Either way is fine by me.

The whole purpose.. of buying a TRUCK, means it doesnt need to be pretty.

And pricey.. it doesnt need.

If I was buying a truck.. a 4wd Crewcab F150 would be just fine.

Or a FORD version of a Avalanche.

But it wouldnt be pretty, and it wouldnt be pricey. Again, Its not a truck if its pretty and pricey.

It needs to be tough.
It needs to be large
And it needs to take no shit.

This Linc.. is just that. SHIT.

If I was in the market for a truck..
I could tolerate a 1/2 – 3/4 sized F150. And ranger, thats just too damn small.

I think its great that ya get the most out of the Tahoe. I also agree, that I doubt there is much difference in power for towing vs the XL / Burban.

I would like to know..
What would be the difference..
Between a Crew Cab 4×4 with a 4 or 6′ bed and a cap while towing that motha of a boat?

I also agree.. that the Nav.. is just one giant advertisement for what is wrong with the market. The cover over the hitch is purely cosmetic. I dont even know if there is a factory power hookups.

I disagree about the need for a tach while towing. Definitely necessary equipment for towing. If the Navigator doesn’t also provide a transmission temperature gage like my Tahoe, then another big thumbs down.

NulloModo – You’ll notice I didn’t include the Expy in my list. You do get a bigger engine and mileage robbing AWD with the Caddy and Denali. Are the demographic they’re targeting really that dumb and/or lazy that they can’t simply move the dial from 2WDH to Auto when the roads get sketchy? I also find it funny that they put the bigger enigine in a vehicle that’s less likely to tow. I say that because both the Caddy and Denail come with a cover that conceals the reciever hitch in the rear bumper. Out of site out of mind I guess.

I tow often and keep my vehicles at least 10 years so I prefer the simplicity of a rigid axel over IFS. At least one test I read favored the ride of the Tahoe over both the IFS Ford Expy and Toyota Sequoia.

Out run them, or slow down slowly so they pass. It’s frustrating, but you can deal with it.

Carlson – At least in the case of the Expedition vs the Navigator you do get some suspension upgrades, a better audio system, and some other upgrades as well. Also, while the aluminum and chrome may be fake, the wood is real.

No ridicule from this quarter; I loved the full sweep speedo and almost bought a ‘91 Crown Vic for that very reason. Well, that might be stretching it, but…

As per the Navigator, I agree that most drivers will not consult the tach. since no Navigators come with a manual transmission. While people towing may have to watch their revs, an experienced tower can listen to the engine, even shifting manually if desired, like they did in them there olden days.

Plus, the Enclave is tomb-quiet, amply powerful, and unlike a ‘Slade, it’s enjoyable to drive. While full-size truck-based SUVs never let you forget you’re driving a truck, the Escalade feels more like a luxury sedan (not that it PERFORMS like a Lexus LS, but a lot better than any truck-based ute).

And you can get one with every option possible for about $50 large…more like 45 with all the discounts and rebates…far cheaper than a Navigator or Escalade.

The other Lambda GM utes (the Acadia, Traverse and Outlook) are also nice, but the Buick is definitely a step above in style and luxury. But with Saturn going the way of the dodo soon, you should be able to pick up an Outlook VERY cheaply.

The only thing the Enclave and the other Lambdas can’t do is tow a lot, but they’re OK for something like a U-haul trailer or a jet-ski.

If you can do without the hauling capacity, check one out…you will NOT be disappointed.

Lincoln is introducing a similar vehicle, the MKT, this summer…so if you want a big Lincoln SUV with the new style (which is pretty cool, to my eyes), check that one out.

Mercedes did that until recently. I remember sitting in a pre-refresh W204 C-Class that had the amber-coloured sweep guage, though perhaps not that long. I thought it was a nice differentiator; something different from the twin-ring speedo+tach that everyone uses.

Styling, of course, is subjective…you either love it or hate it.

Packaging – Lincoln wins hands down – the 3rd row seat in either wheelbase is comfy and folds flat easily.

Skip the 20 inch wheels for the best ride (good luck trying that, though).

And maybe I’m spoiled by really fast cars, but the Navigator feels pokey to me, even for a huge barge. I’m pretty sure the 403HP Escalade kills it in the 1/4 mile. And sounds better doing it, too…not that you should be engaging in that sort of behavior in either of these, but how else do you measure true performance?

The Expedition is the best choice of the full sized SUV market. ITs got towing, full interior space and a good price tag.

The second gen Navigator looked bloated because they lowered it to the ground and widened it. It looks huge.

supremebrougham :
I think the 2nd Gen Navigator wasn’t loved because it had tighter interior spacing than the 1st gen and cost alot more ($70,700 for a loaded model).
The 3rd gen is around $64,000 loaded.

While I perfer the Escalade for its looks and its design inside and out, the Navigator’s design is proof positive that even when Ford makes a mistake – its knows what its doing.

#1 The Navigator’s seats all fold FLAT. Escalade, Taho, Denali – the entire GMT800 truck line DOES NOT DO THAT. You have to remove the 3rd row seat because they have solid rear axles.

#2 The Navigator has independant rear suspension unlike GM’s trucks and therefore, despite its not being as quick as the GM trucks, you can turn sharper in it than you could in say, an Escalade.

#3 The Navigator has more interior room. The review here is an L model – the regular model is just as roomy – but, the L is for more storage space behind the 3rd row. We have one with a Dvd entertainment center in the 2nd row, but you can order it with DVD entertainment for row 2 and 3 and still have a walkthrough center aisle for row 2. When technology at ford catches up to that offered on the new Benz, they will probably have dual view 1st row LCD screen.

#4 The NAvigator is alot cheaper than the Escalade. The Navigator is around $9000 cheaper than a similarly equipped Escalade. Same goes for the L vs. the ESV.

#5 The Navigator’s higher roof makes it better for taller drivers/passengers.

#6 The Navigator doesn’t have as much HP as the Escalade but, it’s towing capacity is higher.

This truck is a remnant of a time when cheap credit let people have this and a boat to tow. Now those boats (and their houses) are abandoned.

Easy come easy go.

So in conclusion – despite it is so ugly, and holds over the 2nd generation’s engine, it completely trumps the Escalade.

Okay, I will allow myself to be subjected to ridicule by saying this…there are some vehicles that beg for that classic North American sweep speedo that stretches across the dash in front of the driver. (No, I am not 80 years old.) This is one of them. Who the hell is going to watch the revs that closely when they are driving one of these anyway?

Concur wrt the ricers. It got so when I had to go to Houston I’d drive the Thunderbird, just out of self defense. I am occasionally frustrated by the slower pace of Omaha traffic, but at least the drivers here aren’t homicidal!

Probably that last chance to get one of these tanks without some sort of hybrid drivetrain; go get’er!

Define “proper.” Its pretty obvious how Tahoe-ish the Caddy’s interior is…from the lower half of the dash and the door panels, its all the same as a base Chevy. Not to mention the Yukon Denali which is often seen at the same dealership, parked right next to each other.

Aside from the great powertrain and taught(er) dynamics, the Escalade isn’t that far evolved from the original Navigator, much less the new one. And even if you put a Magnacharger on the Escalade and I still can’t forgive that third row and solid axle.