uses the same 450-horsepower 3.5L V6 and a ten-speed automatic transmission. Buyers who want extra space can opt for a long-wheelbase version of each trim denoted by an “L” at the end of the trim name. It adds around a foot of overall length and boosts fuel capacity to 27 gallons, up from 23.
Reserve – $83,020
Opt for the Reserve trim levels and buyers will get adaptive cruise control, second-row captain’s chairs, a huge panoramic sunroof, and a 360-degree surround view camera system.
Black Label – $98,430
Buyers who go for the Black Label will get a heavy-duty towing package, a 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, 30-way power-adjustable seats, and Black Label specific interior and exterior trim. They also get perks like three additional years of complimentary maintenance and free pickup and delivery of the vehicle for those appointments.
Warranties
Lincoln stands out by offering a 4-year or 50,000-mile limited warranty in addition to a 6-year or 70,000-mile powertrain warranty. That’s already better than most competitors, but it gets even better because all 2020 Lincoln Navigators get a full year of complimentary maintenance. Buy the Black Label and you’ll get four years instead of just one.
What we think
2020 Lincoln Navigator – media.lincoln.com | Shop 2020 Lincoln Navigator on Carsforsale.com
The 2020 Lincoln Navigator proves once again that the Navigator badge is truly and properly returned to the top echelon of luxury SUVs. Its technology and comfort are outstanding. The one area where it lacks, handling, isn’t going to be a letdown for most drivers either and the extensive warranty coverage makes up for anything we can nitpick.
