Compare the2023 Lincoln NavigatorVS 2023 Cadillac Escalade

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

Safety

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The Lincoln Navigator has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Escalade doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Escalade doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The Navigator has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Escalade doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Navigator has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Navigator has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Navigator’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Escalade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Navigator and the Escalade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, around view monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 Cadillac Escalade:

	Navigator	Escalade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	23/39 lbs.	152/161 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	47%
Neck Stress	155 lbs.	272 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	271/178 lbs.	333/811 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 Cadillac Escalade:

	Navigator	Escalade
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	23	25
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	108 lbs.	111 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	61	88
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	134	239
Hip Force	569 lbs.	764 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Navigator is .4% to 2.6% less likely to roll over than the Escalade.

Warranty

There are over 21 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Navigator’s warranty.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Navigator has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engine in the Escalade.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Navigator’s reliability 18 points higher than the Escalade.

Engine

The Navigator’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 20 more horsepower (440 vs. 420) and 50 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 460) than the Escalade’s 6.2 V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the Lincoln Navigator is faster than the Cadillac Escalade:

	Navigator	Escalade
Zero to 60 MPH	5.2 sec	6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	13.8 sec	15.6 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.1 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	13.8 sec	14.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	100 MPH	91 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Navigator gets better mileage than the Escalade:

			MPG
Navigator
	RWD	3.5 turbo V6	17 city/23 hwy
	AWD	3.5 turbo V6	16 city/22 hwy
Escalade
	RWD	6.2 OHV V8	14 city/19 hwy
	AWD	6.2 OHV V8	14 city/18 hwy

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 Cadillac Escalade (3 to 6). This means the Navigator produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escalade every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Navigator’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Escalade:

	Navigator	Escalade
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.5 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Navigator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escalade (285/45R22 vs. 275/50R22).

The Navigator’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escalade’s 50 series tires.

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 Escalade doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Navigator’s wheelbase is 1.6 inches longer than on the Escalade (122.5 inches vs. 120.9 inches).

The Navigator Black Label 4WD handles at .76 G’s, while the Escalade Sport Platinum 4WD pulls only .67 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Navigator Black Label 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the Escalade Sport 4WD (27.8 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 30.1 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Navigator has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Escalade (9.6 vs. 8 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 Escalade doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Navigator Black Label 4WD is quieter than the Escalade Sport Platinum 4WD (72 vs. 75 dB).

Passenger Space

The Navigator has 3.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escalade (172 vs. 168.4).

The Navigator has .2 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, .4 inches more rear hip room, .5 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.2 inches more third row legroom, 2 inches more third row hip room and 1.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Escalade.

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

Cargo Capacity

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 Escalade’s liftover is 37 inches.

The Navigator has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Escalade doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The Navigator’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Escalade’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac Escalade is limited to 8200 pounds. The Navigator offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

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 Escalade doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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 Escalade doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Both the Navigator and the Escalade offer available 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 Escalade.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Navigator is less expensive to operate than the Escalade because it costs $155 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Navigator than the Escalade, including $126 less for a water pump, $731 less for a muffler, $60 less for front brake pads, $125 less for a starter, $136 less for fuel injection, $215 less for a fuel pump, $524 less for front struts, $59 less for a timing belt/chain and $157 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 Escalade has never been chosen.

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