The 2022 Lincoln Navigator remains part of the fourth-gen variant unveiled in 2018. It has a similar body-on-frame chassis, aluminum body panels, and four-wheel independent suspension as its Ford Expedition stablemate. However, the styling pays homage to Lincoln’s now-defunct Continental luxury sedan, the short-lived tenth-generation car produced from 2017 to 2020.
Setting The Stage
As before, the Lincoln Navigator is a more posh Ford Expedition, but the 2022 model introduces a few minor exterior updates and a host of new tech and luxury features to remain competitive against rivals like the redesigned Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GLS. The Navigator accounts for about 33 percent of the brand’s “conquest clients,” meaning that 33 percent of Navigator buyers previously owned a make and model other than a Ford.
“The new Navigator will continue to play a critical role in differentiating our brand and will welcome even more clients to Lincoln,” said Joy Falotico, president of Lincoln.
Then again, the Navigator has always been a strong seller. In its first year in 1998, Lincoln overtook Cadillac in annual sales volume, with the Navigator contributing significantly to this historic feat.
The 2022 Lincoln Navigator arrives with a refreshed fascia. It has an updated front grille, reshaped bumpers, and standard adaptive pixel projector headlight clusters. Meanwhile, it also gains new 3D taillights that fade from the center out after unlocking the vehicle or fade out to the center upon departing.
We’re crushing on those fancy taillights, but the biggest news is the first-ever implementation of Lincoln’s ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, a culmination of advanced lane centering, speed sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control driver systems. ActiveGlide enables hands-free, semi-autonomous driving on more than 130,000 miles of highways across North America. It includes a driver-facing camera in the instrument cluster to ensure your eyes are constantly staring at the road.
Also new for the 2022 Lincoln Navigator are ventilated second-row seats (with an optional massaging function), an all-digital rear seat control module to fiddle with audio and climate control settings, and a new back seat entertainment system with Amazon Fire TV compatibility. On the other hand, front occupants can play with a new 13.2-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC4, now offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa.
“We’ve added thoughtful technology we know our clients will appreciate, helping to make their journey, whether it be near or far, as effortless and enjoyable as possible,” added Mike Kipley, Navigator chief program engineer.
Turbo Power & Unique Adaptive Suspension
The 2022 Lincoln Navigator has a standard 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 derived from the Ford F-150 Raptor monster truck. But in Navigator guise, the engine pumps out 440 horsepower (10 horses less than in the Raptor) and the same 510 lb-ft. of torque. The engine turns the rear or all four wheels using a 10-speed automatic gearbox.
New to the 2022 Lincoln Navigator is an adaptive suspension with road preview. The system utilizes 12 sensors and a forward-facing camera that “reads” or scans the road 500 times per second while automatically prompting the dampers up to 100 times per second to deliver a smooth and unperturbed ride.
In addition, the standard Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow Package now includes Trailer Reverse Guidance with high-resolution cameras and multiple viewing angles to make mincemeat out of backing up or maneuvering a trailer. In case you’re wondering, the 2022 Navigator can tow as much as 8,700 lbs.
The 2022 Lincoln Navigator is available in a standard or long-wheelbase (Navigator L) body style with a rear-wheel or all-wheel drivetrain. The L variant is over 12 inches longer and has a larger 27-gallon fuel tank. No matter which, the Navigator offers seating for up to eight adults, but optional second-row captain’s chairs will reduce the seating capacity to seven.
Lincoln offers the 2022 Navigator in three trim models: Base, Reserve, and Black Label. All MSRP figures below are inclusive of the $1,695 destination fee.
Navigator Base
Surprisingly, the Navigator Base RWD starts at $78,405 and is only $5 dearer than last year’s base variant, while the 4WD model starts at $81,405 – about $735 more than the outgoing model. The reason behind the seemingly odd price disparity is beyond us, and the price differences increase further as you climb the trim ladder.
The base Navigator L RWD starts at $81,400, but you’ll need to fork over $84,400 for the Navigator L 4WD. For the money, all base Navigators have 20-inch wheels, adaptive LED headlights, an adaptive suspension, power running boards, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, heated and ventilated front/second-row seats, power-folding second and third-row seats, and a 14-speaker audio system.
Navigator Reserve
We prefer the Navigator Reserve over the base model because it has a panoramic sunroof, 22-inch wheels, premium leather upholstery, illuminated running boards, and new 24-way power front seats. The Navigator Reserve RWD starts at $89,100 for the standard wheelbase and $91,770 for the L variant. The 4WD version starts at $91,440, while the 4WD L costs $94,465.
Additionally, Navigator Reserve has ActiveGlide and a heads-up display. All Navigator trim variants get Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 2.0, a suite of advanced driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, forward collision mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and many more.
Navigator Black Label
The range-topping Navigator Black Label 4WD starts at $104,675 and $107,720 (L 4WD). Standard features include a 28-speaker audio system, unique 22-inch wheels, custom interior trim packages, complimentary car washes (no kidding), and an extended maintenance plan for added peace of mind.
Lincoln Warranty
The Lincoln brand offers class-leading warranties among other luxury automakers. The Navigator has a standard bumper-to-bumper warranty of four years/50,000 miles, a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a five-year/unlimited mileage corrosion warranty. It helps to look into an extended warranty if you plan on driving a lot of miles. Our in-depth guide to Lincoln’s warranty will clarify whether an extended one is worth considering.
Getting The Best Deal
Our free and easy search tools* will show Lincoln dealerships in your area that offer the best deals on a 2022 Navigator. That tool will also reveal the invoice price, a handy piece of info that will help you negotiate the lowest possible out-the-door price.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Lincoln Motor Company.
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