Compare the2023 Lincoln NavigatorVS 2023 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Navigator are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Navigator are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Navigator Reserve/Black Label inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The X5 doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

Both the Navigator and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

The Lincoln Navigator weighs 425 to 1027 pounds more than the BMW X5. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Lincoln Navigator is safer than the BMW X5:

	Navigator	X5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	165	209
Neck Injury Risk	32%	34%
Leg Forces (l/r)	23/39 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	326	342
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	35%
Neck Stress	155 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	74 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	271/178 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Lincoln Navigator is safer than the BMW X5:

	Navigator	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	23	72
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	108 lbs.	130 lbs.
Hip Force	180 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	30 G’s
Hip Force	434 lbs.	584 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	134	308
Hip Force	569 lbs.	796 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Navigator 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 2 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Navigator’s warranty.

Reliability

The Navigator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X5 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lincoln vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lincoln above average in long-term dependability. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

Engine

The Navigator’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 105 more horsepower (440 vs. 335) and 179 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Navigator and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Navigators have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Navigator uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X5 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Navigator has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the X5 (23.6 vs. 21.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Navigator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Navigator higher (6 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (3). This means the Navigator produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Lincoln Navigator, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X5.

Brakes and Stopping

The Navigator stops shorter than the X5:

	Navigator	X5
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Navigator has larger standard tires than the X5 (275/55R20 vs. 265/50R19). The Navigator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X5 (285/45R22 vs. 275/40R21).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Navigator Standard has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the X5.

The Lincoln Navigator’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X5 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The Navigator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The X5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Navigator’s wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer than on the X5 (122.5 inches vs. 117.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Navigator is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X5.

For better maneuverability, the Navigator’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the X5’s (40 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Navigator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X5 (9.6 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Navigator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Navigator uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Navigator offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the X5 can only carry up to 7.

The Navigator has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 4.1 inches more front legroom, 5.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 3.7 inches more rear legroom and 7 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Navigator’s middle and third row seats recline. The X5’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Navigator’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5.

	Navigator	X5
Third Seat Folded	57.5 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	103.3 cubic feet	72.3 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Navigator easier. The Navigator’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the X5’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Navigator’s cargo area is larger than the X5’s in every dimension:

	Navigator	X5
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	24”/48”/86.8”	n.a./40.7”/70”
Max Width	51.5”	49”
Min Width	51”	44”
Height	37”	31.5”

The Navigator’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Towing

The Navigator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X5’s (6200 vs. 5952 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X5 is only 7209 pounds. The Navigator offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Navigator 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Navigator can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X5 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Navigator uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Navigator’s exterior PIN entry system. The X5 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Navigator has a standard rear variable intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Navigator’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Standard air conditioned seats in the front and second seat rows keep the Navigator’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The X5 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Navigator has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the X5.

Both the Navigator and the X5 offer optional massaging front seats. The Navigator also offers optional massaging second row seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging second row seats aren’t available in the X5.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Navigator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X5.

The Navigator has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Navigator is less expensive to operate than the X5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Navigator than the X5, including $488 less for a water pump, $1652 less for a muffler, $164 less for front brake pads, $521 less for a starter, $313 less for fuel injection, $249 less for a fuel pump, $281 less for front struts, $910 less for a timing belt/chain and $809 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Navigator as the 2018 North American Truck of the Year. The X5 has never been chosen.