Skip to main content

The 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label Is Your $100,000 Daily Driver

2022 lincoln navigator black label review 2018 feature
Image used with permission by copyright holder

No one needs a Lincoln Navigator.

Recommended Videos

No one needs a bulletproof attache case, alligator skin luggage, or $350 Ecuadorian heirloom chocolate bars either. However, these are the spoils of someone with too much discretionary income and the desire to make a statement. The 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label makes that statement unlike almost every other SUV on the market. We spent a week behind the wheel of a Black Label 4×4, the flagship trim of the brand’s flagship SUV. In the world of Lincoln, it doesn’t get more luxurious.

The Navigator’s evolution has been a long and winding road for Lincoln. The vehicle simultaneously launched and defined the full-size luxury SUV segment in 1997 (for the ‘98 model year) with a mission to help its customers make a statement. It was a big, bold, shiny chariot designed with a single purpose: to announce to the world that you had, in fact, arrived.

2018 Lincoln Navigator Black Label
Mike Richard/The Manual

A few short years later, it lost substantial street cred when the Cadillac Escalade redefined the segment with a whole new level of bling and panache. For more than a decade, Lincoln lost its footing thanks to an aging platform, tired design, and ruthless fuel economy. The truck seemed to hit rock bottom around the middle of this decade. Of the 2015 Lincoln Navigator, we noted:

Picking up the Lincoln Navigator from the airport parking lot was a bit like going to the animal shelter and coming home with a Stegosaurus … Its current flagship, however, with its elderly truck platform, boxcar dimensions, and drought-like thirst for petrochemicals is lodged solidly in the Jurassic …

It seemed destined for the automotive graveyard, but Lincoln had bigger plans. The following year, the brand debuted an impressive, all-new Navigator concept in New York. With gullwing doors, seven infotainment screens, and teakwood steps, it was impossible not to take notice. Just as improbable when Lincoln launched the 2022 Navigator is how similar to the original concept the newly refreshed model was.

Picking up the Lincoln Navigator from the airport parking lot was a bit like going to the animal shelter and coming home with a Stegosaurus.

The exterior of the Lincoln Navigator Black Label makes a striking first impression. Where the previous generation felt big and lumbering, the 2022 update feels crisp and sophisticated with a surprising dose of sportiness. The more aggressively raked roofline, sweeping, recessed chrome grill, and massive, 22-inch rims are distinct changes that announce a bold new era for the Navigator. It’s a tasteful redesign that retains much of the marquee vehicle’s original panache without feeling garish or overdone.

Climbing inside requires a real climb inside. The automatic running boards aren’t just a frilly novelty. Anyone less than six feet tall is going to need a full two steps up from ground to cockpit. This is a big truck. After one week as our daily driver, it felt almost silly stepping back into our diminutive Toyota 4Runner.

We came to appreciate the truck’s size almost everywhere we drove it. At parking lot speeds, the Navigator feels every bit of the hulking 210-inch, 5,855-pound machine that it is. It’s tame, quiet, and sophisticated, but never lumbering as with its predecessor. On the plus side, all that girth and the powertrain that pushes it give it an impressive towing capacity of 8,400 pounds for our 4×4 model or 8,700 pounds on the 4×2 variation.

That powertrain, pulled directly from the Ford F-150 Raptor, is a thing of beauty: a twin-turbo DOHC 3.5-liter, V6 engine making 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. While anything less than a V8 might seem underpowered — bordering on silly — for a truck of this size, Lincoln has tuned the engine to be surprisingly sporty. From a dead stop to 60 takes just 5.5 seconds. (Did we mention the almost 6,000-pound curb weight?) Ramping up to highway speeds never feels like a struggle. The truck feels more nimble and a full ton lighter the faster it’s driven. Point the Navigator where you need it to go and goose the gas pedal. It’s nothing but smooth, seamless acceleration with a 10-speed automatic transmission that does an excellent job of picking the right gear.

What’s most remarkable is that sitting in the Navigator in your garage is almost as enjoyable as driving it. The cockpit is akin to that of a private jet. Venetian leather and butter-soft suede cloth abound. The only word to describe its absurd level of amenities is “dizzying.” We spent a week trying to find any features the truck lacked. Most — navigation, backup camera, satellite radio, and system checks — can be controlled via the responsive, 10-inch touchscreen. The infotainment system is well-thought-out, although some controls feel a bit overcomplicated. Lincoln included just the right amount of dedicated buttons and switches for common controls like volume, cabin air temperature, and seat position.

Speaking of which, the front passengers are treated to 30-way adjustable power seats with cooling, heating, and massage features. Three passengers can each program dedicated memory buttons to reposition the seating every time they climb into the vehicle. The seats are more comfortable than most La-Z-Boy recliners. Every passenger — even those in the capacious third row — will feel like they’re cruising in a limousine. There’s a dual-screen rear seat entertainment system, copious USB ports, more cupholders than an IMAX theater, Wi-FI hotspot capability, and a massive, panoramic sunroof.

The entry-level 2022 Lincoln Navigator Premiere bases around $72,000, while the midline Lincoln Navigator Reserve pushes north of $80,000. However, customers seeking the flagship, hip-hop mogul experience — the 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label with all the bells and whistles — are looking at an all-in price north of $100,000. This is a whole new era of Lincoln indeed.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Aston Martin unveils Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante
Q by Aston Martin Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante
aston martin unveils palm beach edition db12 volante  14

Aston Martin Palm Beach has joined forces with Q by Aston Martin to craft an extraordinary vehicle: the Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante. This stunning car beautifully merges the unparalleled artistry of British craftsmanship with captivating design elements inspired by Palm Beach's vibrant lifestyle. Each aspect of this limited-edition model is meticulously designed to celebrate the charm of its surroundings while amplifying the elegance of Aston Martin’s high-performance 670 horsepower open-top Super Tourer.

The highlight of the Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante is its striking Frosted Glass Blue exterior paint, a color that pays homage to the rich and varied blues of the Atlantic Ocean. The innovative use of glass flakes within the topcoat creates a dazzling shimmer that evokes the warm rays of the South Florida sun, making it a real head-turner on the road.

Read more
The Ford Ranger Raptor may actually be the perfect “third car”
Don't buy one for the practicality, it's built for fun.
Ford Ranger Raptor 3/4 view in snowy woods

Pickup trucks like the Ford Ranger Raptor are traditionally practical vehicles designed to perform hard work and take a bit of a beating. But in recent years, they’ve gotten larger, more luxurious, and less industrial. This has led to utility vehicles tumbling into entirely new categories, with some being decked out like borderline limousines and others kitted out for street racing.

Over the winter, I took a Ford Ranger Raptor for a spin and made an interesting discovery while doing so. It wasn’t the vehicle’s prowess as a pickup truck that snagged me—in fact, I think there are far better options in that department—but the almost childlike sense of enjoyment I got from ripping around in this ridiculous beast. I decided I would actually have one given the chance, but as more of a toy than anything else. Allow me to explain.
What is a third car anyway?

Read more
F1 fashion: limited edition movie merch and Cadillac F1 team partners with Tommy Hilfiger
F1 teamware lets fans show support for real and fictional teams
F1 Movie merch sampler.

There were two announcements related to F1 teamware this week, both related to F1 teams that aren't in the 2025 season. Teamware is a big deal with Formula 1 racing fans who show their support by wearing team colors at Grand Prix races worldwide, where grandstands are packed with spectators sporting hats, shirts, and all manner of apparel in Ferrari red, Red Bull blue, and McLaren orange. Mixing media and reality, building on the trend, F1 recently started selling limited edition apparel with the APXGP logo of the fictional F1 team in F1 The Movie,  due to launch later this month.

In a related note, fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger announced on X a new apparel partnership with the upcoming 2026 Cadillac F1 team. Hilfiger has a long history of partnering with F1 teams.
Limited edition merch from F1 The Movie

Read more