Three-row luxury SUVs are among the biggest, poshest, and most expensive vehicles today. The Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade are some of the best-known models in that class. In addition, they’re also the highest ranked, according to MotorTrend. For this year, the 2021 Lincoln Navigator comes in first, and here’s a look at why.

What’s great about the 2021 Lincoln Navigator

MotorTrend proclaims the 2021 Lincoln Navigator to be “the pinnacle of American luxury.” Available in regular and long-wheelbase, the Navigator features a distinctive exterior design” plus a great ride. However, the ride isn’t as smooth on rough roads.

It has a powerful 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that provides great acceleration. The engine produces 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Navigator is rated for 16 MPG in the city, 20 to 22 MPG on the highway, and 17 to 18 MPG overall. The maximum towing capacity for the 2021 Navigator is between 8,400 pounds and 8,700 pounds. Rear-wheel drive is standard, but four-wheel drive is available and standard on the top trim.

MotorTrend says its favorite part of the Navigator is “its opulent and spacious interior.” Even the third row has room for adults, says U.S. News. It also has lots of cargo space, with 19 to 34 cubic feet behind the third row, 58 to 73 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103 to 120 cubic feet behind the front seats. The range is because there are two different length options for the Navigator and the seats can be repositioned. The second row can be either captain’s chairs or a bench for the same price.

Luxury features in the 2021 Lincoln Navigator

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator makes drivers and passengers feel right at home with its many luxury features. Buyers can choose among the 2021 Navigator’s interior themes to make the SUV stand out even more. The options include Yacht Club, which provides blue leather upholstery with white piping along with whitewashed teak trim.

The Navigator has an intuitive infotainment system and comes standard with a 10-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless device charging, navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, and six USB ports. The stereo system comes with 14 speakers, but a 20-speaker upgrade is available. A dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system is also available.

The SUV comes with tri-zone automatic climate control, remote start, leather upholstery for the first two rows, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row seats. Also available are 24-way power-adjustable front seats, 30-way power-adjustable front seats with massage, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2021 Navigator’s standard advanced safety features include a rearview camera, automatic emergency braking, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and MyKey, which allows owners to set controls for secondary drivers. There are several additional available safety options, including adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, a surround-view parking camera system, and automatic park assist.

Different pricing options available

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator certainly isn’t a low-budget SUV, even though it is less than some of its competitors. Its starting prices range from $76,185 to $81,965 to $98,125 across the three levels of base trim, Reserve trim, and Black Label trim. The top two trims are also available in the long-wheelbase Navigator L. Selecting the Navigator L option adds about $3,000 to the price. Four-wheel drive can be added to the lower two trims for about $2,670 (it’s standard on the Black Label).

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator has lots of room along with a fantastic design and powerful engine. Its luxury features serve to round out the package, although there is a high price tag for this excellent SUV.