2025 Lincoln Navigator vs. the Competition

For luxury automotive brands, luxury SUVs offer the kind of interior space and smooth ride that make them excellent flagship models. The Lincoln Navigator was one of the first of these types of SUVs, and it remains popular to this day. The Navigator wasn’t alone in this segment when it debuted, but it has proven so popular that quite a few more competitors have since emerged. How do these competitors measure up to the Navigator? We put together this guide to answer that exact question.

Lincoln Navigator VS Lexus LX

First up is the Lexus LX, one of the few models in this segment that has been around longer than the Navigator, if only by a couple of years. The LX costs a bit more than the Navigator, which isn’t a problem in itself, but it’s just not really clear why. Both vehicles come with standard all-wheel drive and a twin-turbo V6 engine, but the slightly bigger engine in the Navigator is also noticeably more powerful. To go with that extra power, you also get more space in the Navigator, a lot more. You can see this in the difference in leg room, where the Navigator can clearly seat adults comfortably in all three rows, but the seats in the LX get significantly less spacious the further back you go. The difference in cargo space is immense, and that’s without even considering the long-wheelbase Navigator L.

The Navigator isn’t just bigger and more powerful, it’s better equipped too. The LX is available with 22-inch wheels, but only if you move up to a higher trim. That puts it in the same price range as the Navigator Black Label, which comes with 24-inch wheels, something not available at all on the LX. Despite the bigger size, the Navigator still has an interior filled with natural light, thanks to the panoramic sunroof. The Navigator comes with a dash-spanning information display, with everything you need given the space required to be clear. The LX comes with a more typical 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The 28-speaker Revel® Ultima 3D Audio System in the Navigator easily outperforms the generic 10-speaker system in the LX. Even if you opt for the premium stereo in the LX, it still comes up shy by a few speakers. Power deployable running boards make ingress and egress easier (and more dignified), but are only available on the Navigator. And the quiet cabin that comes with active noise control is also exclusive to the Lincoln.

Lincoln Navigator VS Mercedes-Benz GLS

Next we’re looking at the Mercedes-Benz GLS, which comes with an attractive starting price, although you do have to put up with a less powerful drivetrain in order to enjoy the savings. The GLS does better than the Lexus for interior space, but still falls well short of the Navigator, especially when it comes to third-row legroom and overall cargo space. The Navigator once again comes with bigger wheels, and wheels up to 24 inches are available, while the GLS comes with 21-inch wheels and offers sizing going up to 23 inches.

The stereo that comes standard with the Navigator once again proves vastly superior to the competition, even when matched against the name-brand Burmester system in the GLS. The GLS follows the current trend of luxury manufacturers only offering genuine leather on higher trims or as an optional extra, but Lincoln is still with the real stuff across the board for the Navigator. Both vehicles come with heated and ventilated first-row seats, but anything more is an optional extra with Mercedes, while the Navigator also gives you heated 2nd-row seats and a heated steering wheel as standard. And both vehicles offer an air purification/scent system, but only the Navigator comes with it as standard equipment.

Lincoln Navigator VS Cadillac Escalade

We’ve saved the Navigator’s biggest (both literally and figuratively) competitor for last. The Cadillac Escalade exists in the first place to be an answer to the Navigator, which debuted one year earlier. Today, the Escalade still lags behind the Navigator, with a noticeably less powerful engine and a standard rear-wheel drive configuration. 4-wheel drive is available for the Escalade, but only RWD models come with the 8,000-pound tow rating, which is already lower than what you get with the Navigator. And because the engine in the Navigator is so much more advanced, you get better fuel economy to go with that extra power and capability.

We chose the extended Escalade ESV for this comparison because it comes with a couple of inches of extra legroom for the third row of seats. And while the first two rows of seats offer similar space, the Navigator once again has a serious advantage with the third row, even when compared to this longer Escalade. The Navigator is the only real option if you want to seat eight adults in luxury. The standard stereo in the Escalade is competitive compared to most vehicles in this segment, but certainly not the Navigator. A panoramic sunroof and heated and ventilated front seats are both available in the Escalade, but they’re not standard equipment like they are in the Navigator. Lastly, both vehicles have adaptive cruise control, but only Lincoln includes Stop & Go capability.

Winner - Lincoln Navigator

There are a lot of luxury brands that offer competitors to the Navigator, but none of them quite manage to offer all of the same advantages. It’s not just more powerful, not just roomier or better equipped, it’s all of those things at the same time. And on top of all of that, it looks great and offers a surprising level of capability. But as with any luxury product, the Navigator needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Joe Rizza Lincoln of Orland Park can help you with that, as well as picking out the Navigator that’s right for you.