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Many were stunned recently when Ford Motor announced that it was pausing work on a three-row EV, choosing instead to focus on smaller hybrid vehicles to combat the expected onslaught of small EVs from China. I wasn’t a bit surprised. I covered Ford extensively when Alan Mulally was CEO from 2006 to 2014. Ford is revamping its Lincoln lineup, refreshing all four of its models. The latest is the beautiful 2025 Lincoln Navigator. Mulally always preached that companies should focus on their core business so that you have profits to fund investments. CEO Jim Farley worked with Mulally and learned to protect the core business at all costs.
2025 Lincoln Navigator Tries to Win Back Fans
The Lincoln Navigator elevated the large SUV segment to Premium or Luxury segment back in the 90’s. My husband drove one. It was big for its time but truly luxurious for its time as well. Now, Lincoln is once again focusing on the sector and the new 2025 Navigator looks upscale.
Lincoln’s flagship SUV has a new exterior and upgraded interior. There is a huge 48-inch panoramic display that spans the length of the instrument panel. Spas are big right now and the new Navigator is adopting many of the amenities. Lincoln has settings called Rejuvenate making the Navigator a “spa on wheels” that adjusts seat position with heat and massage options, climate control, scenting, sound, lighting, and expansive visuals to reduce stress and create a relaxing experience inside the vehicle. The idea is to bring front-row comforts to second-row passengers.
The Navigator is also changing its grille design and add what it calls a split tail gate. The top three-quarters of the gate rises like a traditional liftgate, while the bottom quarter lowers like a conventional tailgate, helping to make it easier to load and unload without items spilling in the driveway. The new tailgate can also transforms the space into a convenient seating area for the family.
“Navigator is the flagship of the Lincoln brand and represents our ultimate expression of sanctuary,” said Dianne Craig, president, Lincoln. “The all-new Navigator is more than just a vehicle; it can become a home away from home and a third space that rejuvenates clients in an entirely new way on and off the road.”
Navigator has a new Pano Mode, which plays video and gaming apps to either side of the panoramic display when the vehicle is in park. The new feature helps make Navigator even more of a hub for music, podcasts, gaming and productivity apps while away from home.
What is With the Spa Treatment?
Lincoln Rejuvenate combines sight, sound, touch and scent to help drivers recharge during long road trips or after a busy day at the office. The multi-sensory experience in Navigator can help reduce stress and provide relaxation inside the Navigator.
While in park, a tap of the touchscreen activates a five- or 10-minute spa experience. The driver’s seat slides rearward, reclines, warms slightly and begins massaging. The steering wheel moves up and away. And calming visuals fill the center stack and panoramic display, complemented by ambient lighting and soothing sounds as a subtle fragrance fills the cabin. The Lincoln Digital Scent is class-exclusive in the all-new Navigator SUV.
Upgrading the Interior
With seating for up to eight people, Navigator is designed to provide first-class travel for all three rows. The all-new class-exclusive Split Gate opens automatically with Open on Approach. When the key fob or Phone as a Key enters a dedicated area behind the gate for up to four seconds, the liftgate opens to give easy access to the cargo area. The system can be programmed to open the tailgate as well.
Available Second-Row Power Tailored Seats bring the comfort of power-adjustable, heated, ventilated and massaging captain’s chairs to second-row passengers. Fully powered sliding second-row seats make accessing the third row as simple as the press of a button. A semi-powered second-row bench seat is optional. A 40/20/40 folding third-row bench seat delivers comfort for two or three passengers. Any portion of the third-row seat can be folded to make hauling equipment easier.
“The immersive, panoramic display accentuates the horizontal lines that help the Navigator cabin wrap around you,” said Kemal Curic, global design director, Lincoln. “Throughout the design process, we were very thoughtful about the harmony between our design principles, the user interface and our connected experiences that all work together to create a reimagined experience for our clients.”
Upgrading the Ride
Navigators come with standard 22-inch wheels but 24-inch high-gloss Ebony or Luster Nickel aluminum wheels are also available for the first time.
Lincoln BlueCruise hands-free highway driving is standard on Navigator. As BlueCruise assists with braking, accelerating and steering, the system helps reduce some of the stress of driving, helping clients to arrive at their destination more energized.
Other new driver-assist features for Navigator include Turn Signal View, which projects a camera view of the adjacent lane on the 48-inch panoramic display when the turn signal is engaged. Intersection Assist can help detect oncoming traffic while attempting to turn left. If the system detects an oncoming vehicle, it provides an audible alert and applies the brakes.
A twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine with 440 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. Four-wheel drive and adaptive suspension with continuously controlled damping are also standard on the 2025 Navigator.
Th 2025 Lincoln Navigator is the type of vehicle that Ford does extremely well. As long as the public’s appetite for large SUV EVs remains weak, it makes perfect sense to focus on the big vehicles that create profits until you can develop more hybrids that the public appears to want. The 2025 Lincoln Navigator goes on sale next spring. Pricing should be released closer to when they go into production.
Lincoln Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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