Faced with competition from an all-new GMC Denali and Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln did what it could to freshen up the 2007 Navigator: A redesign of the front and rear, done on a budget, nonetheless still makes this Navigator look newer than it is. Mission accomplished.
That does not, however, address the fact that these are not the best times for full-sized luxury SUVs, particularly those rated at 13 mpg in the city. But those customers who want, and perhaps even need, a big sport ute are willing to ante up for the gas and for the price: The test 2007 Navigator, a top-of-the-line Ultimate model, started at $50,655 and ended up at $58,965. If you don’t need the Ultimate, the Luxury model will save you some money, but all those Ultimate owners will feel sorry for you.
Our Navigator was painted “white chocolate tri-coat” (a $495 option), and with the big 20-inch optional chrome-plated wheels ($1,495), you aren’t likely to arrive incognito. The optional Elite package, at $5,450, added a navigation system, a rear-seat entertainment system, and running boards that flip down when you open the doors, flip back up when you close them. Cool.
Under the hood was Ford’s 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower V-8, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Though the power is there, this engine just doesn’t have the kick-in-the-pants feel of GM’s pushrod V-8 engines. The test Navigator was four-wheel drive, but I didn’t test that, fearful of scratching the white chocolate tri-coat paint or the chrome hood accent (a $50 option).
Inside, this is as deluxe as it gets. The stereo, with Sirius satellite service, is superb. Camel-colored leather upholstery is Jaguar-quality, and the front bucket seats are heated and cooled but not at the same time. The one thing missing that should not have been: a rear-view camera, though sensors did beep as I backed too close to a mailbox.
This is the regular-length Navigator, with a third-row seat that goes up and down with a power switch. There is a Navigator L available, too, which has a 131-inch wheelbase, instead of the regular Navigator’s 119-inch wheelbase. Overall length is 208.4 inches for this model, 223.3 for the L. This one seems plenty big.
On the road, the Navigator’s ride is as smooth as you would expect. Steering feel is too light for my taste, and when you corner hard, you feel all 6,070 pounds this big boy weighs. Towing capacity for this model, incidentally, is 8,750 pounds.
Underneath the bling, the Navigator is what it always has been: a very nice Ford Expedition, just like the GMC Denali and Cadillac Escalade are very nice Chevrolet Tahoes. And if that’s what you want — perhaps even need — you would be well-served by any of them.