2025 Lincoln Navigator Review
MSRP: $85,000 (starting price you poors)
Engine: A b3.5L Twin-Turbo V6.
Horsepower/Torque:440 hp and 510 lb-ft
Average Fuel Economy: 14 in mixed driving
“....but why?
”
— Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi
Why ask….errrr why?
Because, honestly, the 2025 Lincoln Navigator is just loaded up with so much tech that even the everyday stuff feels totally saturated in it. It's so much, it just kinda swallows you whole instead of making you feel at ease. Truly great pieces of technology make your life easier, and while not-so-great pieces of technology can frustrate the living crap out of you.
But let’s start off from the beginning:
So, for 2025, the Navigator got a pretty good refresh. It's still got that commanding look, but now with a slicker front end, new grille, and updated LED lights that make it look even more modern and bold. Around back, the taillights got a little tweak too, and they've added some new wheel options, including those massive 24-inchers. Inside, it's all about that bigger, more integrated infotainment screen, a slightly tweaked center console, and some fancy new materials that really amp up the luxury feel. Tech-wise, they've beefed things up with more BlueCruise hands-free driving capability and an updated SYNC system that's supposed to be super easy to use.
But here's where things get a bit... weird. Even with all those cool updates, some of the design choices just make everyday driving needlessly complicated.
Think about those things you do without even thinking in your current car – like adjusting the air vents, tweaking the side mirrors, moving the steering wheel, or even turning on your headlights. In this 2025 Navigator, you often have to do all that stuff only through the infotainment screen.
And the absolute worst offender? The vent controls. Seriously, it's the most concerning, perplexing, and borderline dangerous (no, it's just dangerous) thing about this car. Remember that simple knob or handle you just reach for to adjust the air, all while keeping your eyes on the road? Gone! Now, to get the air flowing just right, you gotta dig into the HVAC menu on the touchscreen, then carefully slide a tiny icon across a six-inch display. There's no click, no bump, no haptic feedback to help you out. You're just blindly swiping your finger. Oh man, and don't forget... YOU'RE STILL DRIVING THE CAR! So, you're doing all this at, say, 80 mph. I actually timed it, and it took me about 15 seconds. Doesn't sound like much, right? But let's do some quick math:
80 mph = 117 FEET PER SECOND
117 Feet X 15 Seconds = 1,755 FEET.
Yep, you could travel 1,755 FEET just trying to adjust your vents in this thing.
That's a huge distraction. Even if you get "used to it" and cut that time in half, you're still looking at 819 feet of driving with your eyes off the road. Moving these basic controls to the screen just doesn't feel like a smart engineering move. It feels more like some big shot executive wanted to make the dash look "cleaner" and forced this idea on the designers and engineers, probably ignoring all their pleas. I bet the accountants even chimed in, saying, "Hey, a vent handle costs like seven cents! Why are we pouring R&D into motorized vents and all that programming?"
But alas, the "genius" who thought this up won, and here we are. Or, here I am, still fuming about these vent controls. Honestly, they completely overshadow so many other great things about the 2025 Navigator.
And don't get me wrong, there are great things! That twin-turbo V6, with its 440 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque, really delivers serious oomph! You hit the gas, and this big SUV just takes off, no hesitation. It's got the surprising ability to leave many other cars in its dust when passing on the highway, or even pulling a decent-sized trailer without breaking a sweat. And speaking of positives, the Navigator's exterior just oozes presence and sophistication. From its bold, upright grille to its sleek lines and distinctive lighting, this thing commands attention on the road without being flashy. It looks expensive and refined, exactly what you'd expect from a luxury SUV. Plus, there's just a ton of space inside, especially in the longer L model. We're talking genuine room for adults in all three rows, and even with a full house, you've still got a surprising amount of cargo room for all your gear. Calling this a family hauler just seems wrong. This is like an executive or C-suite shuttle.
Now, if we compare the 2025 Lincoln Navigator to its main rival, the 2025 Cadillac Escalade, you see some different philosophies. The Escalade often looks a bit more aggressive and sharp, while the Navigator keeps it classy and elegant. And speaking of screens, while the Escalade may have kicked off the whole "ginormous dash screen" phase with its impressive curved OLED display, Lincoln definitely took the ball and ran with it. The Navigator's new integrated screen feels more cohesive and perhaps even more intuitive in its layout, giving it a subtle edge in overall user experience.
Under the hood, the Escalade still rocks a standard V8, and while that small block has a certain personality and soul to it – that classic V8 rumble, you know? – there's no denying the sheer torque difference. The Navigator's twin-turbo V6, with its 510 lb-ft, just pulls harder from lower RPMs, giving you that instant shove when you need it. When it comes to hands-free driving, GM's Super Cruise is still the gold standard, no doubt about it. But Lincoln's BlueCruise is catching up in leaps and bounds with every new vehicle, constantly improving its capabilities and expanding its road network.
Inside, the Escalade's cabin is undeniably nice, with plenty of luxury touches. However, if you look closely, that "off the shelf" GM parts binning is readily apparent wherever you look. Buttons, switches, and even some trim pieces can feel a bit too familiar if you've been in other GM vehicles. The Navigator, on the other hand, boasts a superior interior experience. Lincoln goes to great lengths to create a truly bespoke feel, with unique switchgear, richer textures, and a design language that feels entirely its own. It's less about sharing components and more about crafting an exclusive environment. Though, it's worth a quick mention that the last generation Navigator actually felt even more substantial. It's not a cheapening, per se, with this new generation, but the previous one just had a certain heft and a bit more specialness to its materials and construction that's slightly less pronounced now.
One more head-scratcher, probably from the same folks who loved the vent idea, is putting those standard 24-inch wheels with low-profile 40-series tires on a big luxury SUV. They look cool, sure, but they really hurt the ride comfort, which is a big deal for a luxury vehicle. Good news is, you can fix this! Just go for the 22-inch wheel option, which comes with a comfier 50-series tire. Problem solved!
So, what's the final word on the 2025 Lincoln Navigator? It's a truly capable and undeniably luxurious SUV, offering impressive power, a striking exterior presence, and a genuinely spacious and well-appointed cabin that, in many ways, outshines its direct competitor. However, its most significant drawback lies in its baffling embrace of touchscreen-only controls for fundamental driving functions, particularly those frustrating vent adjustments, and that questionable 24-inch wheel option. These choices create unnecessary distractions and can detract from the overall driving experience.
And here's the kicker: while this new Navigator is packed with techno-wizardry, it feels like all that new tech might actually be taking away some of the "old school luxury charm" that the previous generation had in spades. The last Navigator just felt more special, more substantial, and its technology was designed to enhance the driving experience, not completely envelop it. With this 2025 model, there's so much technology that it almost overwhelms everything else. That's probably the best way to describe the new Navigator: a vehicle where the sheer volume of tech, while impressive on paper, sometimes gets in its own way,
Yousef Alvi
