2025 Lincoln Navigator vs. 2025 Infiniti QX80 Review

2025 Lincoln Navigator Reserve ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Lincoln Navigator is a pioneering full-size luxury SUV. Its first generation was the first big sales hit in this class in 1998. The second generation brought a new level of luxury to the interior in 2003. The third generation ushered in the class’s first turbocharged V6 engine as part of an update in 2015. The fourth generation brought a new focus on the big-screen digital experience in 2018. 

Now, for 2025, the latest Navigator goes even bigger when it comes to technology – literally. A 48-inch digital screen spans almost the entire dashboard below the windshield. It also adds the latest version of Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system, along with fresh styling and more amenities than ever. 

But the redesigned Navigator faces a tough challenge this year from the 2025 Infiniti QX80. It’s also fully redesigned – for the first time since 2010. For this review, we’ve tested both the Navigator and the QX80 to compare them in each of eight categories and then name our overall winner. Keep reading to see which one we picked and which one sounds like the right full-size luxury SUV for you. 

Pricing and Features

Let’s get something out of the way – the new Navigator is catering to a smaller niche than ever. It hiked the starting price from 2024’s already-lofty $83,265 to $99,995. Add the mandatory $1,995 destination charge and every 2025 Navigator is a six-figure vehicle. 

Much of the price bump came from eliminating last year’s base Premiere trim level in favor of the Reserve, which cost $95,325 last year. This means that now every Navigator has genuine leather instead of leatherette, Lincoln’s 24-way “Perfect Position” front seats with a massage function, a panoramic roof, and the BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system. 

The 2025 Infiniti QX80 also got a price increase – but only to last year’s Navigator levels. It opens at $82,450, equipped similarly to the old Navigator Premiere (albeit with a panoramic roof). The base Pure and next-up Luxe ($89,550 with genuine leather, ventilated front and second-row, and a head-up display) come standard with rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive (standard on the Navigator) is a $3,100 upcharge. Infiniti also imposes a $1,995 destination charge as well.

By the time you get to the QX80 Sensory – with upgraded leather, massaging front seats, and a 24-speaker stereo – the Infiniti costs about the same as the Navigator Reserve. And our top-trim Autograph test vehicle, $110,595, also approaches the top Navigator Black Label ($116,995). But only Infiniti lets you opt for a slightly less decadent vehicle at a more approachable price point. 

Winner: Infiniti QX80

2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Exterior Design

The redesigned 2025 Navigator gets more crisply tailored details. Big rounded-off headlights become harder-edged slits. The grille becomes concave and now has a chromed spear running between the headlights, intersecting with the vertical Lincoln grille. And the already-slim tallights become smaller still. As before, you can get the Navigator as a standard-length model like our test vehicle or an extended-length Navigator L with more cargo room. 

The QX80 has near-identical dimensions to the standard-length Navigator, but it has a different vibe. With bigger windows, the Infiniti looks upright and boxy, while the Lincoln looks lower and sleeker. The QX80 also has a sportier-looking front end, with more aggressive details than the quietly genteel Navigator. Infiniti also has retractable door handles to make the body look cleaner while the doors are locked, while the Lincoln keeps things simple with traditional fixed handles. The winner here comes down to your aesthetic preference.  

Winner: Tie 

2025 Lincoln Navigator Reserve ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Interior Design

As we mentioned, the new 2025 Navigator has a showstopping digital experience. A 48-inch display spans most of the upper dashboard. It’s out of your reach but in the driver’s easy line of sight. You use an 11.1-inch conventional touchscreen located on the dashboard to configure the panoramic display, which also includes the digital gauge cluster. This part of the Navigator’s interior is both slick and functional. 

But in many ways, we preferred the old Navigator’s interior. It paired an attractive 13.2-inch central touchscreen with a simple set of buttons and knobs. This cabin was more relaxing than dazzling, but we don’t think that’s necessarily the wrong approach – especially given the new Navigator’s frustrations. We didn’t mind the shape of the new “squircle” steering wheel, whose squared-off shape ensures that you can see the speedometer over the rim. But we've heard some folks complain.

We do hate the new wheel’s unlabeled multifunction controls, which are more complicated and distracting than last year’s dedicated buttons. Also, the touchscreen that you actually interact with is a step down from last year’s in both size and graphics. Finally, even as Navigator prices rose, the new dash still doesn’t rival a Range Rover for ultra-rich interior trim. 

The new 2025 QX80 impressed us more. It’s attractively finished and has its own big screens – a 14.3-inch digital gauge cluster next to a 14.3-inch touchscreen, with a 9-inch touchscreen below it dedicated to the climate controls. The screens themselves are built for ease of use rather than the flashiest possible graphics, but Infiniti keeps things interesting with the dashboard’s flowing shape. And interior materials generally felt richer to us than the Lincoln’s. The QX80’s interior looks and feels special without driving us crazy. 

Winner: Infiniti QX80

2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Passenger Space and Comfort

Both the QX80 and Navigator are spacious, comfortable full-size SUVs. The Navigator has long stood out in both ways – offering the roomiest third-row seating plus Lincoln’s famed extra-adjustable “Perfect Position” seats. And it continues to set the standard. Even the second row now comes (as an option) with all the adjustability and massaging that you’d get in the front seats – perfect when the VIP is in the back rather than behind the wheel. 

The redesigned QX80 makes tremendous strides in both fronts. It has its own extra-adjustable front seats and massaging front and second rows. Its third row is now nearly as comfortable as the Navigator’s. And subjectively, some people will find the Infiniti’s front seats to be a better mix of cushy yet supportive than the Lincoln’s. But overall, the Navigator has even more tricks and even more space. 

Winner: Lincoln Navigator 

2025 Lincoln Navigator Reserve ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Cargo and Utility

The Navigator also edges out the QX80 for cargo space – even before you consider two Lincoln exclusives. Between comparable models, the new Navigator has 23 cubic feet of cargo space behind its third row, 70 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 107 cubic feet behind the front seats. The QX80 has gotten close, but it’s still a little behind with 22, 59, and 101 cubic feet, respectively. The Lincoln also narrowly edges out the Infiniti’s towing capacity – 8,700 pounds to 8,500 pounds. 

But the Lincoln’s advantage doesn’t stop there. We mentioned the extended-length Navigator L. It bumps up cargo capacity to 37.4 cubic feet behind the third row, 85 cubic feet behind the second row, and 122 cubic feet with both rows of backseats folded down. It’s a longer, bulkier SUV to fit into a parking space, but it’s the ride of choice when you want to carry both lots of passengers and lots of cargo at the same time. And secondly, we love the new Navigator’s split tailgate – an upper section opens upward while a lower section opens downward. That means you need less clearance to open the back, all while the lower section keeps your stuff from tumbling out and can serve as a (high off the ground) seat. 

If you want the Navigator’s extra-adjustable second row, be aware that those seats don’t fold down. You have to choose between max comfort and max cargo. But otherwise, Lincoln wins this category. 

Winner: Lincoln Navigator 

2025 Lincoln Navigator Reserve ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Driving Impressions

Everything about the Navigator speaks to smooth, serene comfort. Two things conspire against that – its heavy-duty truck suspension and its massive wheels (22 inches standard, 24 inches as tested). Together, they make the Navigator stiffer and more jiggly than we’d love from either a six-figure luxury car or a three-row family car at any price. And unlike a BMW SUV, you’re not getting this stiffness because of sporty handling, either. This is a tall, wide, 6,000-pound vehicle. We don’t mean the Navigator is lousy to drive for a truck; considering its compromises, it does pretty well. But be aware of those compromises versus a car-based crossover SUV. 

The QX80 has the same compromises, to be clear. But Infiniti worked more magic to overcome them. Its available air suspension takes more of the edge off bumps, and its wheels are sized at “just” 20 to 22 inches. We found it both more comfortable than the Lincoln and also more agile. And as we mentioned, while we didn’t have this problem, some critics have found it unnatural to steer the Lincoln’s asymmetrical steering wheel; the Infiniti’s is a normal circle. 

We also liked the QX80’s new turbocharged V6. Lincoln pioneered this type of engine in a class once dominated by V8s, and the Navigator is still punchy and rich-sounding. But the QX80 now matches that, all while the throttle, engine, and transmission work more seamlessly whether you’re accelerating hard or gently. We sometimes felt the Navigator stumble as we gave it some gas while it was coasting. 

At full throttle, the 440-hp Navigator will outrun a 450-hp QX80. Based on the stats we’ve seen, it takes less than 6 seconds to hit 60 mph, while the QX80 needs closer to 7 seconds. But in everyday driving, we pick the Infiniti. 

Winner: Infiniti QX80 

2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Hands-Free Tech

When you want your luxury SUV to drive for you, Lincoln’s BlueCruise system has you covered. On 130,000 miles of premapped controlled-access roads, you can take your hands off the wheel (though keeping your eyes on the road) and let the Navigator accelerate, brake, steer, and even change lanes automatically. Our only complaint was that the system would too often warn that we weren’t watching the road if we squinted into the sun. 

The redesigned 2025 QX80 introduces a similar system, called ProPilot 2.1. But it doesn’t change lanes automatically – you must, the horror, request them via the turn signal. It also doesn’t work on quite as many roads; Infiniti pegs the total at 115,000 miles. 

Winner: Lincoln Navigator 

2025 Lincoln Navigator Reserve ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Fuel Economy

You don’t buy a huge and powerful luxury SUV to save fuel. And neither the Navigator nor the QX80 will likely beat your expectations. 

The Infiniti’s new turbo engine is more economical than last year’s V8, at least. But it only ties the quicker Lincoln. With four-wheel drive, both SUVs get 17 mpg in mixed driving in the EPA’s testing (the Infiniti doing a little better in stop-and-go traffic, the Lincoln taking the lead on the open highway). Both our test vehicles also averaged 17 mpg in a week of mixed driving. 

Both Lincoln and Infiniti recommend premium-grade fuel. But note that both these engines are slightly retuned versions of the motors you’ll find in these SUVs’ mainstream-brand big SUVs – the Ford Expedition and Nissan Armada, respectively. Regular would save you nearly $1,000 every 15,000 miles if you’re not looking to race. 

Infiniti does let you buy a rear-wheel-drive QX80 that gets 1 mpg more than the four-wheel-drive model. Every Navigator comes with four-wheel drive. But comparing apples to apples, it’s a tie. 

Winner: Tie

2025 Lincoln Navigator Reserve ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Final Thoughts

We’ve been fans of the Lincoln Navigator for years, and this crisply tailored, technologically advanced redesign has a lot going for it, too. It’s as roomy and powerful as ever, yet its new dashboard looks more high-tech. But the suspension’s engineering hasn’t kept up with its ever-growing wheels, leaving it inappropriately stiff-riding. And whether you like the interior’s look or not, some of its controls have become insufferable. 

Our winner is the 2025 Infiniti QX80. It advances dramatically to approach or exceed the Navigator’s interior quality, passenger comfort, and fuel economy – all while providing a smoother ride and simpler controls. And while it’s no cheaper than a comparably equipped Navigator, the QX80 lets more people in the door with its much lower starting price. The Lincoln is faster and a little roomier, and its tailgate is worth copying. But we’re even more impressed with the Infiniti. 

Winner: Infiniti QX80

2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph ・ Photo by Brady Holt