Flash Drive: Lincoln’s all-new 2018 Navigator Black Label packs six-figure style, comfort

In parts of this country, $90,000 can buy a cut of land with a house on it, so for someone to throw down that kind of dough on something that loses value the moment it’s been purchased, it better do more than look good.

Fortunately for Lincoln, its all-new 2018 Navigator Black Label meets that standard and then some. Plus, if worse comes to worst, it’s large enough to house a person or two semi-comfortably.

I was able to experience firsthand the opulence of a 2018 Navigator and the top-of-the-line accouterments of the Black Label package when Lincoln made it available for public preview in New York’s South Street Seaport.

Lincoln had two new Navigators on display, parked on the street alongside a Continental and an MKZ. Registered as a member of the general population rather than a credentialed journalist, I wasn’t allowed to drive the redesigned SUV during the short demo but, nonetheless, I walked away impressed by its design and sophistication, its pillow-soft head restraints and matching suspension.

Dressed in a fresh coat of Chroma Blue Crystal paint, the Navigator in which I rode came with a Yacht Club theme, one of three flavors available with the $94,000 Black Label package, which includes a litany of perks ranging from free car washes and extended services to membership in Lincoln’s elite dining club.

Several prominent styling cues on the Black Label trim—including the 22-inch Ebony Black painted wheels, the light-up Lincoln cross emblem and the deleted B-, C- and D-pillars—all come straight from the concept Navigator shown at the 2015 New York Auto Show. Unfortunately, the gullwing doors from that prototype did not make the final cut for the truck, which goes into production in November.

Lincoln wisely decided to keep the chrome mesh grille from the concept, as well. This should have been a no-brainer because it brings the Navigator in line with other recent redesigns, such as the MKZ and the resurrected Continental, plus it looks so much better than the vertical bar design it has been pushing for the past several years.

In a showcase of its technological aptitude, the Navigator greets its approaching driver by illuminating the badge on its grille and shining a luminary welcome mat in front of the driver’s door.

Inside are an assortment of Yacht Club-exclusive Coastal Blue Venetian and Blue Bay Alpine leathers cover the steering wheel, dashboard and the 30-way power adjustable front seats. Like the latest generation Continental sedan, the Navigator’s seats offer heating, ventilation and an impressive array of massage settings. The blue leathers were offset by trim panels made of white teak wood.

Also on hand during the demonstration was a Destination-themed Black Label Navigator, painted a charming shade of Burgundy Velvet. Also available in a coat of Black Velvet, the Destination aesthetic features Mahogany Red Leather and Khaya wood appliques. The third musketeer is the Chalet theme, a white and black leather interior with Silverwood trim pieces that is available with any of the Navigator’s seven exterior colors.

Tucked away between Pear Street and FDR Drive in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge, Lincoln picked the Seaport district near the southern tip of Manhattan as its home base for a week of Navigator-centric demonstrations and activities that began with live concerts and concluded with a luxury tailgate for several reasons.

First, a scenic area with plenty of foot traffic, it made for an ideal locale for wrangling potential customers into getting up close and personal with the Navigator and other 2018 models. Also, the up and coming neighborhood features a mix of high-priced housing, upscale retail and vibrant, walkable streets. It represents the active luxury lifestyle Lincoln hopes the Navigator will appeal to.

Of course, the company also couldn’t miss the opportunity to roll out a yacht-themed vehicle in the city’s oldest commercial port, home to several piers and the historic Fulton Fish Market. Fortunately, there was no choppy water to deal with when we shoved off for the short, three-quarters-of-a-mile test loop.

The front passenger seat, with its 11 independent air cushions, its well-padded headrest and various massage settings, was more comfortable than some Baracloungers I’ve sat on and it even had an extendable leg rest.

The suspension was just as soft, rolling over road bumps and blemishes with ease. And, thanks to a set of nicely insulated windows, the 20-speaker sound system was free to pump out music without external interference from the road or the raucous streets of Lower Manhattan.

Both the second and third rows also offer ample legroom and the two middle bucket seats have electric tilt and slide functions while the back row has a power recline setting.

Normally I’m opposed to tacked-on infotainment screens because I think they look like a cheap afterthought that engineers chose not to design around. However, I appreciate the way the sharp 12-inch touch screen floats in the middle of the cabin without disrupting the sleek design behind it.

Like everything else with the Navigator, the technology and the means for controlling it were designed with care and purpose. Rather than clustering controls just below the infotainment screen, Lincoln has positioned everything closer to the driver, putting it on the center console and angling it upward.

Opting for an electric transmission, Lincoln is able to open up the area between the driver and front passenger for more storage space and reposition the gear selector. Instead of using a traditional gear stick or knob, the Navigator has forward, reverse, neutral and park buttons in a “piano key” layout below the central vents.

Rear sensors enable the Navigator to back itself up and park in both parallel and perpendicular spaces. There was a bit too much traffic at the end of my ride, but I saw a demo driver successfully use this feature with the other Navigator and it appeared to work quite well, even in the close quarters of a New York City street.

For the driver, the 12-inch touchscreen delivers access to a Sync 3 infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as Bluetooth and hands-free calling. Also, Lincoln has added a head-up display that displays the current speed and speed limit, as well as the time, temperature, expected fuel range and more on the windshield ahead of the driver.

Since I wasn’t able to get behind the wheel of the 2018 Navigator and the driver loop was short and unspectacular, it’s difficult to reach a comprehensive conclusion about it.

It comes outfitted with a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine that projects to make 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque while delivering a max towing capacity of 9,000 pounds. Those are impressive numbers and, if accurate, should provide the capabilities a buyer in this segment is seeking. However, that remains to be seen.

I can say the improvements to the latest generation Navigator put it solidly ahead of its closest domestic competitor, the Cadillac Escalade Platinum, in terms of style and comfort, and perhaps just a smidge ahead in the technology department but only by virtue of being newer.

Right now, if I were shopping for a six-figure luxury SUV, I’d be tempted by the 2018 Navigator but I’m not quite sold on it yet.