Compare the2023 Lincoln Navigator LVS 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV

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

Safety

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The Lincoln Navigator L 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 ESV doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Navigator L 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 ESV doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The Navigator L 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 ESV 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 L 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 ESV Premium/Platinum/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Navigator L 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 ESV Premium/Platinum/Sport has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Navigator L’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 ESV doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Navigator L and the Escalade ESV 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 L is safer than the Cadillac Escalade ESV:

	Navigator L	Escalade ESV
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 L is safer than the Cadillac Escalade ESV:

	Navigator L	Escalade ESV
	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 L is .4% to 2.6% less likely to roll over than the Escalade ESV.

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 L’s warranty.

Reliability

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

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 L’s reliability 18 points higher than the Escalade ESV.

Engine

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

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

	Navigator L	Escalade ESV
Zero to 60 MPH	5.5 sec	5.9 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	14.8 sec	15.4 sec
Quarter Mile	14.2 sec	14.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	98 MPH	97 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Navigator L	Escalade ESV
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.5 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Navigator L has larger tires than the Escalade ESV (285/45R22 vs. 275/50R22).

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

Suspension and Handling

The Navigator L’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 ESV doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Navigator Black Label L 4x4 handles at .78 G’s, while the Escalade ESV Sport 4WD pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Navigator L is 5.1 inches shorter than the Escalade ESV, making the Navigator L easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

Passenger Space

The Navigator L 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, 2 inches more third row hip room and 1.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Escalade ESV.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

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

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Cadillac Escalade ESV is limited to 8000 pounds. The Navigator L offers up to a 8400 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 L’s exterior PIN entry system. The Escalade ESV 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 L’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Both the Navigator L and the Escalade ESV offer available massaging front seats. The Navigator L 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 ESV.

Recommendations

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