By Gary Anderson

Capable of towing 8,500 pounds, the Navigator is a real workhorse

There are times when only a sport-ute will work. In this column, I’ve suggested several new station wagons and hatchbacks that are better than SUVs for most around-town hauling requirements.

However, when my wife Genie and I were delegated recently as transportation coordinators for a family reunion in Wisconsin, an SUV seemed like the only vehicle that would meet our needs.

We were to meet my mother and nephew after arriving at the Chicago airport, which meant a week’s luggage for four people plus a golf bag. During the week there were to be trips out to restaurants where we needed to carry as many people as possible, and there was even the likelihood of trailering a boat at some point. When Lincoln offered us its new 2003 Navigator for the week, it seemed like the right vehicle for this job.

The Navigator, Lincoln’s variation on the Ford Expedition, is way more vehicle than most people need for most uses. However, if your needs include trailering a horse box or large boat, along with a family and luggage, and you still want to squire a group out for the evening in style, the Navigator seems like a perfect choice.

The Navigator can carry seven or eight passengers in its three rows of seats. The second row can be ordered in several configurations, including two captain’s chairs with a movable storage console in between, or a three-person bench seat. The third row seats three, and the large rear doors make entry and exit fairly convenient. With the third row folded, there’s room for 54 cubic feet of luggage.

The 5.4 litre V-8 engine produces 300 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque (just a little less than the Cadillac Escalade). With this power, the vehicle is capable of towing 8,500 pounds. Fold both rows of seats and you’ve got 4 feet by 7 feet of usable floor space and 104 cubic feet of cargo space.

Sure, this is a large vehicle, weighing in at nearly 6,000 pounds and taking up over 17 feet of curb space. However, Lincoln has done some very neat things to make it as easy to use as possible.

We were concerned that my octogenarian mother might find it difficult to get in and out until we opened the doors and an automatic front-to-back step (an option exclusive to the new Navigator) slid out from under the rocker panel. She said it was easier to step up and down than try to get up out of a regular car.

Other features make it possible for a smaller person to manage the Navigator. The rear hatch opens and closes at the push of a button (or with the remote keyfob) and another button automatically folds and unfolds the third row of seats. A backup beeper helps make parking easier and reduces the risk of backing into obstacles.

We did find that visibility directly to the rear was limited, especially with the third-row seats open, but within a few days we learned to use the oversized side mirrors the way a truck driver would do. Incidentally, with the mirrors extended the Nav is too wide to fit into an average garage space, but they fold inward at the touch of a button.

Lincoln has improved the suspension and steering on this new Navigator and my wife Genie and I both enjoyed the way it handled on the road. It offered a very smooth ride, but cornered with competence even at highway speeds. Gone is the school bus-like feeling we noticed in the first-generation Navigators. In ride and handling, I think it beats the Escalade, which to me feels much more like a truck.

The interior of the Navigator has been nicely styled for 2003. The real burl walnut trim is grain-matched and has a lovely finish, counterpointed by a brushed aluminum look on metal trim. Deep carpets and soft leather carry out the limousine theme. My mother said the interior made her feel like royalty.

There are some negatives to a vehicle like this, of course. Fuel economy varies from 12 to 16 miles per gallon. If your trip includes forays down narrow single-lane trails to that mountain cabin, you’re going to pick up brush scratches. And it costs the same as a high-end luxury sedan. With the optional moonroof, power running boards, fancier wheels, and navigation system, our Navigator stickered at $61,000.

Full-size SUVs are not appropriate for everyone, and it still dismays me a little bit when I see them being driven by one person for short errands.

But if you need a snow-capable tow truck with lots of interior space that can morph into a comfortable easy-to-drive limousine at the touch of a few buttons, the Navigator should be at the top of your list.