Compare the2023 Lincoln NavigatorVS 2023 BMW X7

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 X7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable front 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 X7 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 X7 doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

Both the Navigator and the X7 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.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Navigator 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X7 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.

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 X7 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.

The Navigator’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 65 more horsepower (440 vs. 375) and 112 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 398) than the X7 xDrive40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Navigator gets better mileage than the X7:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Navigator uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X7 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Navigator has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the X7 (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 X7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 X7.

The Lincoln Navigator’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X7 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

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 X7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Navigator is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .7 inches wider in the rear than on the X7.

For better maneuverability, the Navigator’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the X7 w/Rear Steering’s (40 feet vs. 40.7 feet). The Navigator’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the X7 xDrive40i’s (40 feet vs. 42.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Navigator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X7 (9.6 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Navigator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Navigator uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Navigator offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the X7 can only carry 7.

The Navigator has 4.1 inches more front legroom, 5.2 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3.5 inches more rear legroom, 7 inches more rear shoulder room, .7 inches more third row headroom, 2.8 inches more third row legroom and 16.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the X7.

The Navigator’s cargo area provides more volume than the X7.

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 X7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

The Navigator’s cargo area is larger than the X7’s in every dimension:

The Navigator has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The X7 doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

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 X7’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.

The Navigator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X7’s (6200 vs. 5950 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X7 is only 7500 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 X7 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

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 X7 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 X7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 X7 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Both the Navigator and the X7 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 X7.

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 X7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Navigator is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The X7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Navigator as the 2018 North American Truck of the Year. The X7 has never been chosen.