Lincoln Navigator Named Best Luxury SUV

The Lincoln Navigator is being praised as the ‘Best Luxury SUV’, at least according to data accumulated and analyzed by the Edmunds editorial team. As such, it earned the inaugural Editors’ Choice Award in the Luxury Large SUV category.

The awards are based on tests in 27 criteria, including driving and performance, comfort, interior and technology. The Navigator, Lincoln’s full-size luxury SUV, delivers in the categories that matter most to consumers, according to the compiled data.

“Our editorial team tests more than 300 vehicles a year ― that’s more than a collective 17,000 hours behind the wheel,” said Alistair Weaver, editor-in-chief at Edmunds. “We’re going beyond what’s hot and new to showcase the best of the best from all the cars on sale today. An Edmunds Editors’ Choice winner represents the gold standard of automotive excellence.”

The sales success of the Lincoln Navigator emphasizes this recognition. In fact, Lincoln Navigator sales were strong all through 2018, and touted a 43.6 percent gain in December. Top of the line Lincoln Black Label models, which start at $97,690, and Reserve Navigators models represented 90 percent of the SUV’s sales volume.

Interestingly, sales statistics show more than 55 percent of Navigator sales are conquest sales, with buyers coming from other luxury brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Land Rover. The average Navigator buyer is also younger than traditional Lincoln buyers, with about 50 percent between the ages of 34 and 54.

The Navigator was the only Ford Motor Company product to earn recognition as an Editors’ Choice winner. See below for the complete list of winners of the 2019 Edmunds Editor’s Choice Awards:

• Best Sedan – Honda Accord
• Best Luxury Sedan – Mercedes A-Class
• Best SUV – Honda CR-V
• Best Luxury SUV – Lincoln Navigator
• Best Electric Vehicle – Hyundai Kona Electric
• Best Truck – Ram 1500
• Best Sports Car – Mazda MX-5 Miata