Last week, Lincoln Motor Company teased its updated, enhanced and even more upscale Navigator SUV for the 2022 model year. Today, Ford’s luxury brand has unveiled this mid-cycle refresh with improved technology — including the Lincoln ActiveGlide hands-free driving system and over-the-air software updates — plus two new available themes for the line-topping Black Label trim level.
Starting with tech, Lincoln launches the first iteration of its ActiveGlide advanced driver assistance tech, which, like Ford’s new BlueCruise technology, allows for hands-free highway driving if the right conditions are met. It leverages adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, lane centering and traffic sign recognition to allow for hands-free driving on over 130,000 miles of divided highways across North America. Similar to GM’s Super Cruise system, ActiveGlide monitors the driver’s head and eye positions with a driver-facing camera to unsure their attention remains on the road ahead of them, ready to take over driving functions if need be.
The 2022 Navigator also employs Lincoln Enhance, which is the branded name for its over-the-air software update capability. This allows Lincoln to make improvements, install new features and even provide some preventative maintenance without it needing to be brought in for service. Lincoln promises this allows the “Navigator to get even better over time.”
Lincoln says it has streamlined its Amazon Alexa experience to respond to more natural language. You can use Alexa in the car the way you normally would with the digital assistant, or you can connect the Lincoln Way app for Alexa to control certain car features — locks, remote start, checking on vehicle status — from your Alexa-enabled home or mobile device. The 2022 Navigator also benefits from Amazon’s Fire TV service for the rear-seat entertainment. It even includes 16 GB of built-in storage so you can watch your favorite Prime Video content on the road without connectivity.
There’s an updated Sync 4 infotainment system with a larger 13.2-inch center screen, improved voice recognition and navigation, and a Constellation design theme that carries over to the digital instrument cluster and the refreshed head-up display. In the second row, occupants now have a digital control module for rear climate and audio settings.
As for design, the Navigator gets a little nip and tuck up front, including an updated grille and new, standard pixel projector headlights. New 3D taillights have their own new welcome and farewell greetings, and the light bar across the rear is slimmed down and tidied up.
The big visual changes come in the form of two new Black Label themes, called Central Park and Invitation. Central Park is meant to invoke the duality of New York City’s famous green space and the surrounding modern skyscrapers. The dash is covered in open-pore walnut trim laser-etched with a representation of the city streets and Central Park paths. Invitation features black leather upholstery (with pergola-inspired perforation) and open-pore Khaya wood that is also laser-etched with its own design, meant to represent the hospitality of a posh dinner party.
What the 2022 Navigator does not get, however, is a new powertrain. It still uses the same twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 providing 440 horsepower (down 10 hp from the 2021 model’s stated 450 hp) and 510 pound-feet of torque. That power is routed to all four or just the rear wheels — depending on configuration — via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The 2022 Lincoln Navigator is expected to go on sale early next year.
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