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Caraganza First Drive Review 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label: OMG You Guys!

2022 Lincoln Navigator Manhattan Green Black Label.

 

I admire those people who defy convention; go outside the norm, do the opposite of everyone else. Maybe that’s why I detest those who call themselves ‘influencers.’ We’ve all seen them on social media: Plastic sort of people with Botox filled lips and fake breasts whose vocabulary consist of mainly shouting, ‘oh my god, you guys.’

Yeah, them.

I personally like someone who seeks to go their own way, chart their own path, do whatever they feel. Most often these are the ones in the corner at a party; introverts who’d rather keep to themselves. And most often defy convention.

I thought of all this last week while driving around in the 2022 Lincoln Navigator I had been spent. In an era of downsizing everything, the urbanization of cities forcing car companies to design and build smaller and smaller vehicles that are hybrid, or electric, here’s Lincoln doing what Lincoln has always done: Putting big luxurious vehicles on America’s highways and seemingly caring little about changing their ways.

The Navigator is the perfect example of this trope.

Lincoln’s Navigator has been around since 1998. The fourth generation was introduced in 2018 and got a refresh for 2022 that gives it’s a facelift but mainly focuses on the rear passengers. The second row fully adjustable captain’s seats now have ventilation, and a massage function can be optioned in. The second-row center console now has its own digital control module for a control climate system and the rear entertainment system with two 10.1-inch screens now has Amazon Fire TV compatibility.

Up front there’s an updated 13.2-inch infotainment screen and a 28-speaker Revel sound system.

The Navigator comes in three trims levels: Base, Reserve and Black Label. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and an adjustable all-wheel drive is optional. You can also opt for the long-wheelbase, or L, models which adds nearly 12 inches and gives a tad more cargo capacity.

Something that gave me a bit of a pause is the lack of a bid old V8 under the hood. Instead, all the Navigators are powered by a 3.5 liter 6-cylinder. Of course, that 6-cylinder does have two turbos and delivers 450 horsepower and 510-foot pounds of torque through a 10-speed transmission and during my week I didn’t find the Navigator underpowered at all.

2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label Central Park interior. Preproduction model shown with available features. Available early 2022. Available at participating Lincoln Black Label Dealers only.

Then again it was hard for me to focus on that sort of stuff when behind the wheel. My tester for the week was the top-of-the-line Black Label, with the long-wheelbase (because why not). My tester also had the Luxury package with the 30-way power-adjustable front seats and that 28-speaker sound system.

The Black Label has special 22-inch wheels, a curated interior color and trim, an extend maintenance plan, complimentary car washes, and pickup and delivery of the vehicle for routine service with a free loaner vehicle. It also had the optional Special Edition package with black exterior trim elements and unique wheels.

My tester’s interior had the Chalet theme with Alpine white leather seats and pinstriped lacquered wood across the dash. There are three other available interior themes: Yacht Club (light blue), Invitation (black), and Central Park (green).

I, of course, had to spend as much time in this lovely vehicle as possible and needed the (mostly) unbiased opinion of the rest of the may family. Being late December, we decided to spend an evening driving around Central Florida looking at Holiday nights. My wife and 6-foot 2-inch son gleefully opted for the two captain’s chairs and spent most of the time getting massages and watching a holiday movie they had downloaded.

One the road the ride was, well, pretty close to perfect as you imagine. While the Navigator is equipped with Ford’s ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, I didn’t get a chance to experience that feature, but I did get to experience the size, joy and the luxury that is a rare in today’s automotive world. There was plenty of power, and the Navigator floated over the road as the seat whispered a heated massage while cruised. I was in driving nirvana and took the long way to wherever I was going during my week with it.

In this niche, the large luxury SUV category, we really only have the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon Denali, and the Grand Wagoneer. In a size comparison, the Navigator slots in the enter just above the Grand Wagoneer (don’t dare call it a Jeep you heathen), and the Yukon, but below the Escalade.

But in my opinion it towers over those in terms of the luxury and comfort you get, with the Jee..oh sorry I mean the Grand Wagoneer coming in a close second.

Will all this luxury cost you? You bet. But the MSRP (the base Black Label is $111,375) is line with others in this class, and if I could afford such a thing (to be clear I can’t), the Lincoln Navigator Black Label would be in my driveway.

I might be tempted to take a selfie with it and post in on my social media with the caption: ‘oh my god, you guys!’

The 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label L

MSRP: $111,375
MSRP (as tested): $117,410
Engine: 3.5L Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, 440 horsepower @ 5,850 rpm, 510 lb.-ft torque @ 3,000 rpm
Transmission: 10-speed shiftable automatic
Fuel Mileage (EPA) 16 city, 22 highway, 18 combined
Fuel Mileage (as tested mixed conditions): 20 mpg
Base Curb Weight: 6,071 lbs.

Exterior Dimensions
Length: 221.9 in.
Overall width with mirrors: 93.8 in.
Overall width without mirrors: 79.9 in.
Height: 76.1 in.
Wheelbase: 131.6 in.
Ground clearance: 9.6 in.

Interior Dimensions
Front head room: 39.5 in.
Front leg room: 43.9 in.
Front shoulder room: 65.2 in.
Front hip room: 61.9 in.
Rear head room: 40.0 in.
Rear leg room: 41.1 in.
Rear shoulder room: 65.1 in.
Rear hip room: 61.6 in.
Cargo capacity, all seats in place : 34.3 cu.ft.
Maximum cargo capacity: 120.2 cu.ft.
Maximum towing capacity: 8,100 lbs.

Warranty
4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper
6-year/70,000-mile powertrain
5-year/unlimited-mile corrosion coverage
5-year/60,000-mile safety restraint system

Greg Engle
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