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Want a new 2022 Lincoln Navigator? You'll have to custom order it

Lincoln showed the refreshed 2022 Navigator in August of last year, but the luxury SUV only entered production on January 18 of this year. After just three months of rolling down the line at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant, Lincoln has closed the doors on pumping out inventory units. Ford Authority noticed the Navigator page at Lincoln's consumer web site now reads, "The 2022 Lincoln Navigator is only available for custom order. Some models, trims, and features may not be available. Please contact your local Lincoln Retailer for updates and assistance." It's a small bit of sub-optimal news for shoppers who want to hit the dealer lot and shop for an SUV like choosing a pet at a shelter. It hasn't been such a bad thing for Lincoln, though. Ford has made it intentions clear about the future of dealer inventory and custom orders, emphasizing that it wants less of the former and more of the latter. With the Navigator, that part of the plan appears to be working out, FA reporting that retail orders in February were up 291% over February 2021. Threads on the Blue Oval Forums show buyers willing to wait for their orders as well, one buyer who placed an order on January 20 still holding out for a VIN and tentative production date at the time of writing. It doesn't appear the move to custom orders is the result of overwhelming demand, however. Rather, it seems that Ford just can't make enough Navigators to satisfy what demand there is. Production issues at the Kentucky Truck Plant that also builds the Ford Expedition and Super Duty pickup have crimped output for all three models. Expedition and Navigator sales in the U.S. are both down more than 56% through the first three months of this year. Navigators that do make it out the plant doors are leaving without Active Park Assist 2.0, a standard feature on the Lincoln that is constrained on a number of Ford vehicles as well thanks to you know what. Ford is at least able to do the next best thing, which is installing an Active Park Assist 2.0 Prep Kit that screws in the sensors and hardware. When chips are available, which the automaker believes could be 12 to 18 months, an owner can stop by a dealer to have that chip installed free of charge. It's a nicer solution than a Semiconductor Shortage Package for everyone involved. Order books for the 2023 Lincoln Navigator are expected to open in two months, with production slated to start in September. Maybe things will be better then. Or not.

Lexus ES 350 vs. Lincoln MKZ

Despite a lineup of well-received crossovers on the Lexus showroom, the midsize Lexus ES 350 four-door continues to appeal to consumers. Many of those customers are older, so you won't see marketing budgets directed toward them; no one, other than the pharmaceutical companies, is spending money marketing to baby boomers. But a midsize, moderately expressive sedan with an easy buying experience and almost coddled ownership still has its fans, and the Lexus ES 350 delivers those attributes in spades. We'd like to say Lincoln's MKZ (pictured above) is hot on the Lexus' heels, but Lincoln's lineup remains a work in progress. The Fusion-based MKZ offers a nice mix of attributes, but Lincoln's dealer count has shrunk, and many Lincoln outlets are located within – or immediately adjacent to – Ford stores. If a Fusion-based Lincoln credibly aspires to Lexus-like attributes, the same won't be said for the Ford showrooms. Here are the offerings: The Lexus ES 350 team has, over the sedan's several variations, worked hard to separate the volume Lexus from Toyota's similar Camry, and in 2017 that separation might actually be quantifiable. To its credit, the ES 350 (pictured at left) comes with but one non-hybrid drivetrain, a 3.5 liter V6 connected to a six-speed automatic driving the front wheels. With it, the ES 350 delivers a motoring experience bordering on the sublime. With the exception of its now-predictable big mouth grille, the balance of the ES sheetmetal is responsibly muted, inoffensive to the eye and should wear well through the typical payment cycle. Access to its moderately upscale interior is easy, and once inside you'll find expansive room (some 100 cubic feet) for four, along with adequate space for the occasional fifth. With a curb weight of just 3,600 pounds, the V6's 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque is responsive, and that's evident in the four-door's 7-second sprint to 60. This isn't a track day or autocross weapon, but if part of your day is a stressful commute, this will make it less so. With a base – albeit well appointed – spec, the ES 350 retails for just under $40,000. We would order ours in Atomic Silver, even if "atomic" seems so last-century. If you can forget – for a minute – the Matthew McConaughey connection, know that Lincoln's MKZ is fully credible as a midsize, mid-fashion sedan. If you like your Fords with more expressive interiors and additional driving refinement, there's a lot to like in Lincoln's MKZ.

2023 Lincoln Navigator makes changes to trim lineup and color menu

Lincoln has been doing its thing out of the way of the big headlines at Ford. The brand hasn't put out an official press release for the Navigator since August 2021, the 2023 Navigator whispering into the new year so quietly we barely noticed. The big SUV got refreshed for the 2022 model year, gaining the brand's ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, Lincoln Enhance over-the-air update capability, a larger 13.2-inch infotainment screen, two new themes for the top-tier Black Label trim called Central Park and Invitation, tweaked front and rear fascias, and a few other bits. For 2023, the changes are mostly decorative and financial. The base extended model known as the Navigator L is gone. The stretched Navigator now comes in Reserve and Black Label only. Flight Blue is no longer on the exterior palette, but Diamond Red Tricoat can be ordered for the base Standard trim as well as the Reserve and Reserve L. The sole powertrain is unchanged, that being a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 with 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque sending power through a ten-speed automatic to either the rear wheels or all four. 2023 Navigator prices after the $1,895 destination charge, and their increases from 2022, are: Standard: $81,620 ($3,215) Reserve: $93,830 ($4,730) Reserve L: $96,860 ($5,090) Standard 4WD: $84,620 ($3,215) Reserve 4WD: $96,530 ($5,090) Reserve L 4WD: $99,555 ($5,090) Black Label 4WD: $111,150 ($6,475) Black Label L 4WD: $114,195 ($6,475) As you can see, there are some healthy bumps compared to launch pricing for the 2022 model year. In 2022, the base model dropped by $5, three other trims rose by a few hundred, one trim rose by $1,760, and five climbed by almost $5,000. For 2023, a $5,000 increase is effectively the norm. Getting a Navigator seems to be a little easier than around this time last year when Lincoln made the model custom order only. Now the warning text reads, "Some models, trims and features may not be available. Please contact your local Lincoln Retailer for updates and assistance." Bring money. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.