2012 Lincoln Navigator L Overview Change Vehicle

2012 Lincoln Navigator L review with specifications, fuel economy data, safety information, reliability ratings, a photo gallery, and The Vehix View

For an extra $2,165, the Lincoln Navigator L receives a wheelbase and body stretch that provides significantly more hip and shoulder room for third-row seat passengers as well as a whole bunch of extra space behind the third-row seat for cargo.

New side blind spot mirrors debut on the 2012 Lincoln Navigator L, making it easier to see along the SUV’s lengthy sides before changing lanes. Additionally, Navigator L buyers get an upgraded Lincoln Sync system with new AppLink technology that provides voice control of selected smartphone applications when a device is paired to the system.

When you’re buying a 2012 Lincoln Navigator L, choices are limited because the full-size SUV comes well equipped in standard format. Key features includes a THX II Certified 5.1 Surround Sound system with satellite radio, HD radio, an auxiliary audio input jack, a CD changer and a USB port; Lincoln Sync hands-free smartphone pairing for calls, music streaming, and new AppLink application access; and a navigation system with voice-activation technology, real-time traffic reporting, and a reversing camera.

The Navigator’s cabin is, expectedly, dripping with soft premium leather and real Burl Walnut wood trim. Seven-passenger seating is standard with 10-way power heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row buckets divided by a roomy center console, a third-row seat featuring a 60/40-split design and a PowerFold feature to make it easier to expand cargo space, and memory settings for multiple drivers. Dual-zone automatic front climate control, rear air conditioning, a power tilt steering wheel, power adjustable pedals, a power liftgate, and power deploying running boards are also standard on the Navigator L, as well as a 110-volt power outlet and a SecuriCode keyless entry pad.

At night, the Navigator L’s high-intensity discharge automatic headlights clearly illuminate a path, and when it rains the rain-sensing wipers automatically remove water from the front glass. Heated side blind spot mirrors feature approach lighting and auto-dimming driver’s side glass, and the Navigator L is equipped with front and rear bumper sensors to make parking easier. A set of 18-inch alloy wheels comes standard.

There are few options available on the Navigator L. A Monochrome Appearance Package helps tone down the Lincoln’s bright personality, and a Monochrome Limited Edition Package achieves the same result combined with special Olive Ash wood interior trim, and unique Canyon-colored leather with black piping and stitched Lincoln star logos on all headrests. If you’re planning to make use of the Navigator L’s 9,000-pound maximum towing rating, you’ll want the Heavy Duty Trailer Tow Package.

Additional options include shiny 20-inch aluminum wheels, extra chrome trim for the grille, a power moonroof, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with screens mounted in the front seat headrests. Lincoln can also install a remote engine starting system, all-weather floor mats, a second-row bench seat for eight-passenger capacity, and a cigar lighter.

A tried-and-true 5.4-liter V8 engine is the only engine offered in the 2012 Lincoln Navigator L. It makes 310 horsepower at 5,100 rpm and 365 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm, and can tow up to 9,000 pounds when properly equipped. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, and the Navigator features rear- or all-wheel drive.

Because the 2012 Navigation L weighs more than 6,000 pounds, the EPA does not require Lincoln to list fuel economy estimates on the official window sticker. However, since the regular-length Navigator is rated to get 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway with two-wheel drive and 13-city/18-highway with all-wheel drive, our bet is that the heavier Navigator L slots in with slightly lower numbers. It certainly doesn’t do better than that.

Perhaps free scheduled maintenance can offset fuel expenses. For the first four years or 50,000 miles, the duration of the standard bumper-to-bumper warranty, Lincoln pays for all scheduled service. The powertrain warranty is good for six years or 70,000 miles.

Typically, the heavier a car is, the better it will protect its occupants in a crash. Given a curb weight of more than 6,000 pounds, this Lincoln is likely to prove safe in an impact with most other vehicles on the road. We wish we could quantify that prediction with actual crash-test data, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) haven’t conducted any. The only ratings offered pertain to rollover resistance: 3 Stars for the two-wheel-drive model and 4 Stars for the all-wheel-drive model.

Six airbags, AdvanceTrac stability and traction control system with Roll Stability Control, and four-wheel-disc antilock brakes are standard, along with a reversing camera, front and rear parking assist systems, rain-sensing wipers, blind spot mirrors, and Trailer Sway Control.

The Navigator L is also equipped with an SOS Post Crash Alert system and Sync with 911 Assist. The SOS Post Crash Alert and Sync 911 Assist systems are activated whenever the airbags deploy. Sync 911 Assist automatically dials a 9-1-1 emergency operator using a paired smartphone, and the operator can determine whether everyone is OK or if medical assistance is required. Even if nobody can respond, the operator can send rescuers to the SUV’s exact location. The SOS Post Crash Alert system automatically sounds the horn and activates the flashers when the airbags deploy, drawing attention to the Navigator L after a crash and helping rescuers to find it if it has gone off the road.

MyKey technology is also standard on the 2012 Navigator L, providing the ability to program limits for vehicle speed and stereo volume, as well as to select other safety- and convenience-related options.

Safety is clearly covered with the 2012 Navigator L. But what about reliability? Consumer Reports thinks the Lincoln will prove average in this regard, while J.D. Power and Associates thinks long-term dependability will prove slightly better than average according to J.D. Power’s most recent prediction.

The 2012 Lincoln Navigator L commands a premium of $2,165. For that buyers get:

• 12 inches of extra wheelbase

• 14.9 inches of extra length

• 2.8 inches of extra rear overhang

• 1.7 inches of extra third-row seat hip room

• 15.2 inches of extra third-row shoulder room

• 24.5 cubic-feet of extra cargo room behind the third-row seat

• 31.9 cubes of extra cargo room behind the second row seat

• 24.9 cu-ft of extra cargo room behind the front seats

Every Lincoln Navigator L is equipped with an independent rear suspension which, when compared to a solid axle rear suspension like the one on the Cadillac Escalade ESV, provides superior handling, a more composed ride, and, because it is more compact in terms of size requirements, extra interior space. The result is that the Lincoln’s third-row seat is actually comfortable for adults, and it never needs to be removed from the vehicle to maximize cargo space because it folds flat.

Speaking of carrying cargo, the Navigator L can swallow 42.6 cubic-feet of stuff behind the third-row seat. No, that’s not a typo. Behind the second-row seat, the Navigator provides 86.3 cu-ft of space, about as much as a typical midsize crossover SUV with all the seats folded down. Maximum cargo volume for the Navigator L measures 128.2 cu-ft, falling short of a Cadillac Escalade ESV by nearly 10 cubes.

Go big or go home, right? It doesn’t get much bigger than a 2012 Lincoln Navigator L. While we like the Navigator L’s genuinely comfortable third-row seat and cargo area arrangement, we’re not crazy about its ostentatious styling – which hasn’t changed in half a decade. The Cadillac Escalade ESV carries more stuff, is much more powerful, is lighter in weight, and looks more upscale. The Caddy, or the GMC Yukon Denali XL, are our choices in the ultra-luxe SUV market.

By Christian Wardlaw