New Lincoln Navigator and other premium SUVS define large luxury in 2025

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- These days, the biggest, most luxurious Lincoln is the Navigator SUV.

Although decades ago, the biggest and most luxurious Lincolns were always sedans, often splashed across millions of TV screens as an aspirational vehicle for a character living large.

But now, the Navigator is all new and loaded with more luxury and more technology, including a wide, sweeping display atop the dash. Most everything a driver needs to see, very close to the natural eyeline looking forward. The base price is right around $100,000.

The Navigator has an interesting history. Back in the late 1990s, Lincoln sensed that people might want a luxury SUV, so the then-new Ford Expedition was given the upscale treatment, and the Navigator was born for the 1998 model year, and had great success.

Longtime luxury rival Cadillac was quick to do the same thing, gussying up a GMC Yukon to create the first Escalade model for 1999. Like the Navigator, it was the start of something big in the automotive world.

And competition has also come from premium Japanese brands, the newest being the plush Infiniti QX80 introduced last year, and the Lexus LX, newly revised a few years ago as well.

These large, luxurious SUVs have evolved at a rapid pace when it comes to technology, but they've also evolved when it comes to efficiency. That's important now, and will be more so in the future.

The Navigator was a V8 only for the first 17 years of its existence, but since 2016, it has been sporting a turbo V6 powertrain, only for fuel efficiency and carbon output restraint. The power is still there, with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 producing 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque.

In 2025, Lexus introduced a hybrid version of the big LX, enhancing its own turbo V6 powertrain. Look for a discreet LX700h badge on the back as the only clue about it having hybrid power. This big hybrid SUV will set you back $115,350 for the off-road capable Overtrail version. And the price climbs from there. The MSRP is over $140,000 for the highest trim, with Ultra Luxury as a fitting name.

And Cadillac's big SUV has now gone electric, at least as an option, with the new Escalade IQ. It's completely different from the regular Escalade, which continues with V8 power. The IQ has an impressive estimated range of up to 465 miles. It's part of General Motors' overall move toward an electric vehicle future. The 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQ starts at $127,405.

For high-end, high-riding plush premium rides, with high prices, the big SUVs have staked their claim in the automotive space.