# Lincoln Navigator Black Label test drive

> We drove Lincoln's $120,000 luxury SUV through South Carolina to see if it's still America's ultimate people carrier.
- Title: Lincoln Navigator Black Label test drive · Maxim | Shortify
- Summary: We drove Lincoln's $120,000 luxury SUV through South Carolina to see if it's still America's ultimate people carrier. The Navigator remains an over-the-top…
- Keywords: lincoln navigator, luxury suv, test drive, black label, south carolina, automotive, full-size suv, cadillac escalade, adaptive suspension, bluecruise, Lincoln, Navigator
- Source: Maxim — https://maxim.com/rides/test-driving-the-lincoln-navigator-black-label-special-edition-in-coastal-south-carolina
- Published: 2026-09-24T08:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: lincoln navigator, luxury suv, test drive, black label, south carolina, automotive, full-size suv, cadillac escalade, adaptive suspension, bluecruise
## The original luxury SUV
Lincoln introduced the Navigator in 1998, a year before Cadillac's Escalade. It became a late-'90s icon, especially among hip-hop artists and pro athletes, and helped Lincoln outsell Cadillac for the first time in 50 years.

> The Navigator is the original full-size luxury SUV.
## Striking design and interior
The Black Label Special Edition features shimmery Sunrise Copper paint with black wheels and roof. Inside, the light-beige Enlighten interior feels spacious with supremely comfortable seats and 48 inches of curved panoramic glass across the dashboard.
## Wellness themes and customization
Lincoln positions Black Label as a wellness experience with three interior themes. Atmospheric features gray leather and ash wood, Enlighten offers beige leather and birch wood, and Invitation includes black leather and khaya wood. The Rejuvenate feature combines aromatherapy, sound, lighting, massaging seats, and climate control.
## Powerful engine and smooth transmission
The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 produces 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque with velvety smooth shifts from the 10-speed automatic. It delivers serious passing power and can tow up to 8,700 pounds with the heavy-duty trailer tow package.
## Adaptive suspension eliminates bumps
The Adaptive Suspension system uses 12 sensors monitoring movement 500 times per second, paired with a forward-facing camera that anticipates road conditions. It adjusts stiffness for each wheel individually, eliminating floaty rides on highways and erasing potholes on mixed terrain.
## Hands-free driving and sound quality
BlueCruise hands-free system handles lane changes and stop-and-go traffic on compatible highways. The Navigator uses acoustic-laminated glass and sound-dampening materials to create a quiet cabin, then fills it with a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D sound system.
## Comfort for all three rows
Massaging seats in the first and second rows can be heated or cooled. The second row offers optional entertainment screens. Even the third row is spacious enough for adults on long road trips, with no bad seats in the entire vehicle.

> There are no bad seats.
## From outsider to insider
The Navigator was once an unattainable status symbol locked in the past. Driving it revealed that the modern version is best understood from the inside out, where its genuine luxury and technology shine far beyond its iconic exterior image.

> It's an SUV that can only really be known from the inside out.
## Key takeaway

The Navigator remains an over-the-top luxury icon, but modern tech and comfort features make it genuinely impressive to experience from the inside.