Preview: 2015 Lincoln Navigator – Loses V8, Gains New Face

2015 lincoln navigator driving

The 2015 Lincoln Navigator gets a refresh for the next model year.  It’s hard to believe that the current generation of Lincoln’s executive SUV has been here since 2007.  Lincoln has not messed with the big boy.  It’s not the best seller by far, but it chugs along.

The vehicle gets a visual update front and rear with new grille, headlights, and taillights.  It also gets a fully redone interior.  However, the big news are underneath.  This gangsta-mobile will no longer be offered with a V8.  Instead, you will be able to sneak up on people with a smooth, but very powerful 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.  This is the motor that you will find in hundreds of thousands F-150s and other Ford vehicles.  However, this Lincoln version gets a slight bump in power.  The company estimates the engine produces at least 370 hp and 430 lb-ft.  This is a huge improvement over the dinosaur 5.4-liter V8 that it replaces.

2015_lincoln_navigator_tail_rear

You will have an option to get a 4.10 ratio rear axle to get huge jumps off the line and enable the Navigator to tow more than any of its competitors (Lincoln estimates best-in-class towing).  The new beast also gets a Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) suspension, which is claimed to provide the most comfortable and controlled ride.  We cannot wait to try it.

2015 lincoln navigator instruments

The interior has been redone and looks the part.  However, Lincoln could have given new Navigator a unique and more premium instrument cluster.  The one in these images appears to be straight out of the Ford Fusion.

In the end, this is not a drastic redesign.  Lincoln has not mention any weight savings for the new vehicle.  So its body is not all aluminum like it is on the new 2015 F-150.  Will these calculated improvements stir more people to buy a Navigator?  Will the lack of the V8 put a damper on it?

TFL will bring you coverage of the 2015 Lincoln Navigator from the Chicago Auto Show next month.  In the meantime, learn more about the 2015 Cadillac Escalade to see how the Navigator will stack up.

Andre Smirnov
Andre Smirnov

Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFL since 2011. When not working or spending time with the family – you can find him tinkering in the garage or simply ‘going for a drive’.