Lincoln updates Navigator SUV with refinements, more tech

On what should have been the eve of the COVID-cancelled New York International Auto Show, Lincoln unveiled the latest evolution of its Navigator SUV. The behemoth people carrier is updated for the first time since former design director David Woodhouse departed for a satellite studio job with Nissan in California, leaving the reins to his colleague Kemal Curic after creating what is easily the most elegant lineup we’ve seen from the American brand in decades.

For the mid-cycle facelift, chief exterior designer Earl Lucas says his team created a bolder looking front and rear based on customer feedback, while staying true to the mantra of “seduce, not attack.” A new front grille is more upright and telegraphs a more commanding appearance than the slightly more swept-back version from before. For the refresh, designers considered the proportion of the upper grille to the lower, making the former appear as if it were resting on a pedestal. Top-of-the-line Black Label models get a unique, more three-dimensional grille treatment. New, reshaped headlamps with adaptive pixel technology give the Navigator a more contemporary look. Below the lower grille, an insert piece runs the full width of the front, underscoring Lincoln’s focus on horizontality. In the same way, the redesigned tail lamp graphic stretches the full width of the rear end, with a sequential lighting effect that gives the appearance of wrapping around the vehicle.

Lincoln interiors are created around the tenet of “sanctuary,” a philosophy that focuses on creating a calm, inviting feeling inside the cabin. Echoing the horizontality of the exterior is a wider display screen sitting atop more broadly stretched air vents. Although it lacks the dazzle of Cadillac’s huge, curved OLED display found in the current Escalade, it’s a marked improvement in a vehicle whose customers expect the most up-to-date technology.

Most notably, two new colour and trim themes are available for Black Label models, including Central Park, which chief interior designer Ryan Niemiec says was created as an homage to the place of the same name in New York City with the aim to evoke the feeling from going to the busy city into a quiet, wooded refuge. Open-pore dark walnut wood that recalls the surface of the trees is laser-etched with a map of the park’s scenic pathways. “Urban” green leather is perforated in a pattern that mimics the Manhattan skyline, and is also available with a metallic “Manhattan green” exterior paint.

Niemiec says the second theme, called Invitation, was inspired by the experience of celebrating with friends and loved ones, from the moment of receiving a hand-written invitation on fine paper sealed with wax, to arriving to a room filled with fine furniture, and culminating in an outdoor sunset dinner. This is expressed through open-pore Khaya wood with a dual-laser-etched pattern, along with black leather upholstery perforated with a pattern meant to recall an outdoor pergola and brandy-coloured contrast stitching.

The 2022 Navigator is the first Lincoln to be equipped with ActivGlide, a hands-free driver assist suite with improved versions of adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and speed sign recognition that allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel for brief stints on specific stretches of road (the system also uses cameras to monitor the driver’s eye and head position for safety). The big Navi also gest Ford’s Sync 4 interface, which adds over-the-air software updates and a new digital design theme, dubbed “Constellation,” with animations inspired by sunset that play on the centre screen, digital driver’s cluster, head-up display, and a new 5.8-inch control screen in the second row.

Like much of the industry, Lincoln has committed to move away from combustion engines, announcing earlier this year that it will transition to an all-electric lineup by 2030. Even so, with its handsome proportions and Americans’ current thirst for large, petrol-powered SUVs, the 2022 Navigator should continue to make its mark on the road. The company also recently showcased a one-off Aviator concept after collaborating with a watch-maker.