Lincoln overhauls 2018 Navigator making it lighter and filled with technology

For the first time in a decade, Lincoln has redesigned the 2018 Navigator. The huge family hauler gets loads of new options as Ford tries to fight the big GM SUVs like the Escalade, Yukon and Tahoe.

The Lincoln Navigator is 20 years old now and is finally getting a badly needed overhaul. As the sales of SUVs continue to surge, Ford is turning its attention to Lincoln’s luxury version of the family transporter and giving it all of the upgrades it so richly deserves. Ford recently announced an upgraded 2018 Ford Explorer. The all-new 2018 Lincoln Navigator is benefitting from all of the upgrades to other Lincoln and Ford vehicles, rolling them into one giant package.

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator borrows the aluminum panel technology that Ford uses on its F-150 pickups. The new 2018 Lincoln Navigator is 200 lbs. lighter than the current version even though it is a couple of inches longer. The 2018 Lincoln Navigator will be packed with all-new power. It will feature a twin-turbo V6 engine that kicks out 450 horsepower.

The big news however is in all of the technological upgrades. One of the most interesting changes is a feature called speed dependent adaptive lighting. The new Lincoln lighting changes the headlights depending on what speed you are driving. According to Lincoln, adaptive lighting “provides a wider spread of light at lower speeds for increased visibility – helpful when driving through residential areas. As the vehicle accelerates, the beam of light narrows to help eliminate the glare off signs or other distractions.” We have all heard of automatic high and low beams, this takes that technology to a new level.

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator will off the driver and passenger the same Perfect Position Seats that debuted on the Lincoln Continental. The seats offer heating, cooling and massage options and can be adjusted 30 different ways.

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator will have wireless charging and standard Wi-Fi. It will have 4 different 12-volt power outlets as well as a 110 power plug. Ten mobile devices can be connected at any given time. Ten- inch entertainment screens are mounted on the backs of the front seats.

Kumar Galhotra, president of Lincoln, says in a statement, “Quiet luxury is both a look and a feeling. The all-new Navigator embodies both. The sleek styling, spacious interior and technology are all designed to make each trip effortless.”

The Navigator will have to work hard to break ground in a segment that it helped create but failed to keep pace with. Cadillac pretty much owns the domestic luxury SUV market, while Lexus and Mercedes dominate the import SUVs.

The big question will is, are the upgrades enough to justify buying the Navigator over its more affordable Ford cousin, the Expedition? Lincoln is not releasing the pricing right now. The new Navigator will be available later this year.