For years, Lincoln's Navigator was a high-end SUV with a low-key profile. The big Lincoln quietly made friends in the luxury ute segment, with a combination of class, comfort and quality. The contrast with cross-town rival Cadillac was extreme: the Lincoln was as understated as the Escalade was extroverted. So, when the latest generation Navigator arrived in 2007, the big surprise was that Lincoln decided to get in Cadillac's grille--literally. The new Navigator rolled out, wearing a front clip every bit as bold as Escalade's. It's an in-your-face face, a look intended to put some separation between Lincoln's traditional image, and the rolling reality of today's marketplace.

It was a brassy move, but a logical step for Lincoln. Despite Navigator's substance, sales are often won or lost on style, and style has much to do with first impressions. Navigator's new front view starts with a chrome, egg crate grille, bordered by an optional bright work blade above and a secondary grille below. A set of wide, wraparound headlamps bookend the grillwork, and a raised, "powerdome" hood caps it. Available 20-inch chrome rims accent Navigator's profile view, with a broad, polished body side molding running in between, and chrome, mirror caps above. In back, the two-piece lift back door is framed by a set of oversize, vertical tail lamps. In all, it's a big styling statement for the largest Lincoln.

For 2008, Lincoln offers a Monochrome Limited Edition package, swapping bright work for body-color parts on the lower grille, cladding and mirrors. The package also includes a unique interior of premium leather-trimmed seats in camel or stone featuring black leather inserts, piping and a stitched Lincoln Star on all head restraints. Ebony wood trim, black carpeting and black floor mats complete the package. Offered in four color schemes, the Monochrome Limited Edition Package should appeal to those for whom too much bling is not a good thing. Color and chrome are matters of choice, but few would argue with getting more for their money. This year, many formerly optional items have migrated to the standard equipment list. Among the additions: power lift gate, heated and cooled front seats, power folding third row seats, SIRIUS Satellite radio and a 14-speaker, 600-watt THX II Certified Audio system.

The increase in content boosts the stock of what is already a luxurious interior. Navigator holds 7-8 in good comfort. Even the third row--normally a spot only suitable for kids--will fit adults. Navigator is quite well equipped, but two options (one old, one new) announce themselves as "must haves." First is the Reverse Camera System. Activated when you shift into reverse, it projects a video view of what's behind you onto the inside rearview mirror. It's tough to see what's immediately below and behind any big truck, and rear cameras systems like Lincoln's are quite useful when backing up, or trying to line up a trailer hitch. The other gotta-get item is the power running boards. Most running boards are fixed, and too narrow to be usable. Navigator's boards slide out whenever you open any door, tuck away when not in use, and they're just the right height to help people get a leg up into what is after all a fairly tall truck. They're also wide enough for boots or people with just plain big feet. With adjustable pedals and standard, heated/cooled, 10-way power front seats, Navigator's first row is strictly front cabin.

Luxury models don't generally require many compromises, but even with full size luxury SUV's like Navigator, you face an either/or dilemma with passengers and cargo. Pack the Lincoln full of people and you've got 18.1 cubic feet of cargo room behind. Not bad, but perhaps not enough for a full load of cargo laden Americans. However, capacity expands to 54.4 cubic feet if you only need two rows for passengers, and a full 103.3 cubic feet with one row of seats up. This max cargo mode is ideal for those occasions when you're drafted to bring the kid home from college or load up at the home supply store. Buying the L model means never having to choose between who or what you bring along. The stretched version of the Navigator is almost 15 inches longer than the standard model, riding a wheelbase that's been extended by a foot. The added size is found where it will do the most good--in the back. The additional 25 cubic feet of storage capacity is ideal for drivers who regularly need to carry a large number of people AND a serious amount of stuff. With three rows full of passengers, there is still a cavernous, 42.6 cubic feet of space in back, expandable to 86.3 with two rows of people, and 128.2 cubic feet with just the first row in place. Regardless of the number of passengers, a host of electronic options (from a voice activated navigation system to a reverse camera system to a rear seat entertainment system) assure that all be informed, or at least occupied.

Power for Navigator is provided by Ford's 5.4 liter V-8. Linked to a six-speed automatic transmission, the motor makes 300 horsepower and 365 lb.-ft. of torque. It is smooth and powerful, cruising effortlessly and strong enough to tow 9,050 lbs. (standard model, 4x2). Fuel economy is par for the course. EPA rates a 4x2 Navigator at 12 mpg city, 18 highway, and we averaged 14 mpg during our test drive. While the Lincoln is too large to feel nimble, it does feel stable on the road, with little of the side-to-side jiggle that big SUVs are prone to on bumpy roads. A single trim level of 4x2 and 4x4 models is offered, in both regular and extended, "L" series. Ride quality is exceptionally smooth in all, with a luxuriously quiet interior.

Navigator boasts a level of luxury and refinement that is uncommon in the ranks of SUVs, now wrapped in a more attention-getting coat. Time will tell whether the bolder, new design will boost showroom traffic. The higher profile look of the Lincoln may catch the eye of buyers who previously had missed this quiet, elegant package.

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