High luxury in an SUV

srobertson

Navigator is upscale version of Ford Expedition

Light French Silk Clearcoat. Is this the latest nail polish color from Europe? Nope, it's the color of the 2004 Lincoln Navigator I tested last week. And although it's loaded with features to woo the ladies of the house, it's also a real, macho SUV with a two-speed transfer case and a 300-horsepower V-8 designed to send lesser wanna-be SUVs scurrying back to the suburbs.

Several friends and acquaintances also drove the Navigator, and their comments were both informative and amusing. One driver currently owns a 2001 Ford Expedition, upon which the Navigator is based. Here are some of their comments:

Ken: "I feel like I'm at the helm of the Starship Enterprise. You sit up tall, have a great view, everything falls to hand, it's responsive, this is one impressive vehicle."

Bob: "The seats are very comfortable. I like the bolsters that hold you into the seat, and I like their full range of adjustablity. The steering wheel feels very nice, and I like the big windshield -- it gives a great view of the road. The sound of the big V-8 is wonderful, there is very little wind noise, and the interior is very nice."

Bonnie: "This vehicle rides and handles much better than my '01 Expedition. I love how the luggage floor lies perfectly flat É the old one doesn't do that. And the power-folding, third-row seat is much improved. I use all three rows of seats quite often, so that is a feature I really appreciate."

Mary: "It's very nimble. I like the way it handles. Although it's big, it drives through the traffic very easily. I can appreciate why it is very appealing to a lot of people."

Background

Ford, the parent company of Lincoln, builds four sizes of SUVs, from the smallest Escape, to the super-size Excursion. The Navigator is based on the Expedition, which has been totally redesigned. So although this is a big SUV, longer than Cadillac's Escalade and the Lexus LX470, it is not the biggest on the road. Excursion has a 20-inch of length, and a 600-pound weight advantage over Navigator. But what Navigator gives up in size to its Ford cousin, it makes up for in luxury and ride. Besides, the limousine customizers are building Navigators that dwarf the Excursion. I saw a stretch Navigator the other day that must have been 40 feet long! It's what many high school seniors will be going to the prom in this year.

Navigator is available in two versions -- Luxury and Ultimate. Naturally, I wanted to test drive the Ultimate, and the folks at Groves Lincoln/Mercury were very accommodating. The Luxury edition comes equipped with just about every feature you can imagine, but those opting for the Ultimate also get Roll Stability Control, HID headlamps, heated and cooled seats, a moonroof, power-folding third-row seats and a nifty power liftgate. Not to be outdone by the competition, Lincoln also equipped this vehicle with optional powered running boards that extend outward when you open the doors. They're not only practical, but they also elicited "oohs" and "aahs" from admiring passengers.

This Lincoln has a presence that commanded attention wherever I took it. It not only owned the road, but it pampered us with a plush ride and power features we did not expect. The spacious cabin gives everyone (up to eight people with the second-row bench seat) room to stretch. Or, you can equip your Navigator with captain chairs and a console in the second row, but then you give up the fold-flat floor for hauling extra cargo. Both the first and second-row seating areas were trimmed in glove-soft premium leather, and American walnut burl wood graced the steering wheel, instrument panel and door-trim panels. Satin-nickel accents adorned the control panel, shift knob and door handles. But the crowning touch was the analog timepiece in the center of the dash, with its polished satin-nickel setting -- an elegant Lincoln tradition.

But a luxury SUV has to be "macho" as well as elegant, so Lincoln gave Navigator 300-horsepower and a real four-wheel-drive system with high and low gearing, selectable with a simple flip of the wrist from the driver's seat. For those who can't be bothered with turning a knob there's also an automatic "all-wheel-drive" mode which detects rear wheel slippage and sends power to the front axle when needed. Driving enjoyment is enhanced by the dual climate control enabling front-seaters to set their own temperature preferences, and dual heated and cooled seats, each with their own temperature controls. Of course, rear-seaters have their own climate control as well.

But the real pleasure of driving the Navigator comes from, well, driving it! This SUV is a bold leap forward from what Lincoln was offering us just a couple of years ago. Rack-and-pinion steering, four-wheel independent suspension, and forged aluminum suspension parts make the vehicle handle beautifully in town and out on the highway. Lincoln engineers blessed the Navigator with air-ride suspension at all four wheels, and the result is one of the plushest, quietest rides you'll find.

The Navigator Ultimate rides on huge 18-inch tires, and has a backup warning system, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, and a five-year, 50,000-mile warranty. On a trip to Marion, Ill., I averaged 15.5 miles per gallon. The vehicle has a price tag of $63,245 and various rebates and financing incentives that run through the end of this month.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian. Contact him at srobertson@semissourian.com.