Lincoln is making major moves in the SUV market for 2003 with a new brand,
the Aviator, and a heavily revised Navigator that seeks to remain atop the
preference list for larger-than-life executive transport. The Navigator has
been a strong presence in the luxury SUV field and the new model seeks to
raise the ante with amenities for the owner who is never, ever going to go
off-road. 

A list of the new features is quite long. The 2003 Navigator sports a new
body, although the sheet metal is highly reminiscent of its immediate
predecessor. The Navigator is now built on a frame that is 70 percent
torsionally stiffer and 67 percent more resistant to vertical bending for
improved vehicle stability and durability. Rack-and-pinion steering as well
as independent rear suspension have been installed to improve ride and
handling. 

Stepping in and out of a big SUV is a major challenge for many drivers and
passengers. Access to the Navigator will be eased with optional power
running boards that drop down four inches from the rocker panel when a door
is opened and then automatically retract. The running boards are a technical
marvel, but I wonder how they will play back in Minnesota when they are
exposed to a sleet storm.

The interior also receives substantial upgrades and a significant element of
the story this year is seats. To enhance comfort, the new Navigator will be
the first SUV to offer climate-controlled driver and front-passenger seats
that heat, cool and provide ventilation through the surface. Buyers get a
choice in the second row between two buckets with reclining backrests or a
standard bench seat that can accommodate three. Although it¹s hard to
believe that luxury SUV owners want a third row of seating since most seem
to travel solo, the new Nav features third-row seats with a power option
that allows them to fold into the floor for a flat cargo area. Lincoln
claims best-in-class third-row passenger room made possible by changes to
the rear suspension that allows a lower floor pan.

In an earlier road test, I expressed a rather high regard for the new
Lincoln Aviator, finding that it offered good power, refined road manners
and a stunning interior. The significantly larger Navigator falls short in
the first two categories, but offers the same high-tech visual treatment in
the interior with crisp lines and the strategic use of polished metal and
wood accents. Lincoln is producing print and television ads that feature
both Aviator and Navigator side-by-side. The photos show a significant
difference in size, which seems magnified on the road. The Navigator is
about as ungainly as any consumer vehicle on the market right now.

Despite some impressive features, I don¹t find the Navigator an appealing
vehicle.  My concerns are focused on size (height and length) and a vehicle
weight that approaches the three-ton mark. Size matters. In this case, it
works against driving dynamics as well as one's ability to negotiate packed
urban streets and park in congested areas.

It¹s difficult for me to envision a buyer who needs the kind of bulk that
defines the Navigator. Sure, it will pull a pretty large trailer, but I
don't see many luxury-class owners dragging trailers behind their spiffy
SUVs. The affluent horsey set on the other hand‹polo players and the
likeseem to prefer diesel trucks to haul around their string of ponies.
And as for passenger room, the smaller Aviator offers excellent comfort for
a driver and three or four passengers. Nor is the cushy Navigator really
equipped for serious off-road work. In fact, our test vehicle provides power
to the rear wheels only, so woe to him or her who ventures into snow country
with this vehicle. All-wheel-drive is available as an option, but is
probably overkill for most purchasers.

While the Navigator does deliver a soft, cushy ride by SUV standards, its
handling is substandard. Driving the Nav on a mountain road exposes its
ponderous bulk, only made worse by its imprecise steering and insignificant
feedback to the driver. And mountain grades also uncover the fact that even
though 300 horsepower seems like a lot of power, it meets its match when
pulling up a moderate mountain grade. In that case, you¹ll need to keep the
accelerator close to the floor to keep up with normal traffic.

 
Vehicle: Lincoln Navigator 4x2

Price as tested: $55,615

Engine:

         Type: 5.4-liter V-8

         Horsepower: 300 @ 5,000 rpm

         Torque: 355-ft. lbs. @ 2,750 rpm

Fuel economy, automatic transmission

         City - 12 mpg

         Highway - 17 mpg

Curb Weight: 5,760