2011 Lincoln Navigator - Quality Review

Though the Lincoln Navigator is closely related to the Ford Expedition, it's more upscale inside, offering a little more quiet, and a little more comfort. Inside, in fact, the Navigator feels like a true luxury vehicle—the payoff of additional insulation and noise-canceling materials; the only exception is that you hear the engine a little too much.

Design and function of all the interior's core elements are good. Seating comfort is top-notch in the 2011 Navigator, whether you go for the Navigator or Navigator L. Two models are available, the Navigator and Navigator L; the latter is 14.7 inches longer than the standard model. The Navigator L also features 24.5 cubic feet of extra cargo capacity compared to the Navigator, which clocks in at 18.2 cubic feet total with the seats up. Fold the second- and third-row seats down and that figure grows to 103.5 cubic feet for the Navigator and 128.2 cubic feet for the L.

The only true difference between the two is at the third seat, which is a little more spacious and easier to reach in the L, and there the seat isn't nearly as compromised as it is in many other vehicles—it's actually usable by adults. Power fold capability means the third row can be quickly and easily stowed when not in use, and the power fold feature can be used to scoot faraway cargo toward the rear, as it moves the cargo aft when unfolding the seats.

Materials inside the 2011 Lincoln Navigator are mostly high-quality, though there are a few low points. Premium trappings—the real-wood trim and leather upholstery—feel genuinely premium, but they're belied by bargain-bin trim like hard plastics, chrome-painted plastics, and cheap-feeling switchgear in places. But there are plenty of places to store smaller items, as well as cupholders for all.