Lincoln Navigator reviews

1998 Lincoln Navigator Walkaround

The Navigator team obviously didn't have to design from scratch. The starting point was Ford's Expedition, a newcomer that's rewritten the full-size sport-ute rulebook.

A little bigger than the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon four-doors, but easier to garage than GM's even bigger Suburban, the Expedition blends surprising backwoods capability with equally surprising maneuverability and ride quality that sets high standards on surfaces ranging from smooth pavement to lumpy Forest Service trails.

Building from these strengths, the Navigator adds generous dollops of luxury, inside and out. The wide grille is unmistakably Lincoln, the illuminated running boards--optional on the Expedition--are standard, and the body shell is packed with extra sound deadening materials.

From a cosmetic point of view, the only element that seems inconsistent to us is the raised white lettering on the tires, something we associate with Jeep Wranglers rather than luxury vehicles.

From a mechanical point of view, there's nothing even remotely inconsistent. Quite the contrary. The Navigator employs the same beefy frame as the Expedition, and the same suspension: independent front, live axle with air springs and automatic load leveling in the rear. Four-wheel drive models like our tester add air shocks at the front, and the system automatically raises the vehicle's ride height at low speeds for an additional inch of ground clearance.

When forward motion stops, the system automatically settles down to its lowest height to facilitate ingress and egress. The standard running boards also help out in this respect; so do passenger assist grab handles inside the vehicle.

Power is supplied by a 5.4-liter V8 engine, one of Ford's new family of ovrhead cam truck engines. Like the Expedition, the Navigator's V8 is allied with a four-speed automatic transmission that includes an overdrive lockout feature for occasions when a little extra oomph is required.

There's plenty of oomph here, enough to give the Navigator good all-around performance, and a maximum towing capability of 8000 pounds. That's significantly higher than the max for the Tahoe and Yukon, although some Suburban powertrain combinations yield even higher ratings.

Like the Expedition, the Navigator offers the option of Ford's new Control-Trac 4WD system, operated by an easy-to-use dashboard switch. The settings include an automatic 4WD mode that functions essentially as an all-wheel drive system--basically 2WD when traction is plentiful, apportioning torque to the front wheels when system sensors detect slippage at the rear.

The system also includes a high-range 4WD setting, and low-range 4WD for max traction in creepy-crawly situations, like muddy forest trails.