Vehicle type: Luxury SUV
Price as Rested: $59,840

Pros:
Improved steering and suspension
Excellent Ride
Quiet comfortable interior
Power everything

Cons:
Fuel Economy
Needs more power
Poorly placed steering wheel controls
Complicated navigation system

Overview:

The Navigator is an 8 passenger luxury SUV competing with the Cadillac Escalade and the Lexus LX 470. The base model is called ‘Luxury’ and comes with dual zone climate control, an in dash 6 disc CD player roof rack and power folding mirrors. The ‘Premium’ model features Advance Trac with heated and cooled seats. Our test vehicle was the ‘Ultimate’ with all of the above including power liftgate, power folding rear seat and high intensity headlights. Options on the test vehicle include power running boards, navigation system and a tire pressure monitor. A DVD rear seat entertainment system is also available.

What’s new:

The first thing I noticed about the new for ’03 Navigator was the much improved steering feel. The old model had over boosted steering with zero road feel. That issue has been resolved with the addition of rack and pinion steering. Independent rear suspension and a stiffer frame round out the major upgrades for the new Navigator. Styling has been modified with a new grill and some minor exterior changes. The interior is all-new as well.

Under the hood:

The 5.4-liter dual overhead cam V8 is carried over for ’03. This engine provides 300-horsepower and 355 pound feet of torque and moves the nearly 3 ton Navigator to 60 MPH in 9.7 seconds. Around town acceleration is good but some gear hunting is evident at highway speeds with cruise control engaged. More power would help here. Not surprisingly, fuel economy is low. I got around 15-16 MPG on an put of town cruise with 13-14 MPG in town. Towing is rated at a hefty 8,000 lbs. The 4-speed automatic is coupled to a high/low transfer case with an AWD option. Shifting in and out of 4WD requires stopping the vehicle and shifting the transmission into neutral. I found the Navigator somewhat reluctant to shift and when it finally did a noise was heard as it shifted out of 4WD mode. This is referenced in the owner’s manual but it sounded unusually loud a couple times. Was I doing something wrong? During my extended drive Denver was hit with a massive 3 foot snowfall and I was thankful to have the Navigator with 4wd. However, it’s wide highway tires and relatively low ground clearance wasn’t the greatest combination in the snow. In fairness, the Navigator will do just fine in most normal snowfall situations and this vehicle is meant for the open road. Few people will ever go off roading in the Navigator.

The driving experience:

This is one of the most comfortable vehicles on the planet. The power front seats and tilt wheel mean that everyone will find a comfortable driving position. Outward visibility is good for such a large vehicle. The afore-mentioned rack and pinion steering is precise and ride quality is soft without feeling ‘floaty’. The Navigator feels solid and secure on the road. Braking is smooth with good stopping power. Around town power is good but the throttle tip-in takes a little getting used to. Don’t hit the gas pedal too hard or you’ll lurch forward.

Interior:

The Navigator is classy on the inside with leather and wood trim all around. The steering wheel rim is a mixture of both and looks great. Speaking of the steering wheel, it features remote buttons for the cruise and a ‘Media’ button for remote control of the audio and navigation system. Because of it’s placement near the wheel spoke it’s easy to bump it by mistake thereby changing radio stations. The navigation system comes supplied with CD’s for various regions of the country. On a trip to Wyoming I found the system did not have complete data for some highways. Isn’t this when you really need a navigation system? I also found entering the ‘destination’ info was somewhat laborious. I finally gave up. Small complaints aside, the quiet cabin is a joy with lots of space for passengers and a power folding rear seat provides lots of rear cargo area. Leg and head- room are class leading. A power rear liftgate is optional along with power running boards that slide out when a door is opened.

Safety:
Previous Navigators received a 5 star crash rating and I’d expect the same for 2003. Side curtain air bags provide an extra margin of safety. Our test vehicle had the optional ‘Tire Pressure’ monitor warning of a low tire. 4-wheel ABS disc brakes are standard aided by ‘Electronic Brakeforce distribution’ and brake assist. You’ll also find ‘Advancetrac’ stability control which works with the ABS system to assist cornering on slippery surfaces. ‘Controltrac’ enables the Navigator to shift power to the wheels (or wheel) with the best traction.

Conclusion:

The 2003 Navigator is all about luxury. Improved steering and handling are a bonus this year along with all the other new power additions like the liftgate and running boards. Those well-heeled buyers looking for comfort and Luxury will not be disappointed.