The Lincoln Navigator just went through a major redesign for 2025, so the 2026 model is about refining that formula rather than reinventing it. The big headline is the return of the entry-level Premiere trim, which drops the starting price back below six figures while keeping the new generation’s tech, power, and luxury features essentially unchanged.
For shoppers around Bakersfield who want full-size luxury without giving up modern tech or serious capability, the 2026 Navigator at Jim Burke Lincoln is very much the “have your cake and eat it too” SUV.
What Actually Changed for 2026?
According to Car and Driver, the biggest change for 2026 is that the Premiere trim rejoins the lineup as the new entry point, while the rest of the Navigator carries over from the 2025 redesign.
That means you still get:
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Standard and long-wheelbase Navigator L body styles
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Three main trims: Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label
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Seating for up to eight, depending on configuration
In other words, 2026 is less about an all-new model and more about giving buyers a broader range of price points while keeping all the high-end hardware and tech that launched last year.
Power and Performance: Twin-Turbo Muscle
Under the hood, the 2026 Navigator keeps the same 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 used in the 2025 model. It produces 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque, routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.
Car and Driver clocked a nearly identical 2025 Navigator at 5.1 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, which is seriously quick for something this big. The Navigator also tows up to 8,700 pounds when properly equipped, giving it an edge over rivals like the Cadillac Escalade in tow rating.
Fuel economy is expected to match the 2025 model at an EPA-estimated 15 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined, since the 2026 SUV carries over mechanically.
Tech: Lincoln Digital Experience and BlueCruise
The tech story is where the new-generation Navigator really separates itself from older models. Front and center is a 48-inch panoramic display that stretches almost the width of the dash, paired with an 11.1-inch central touchscreen.
This runs the Lincoln Digital Experience, built around Google apps and services, including Google Assistant, Google Maps, and downloadable apps through Google Play. A standard 5G Wi-Fi hotspot and a four-year Lincoln Connectivity Package give you unlimited data for streaming, in-vehicle apps, and over-the-air updates, plus support for 4K streaming on the panoramic screen when parked.
Lincoln also builds in an impressive safety and driver-assist package. Every 2026 Navigator includes Co-Pilot360 tech such as blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection, along with BlueCruise hands-free highway driving capability, also included for four years.
Luxury and Comfort: A “Spa on Wheels”
Inside, Lincoln leans hard into the idea of the Navigator as a rolling retreat. The brand’s “Perfect Position” front seats offer up to 30-way adjustability (depending on trim), with heating, ventilation, and multiple massage programs. Available second-row Power Tailored Seats can also be heated, ventilated, and massaging, and the third row even offers power recline and available heat on Black Label models.
One of the flashiest new features is Lincoln Rejuvenate, a multisensory experience available on higher trims that uses ambient lighting, scents, massage, sound, and soothing on-screen visuals to help you unwind while the vehicle is in park.
Other standout touches include:
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Available Digital Scent cartridges in the center console
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An available 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D audio system with QuantumLogic Surround
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Tons of USB-C ports, including four in the second row and four in the third
Add in the quiet cabin and meticulous interior themes on Black Label models, and you get an SUV that feels more like a private lounge than a family hauler.
Design, Trims, and Everyday Usability
Outside, the 2026 Navigator sticks with the sleeker, more tailored look introduced for 2025, featuring wing-like LED lighting, an optional illuminated Lincoln Star, and a full-width rear light bar.
Trim highlights include:
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Premiere: Standard Lincoln Digital Experience, Lincoln Split Gate, third-row PowerFold bench, Lincoln Connectivity Package, and BlueCruise.
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Reserve: Adds Rejuvenate with Digital Scent, the 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D audio system, power running boards, premium leather seating, and a Panoramic Vista Roof.
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Black Label: Adds exclusive interior themes, opulence leather seating, standard second-row Power Tailored Seats, and additional Black Label ownership perks.
The long-wheelbase Navigator L stretches overall length by about 11 inches and adds roughly 14.5 cubic feet of extra cargo space compared to the standard model, which is a big plus if you routinely travel with a full crew and their gear.
Lincoln’s Split Gate tailgate design also makes everyday life easier, with a top section that opens like a typical liftgate and a lower section that drops like a tailgate. The available cargo management system can double as a backrest, shelf, or table for tailgating or road-trip picnics.
Experience the 2026 Lincoln Navigator at Jim Burke Lincoln
The 2026 Lincoln Navigator is not a complete overhaul, but that is exactly the point. Lincoln already reinvented this SUV for 2025; for 2026, it simply makes the lineup more accessible while keeping the powerful twin-turbo V6, cutting-edge tech, and spa-like interior that reviewers have been praising.
If you are ready to see how all of this luxury and technology feels in the real world, stop by Jim Burke Lincoln in Bakersfield. The team can walk you through the Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label trims, help you compare standard and long-wheelbase models, and set you up with a test drive so you can experience the 2026 Lincoln Navigator for yourself.