Luxury SUVs have become obsessed with being everything at once. Bigger screens, sharper handling, endless drive modes, and ever-more complicated tech seem to matter more than simply making the cabin a relaxing place to spend time.
That’s what makes the fourth-generation Lincoln Navigator feel so refreshing. Instead of chasing the latest trends, it doubles down on comfort with an interior designed to help you unwind rather than overwhelm you.
It’s not pretending to be a performance SUV, and it doesn’t need gimmicks to feel premium. Slip inside, and it feels less like a modern cockpit and more like a high-end lounge—something many newer luxury SUVs seem to have forgotten.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Lincoln and other authoritative sources, including CarBuzz and J.D. Power.
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The Lincoln Navigator puts comfort before performance
It was built to isolate you from the road, not make you feel every bump
When the fourth-generation Lincoln Navigator arrived for the 2018 model year, luxury SUVs were already starting to shift toward firmer suspensions, sharper handling, and more driver-focused personalities. Lincoln went in the opposite direction, giving the Navigator a clean-sheet redesign that put comfort ahead of cornering.
Instead of trying to outdo the European brands at their own game, Lincoln focused on creating a calm, quiet place to spend time. The goal wasn’t to wow you in the first few minutes—it was to make sure you still felt relaxed after hours behind the wheel.
The fourth-gen Navigator also stuck with a body-on-frame platform, even as most luxury SUVs were switching to unibody construction in the name of sharper handling and lower weight. Lincoln saw it differently, using the traditional setup to better isolate passengers from bumps, vibrations, and road noise.
An aluminum body helped offset the extra weight without shrinking the SUV or compromising refinement. The result was a structure that perfectly matched the Navigator’s comfort-first philosophy.
- Base Trim Engine
-
3.5L Twin-Turbo V6 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
-
10-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
450 hp
- Base Trim Torque
-
510 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
- Fuel Economy
-
16/23 MPG
- Make
-
Lincoln
- Model
-
Navigator
- Segment
-
Full-Size Luxury SUV
The suspension was tuned with comfort front and center, using adaptive dampers to smooth out broken pavement instead of encouraging spirited driving. Push it through a series of corners, and you’ll notice some body roll, but that was a deliberate trade-off because the Navigator was designed to be a rolling sanctuary, not a canyon carver.
That same philosophy carried over to the powertrain. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 delivered effortless low-end torque, while the 10-speed automatic slipped through the gears almost unnoticed, making every journey feel calm, unhurried, and remarkably relaxing.
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The cabin feels more like a luxury lounge than an SUV
Supportive seats, premium materials, and thoughtful design make every mile more relaxing
With the chassis sorted, Lincoln turned its attention to the cabin, and that’s where the Navigator really began to stand out. Available 30-way Perfect Position front seats offered an almost endless range of adjustment, making it easy to dial in a driving position that suited just about any body type.
Everything from the cushion length to the side bolsters, lumbar support, and upper back could be fine-tuned, while the seats struck a sweet spot between plushness and support. They were built for the long haul, staying comfortable hour after hour in a way many firmer German rivals struggled to match.
Heating, ventilation, and multi-mode massage only added to the experience. Instead of simply feeling luxurious for the first few minutes, the Navigator was designed to leave you feeling fresher at the end of a long journey than when you started.
The second row doesn’t feel like an afterthought either. Available captain’s chairs bring the same plush feel as the front seats, with generous padding, supportive backrests, and enough room to properly stretch out on longer trips.
Even the third row is surprisingly accommodating for adults, with plenty of space and cushioning that makes it usable beyond short journeys. Throughout the cabin, soft leather, genuine wood, and metal trim give the Navigator a warm, upscale feel that still holds up today.
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A cabin that’s impressively quiet even by today’s standards
Lincoln went all-in on noise isolation to make every drive feel more relaxing
Once you settled into those plush seats, Lincoln’s next priority was making the outside world disappear. The company invested heavily in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) reduction, creating one of the quietest cabins in the segment.
Laminated acoustic glass, generous sound-deadening material, and active noise cancellation all worked together to keep wind and road noise to a minimum. Even at highway speeds, conversations could stay relaxed without anyone needing to raise their voice.
The ride itself leaned heavily toward comfort, and some reviewers described it as a little floaty. For most owners, though, that gentle, isolated feel was exactly the point—the Navigator was built to shield you from the road, not constantly remind you it was there.
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Why the fourth-gen Navigator is such a smart used buy
Heavy depreciation means you can enjoy flagship luxury without paying flagship money
The fourth-generation Navigator may not have won over enthusiasts looking for razor-sharp handling, but plenty of luxury SUV buyers appreciated its comfort-first approach. Today, that same philosophy makes it an especially appealing option on the used market, where depreciation has worked heavily in buyers’ favor.
This was once a flagship SUV that could easily push toward six figures when new, yet clean examples are now available for a fraction of that price. Depending on mileage and trim, expect to pay anywhere from around $25,000 to $55,000, while J.D. Power lists the average dealer price of a 2020 model at roughly $32,460.
The best part is that the things which made the Navigator special haven’t really dated. Soft leather, excellent sound insulation, and that comfort-focused suspension still feel just as impressive years later, even if the infotainment system no longer looks cutting edge.
Luxury technology ages quickly, but genuine comfort rarely does. As the table below shows, fourth-generation Navigator prices generally fall into three clear value brackets depending on mileage, condition, and trim level.
Values on the used market
|
Low |
Higher-mileage or base-spec examples across the generation |
$25,000—$30,000 |
|---|---|---|
|
Mid |
Well-kept mainstream examples |
$32,000—$40,000 |
|
High |
Low-mileage, top-condition or premium-spec examples |
$45,000—$55,000 |
Owning one shouldn’t come with too many surprises, either. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 has been used across Ford and Lincoln’s lineup for years, making maintenance fairly predictable and generally less intimidating than some of the more complicated engines found in European luxury SUVs.
If you’re shopping around, it’s worth holding out for a well-maintained example, ideally in Reserve or Black Label trim. Those models make the most of everything that made the fourth-generation Navigator such a standout in the first place.
Depreciation has already done the hard work
It’s interesting to see how well these models have held their value over time. Even 2018 and 2019 examples still command solid prices on the used market, which says a lot about long-term demand.
That trend also means buying a recent model could be a smart move, since most of the heavy depreciation has already happened. In other words, you’re getting into a vehicle that’s likely to hold steady rather than keep dropping fast.
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A calm, quiet, old-school approach to luxury that still makes sense today
Luxury doesn’t have to be sharp-edged, overly aggressive, or dominated by screens, even if that’s where the segment has been heading lately. The fourth-generation Navigator goes in the opposite direction, focusing on an interior designed around how it actually feels to sit in it, backed by a cabin that stays impressively quiet on the move.
In a market now obsessed with tech gimmicks and performance figures, that kind of approach is becoming harder to find. If you want something that’s genuinely easy to live with and built around comfort first, it’s worth looking past the flashy new stuff and back toward a used fourth-gen Navigator instead.
The Escalade still plays the same game—just at a higher price
The Navigator’s long-time rival has always been the Cadillac Escalade, and the good news for used buyers is that it also takes a serious hit from depreciation. That said, Escalades from the same era tend to cost a bit more, with average used prices sitting around $57,774. If you need extra space, the extended ESV is the obvious choice.
Cadillac also gives you a bit more choice under the bonnet. The range tops out with the high-performance V model, while the turbo-diesel makes for a strong all-round option, and the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 still delivers the classic big SUV feel.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
