2023 Lincoln Navigator vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator, a full-size luxury SUV, maintained its status quo as it awaited a potential electric transformation. Despite the introduction of the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ, Lincoln's flagship SUV continued to offer a single trim level in Canada, the Navigator Reserve, featuring standard four-wheel drive. The test model, a triple-black Navigator Reserve, included the Monochromatic Package with black 22-inch wheels and body-colour trim, though keeping it clean proved challenging. Inside, the cabin exuded luxury with real wood trim and chrome accents, though some switchgear failed to convey the same level of opulence. The Lincoln Play rear-seat entertainment system, despite its Amazon Fire TV streaming capability, went largely unused by tech-savvy teenagers. The Navigator's Canadian MSRP reached $131,614, factoring in destination charges and federal luxury tax.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, built on the TNGA-K platform, offered a spacious and comfortable alternative to its smaller sibling, the Highlander. With a length of 5,115 millimetres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase, it surpassed competitors like the Kia Telluride in size. The Grand Highlander's design, inspired by rugged vehicles, featured a blockier appearance with a trapezoidal grille and narrow headlights reminiscent of the Toyota 4Runner. Available in three trims—XLE, Limited, and Platinum—the Grand Highlander provided a choice of black Softex synthetic leather or real leather upholstery. The interior boasted ample headroom and legroom, even in the third row, making it a comfortable choice for passengers. With a cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, it offered more storage space than many rivals, appealing to those seeking a spacious and well-built road-trip vehicle.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and 4WD, it achieved a fuel economy rating of 13.2 L/100 km in combined driving, though real-world testing showed an average of 15.0 L/100 km. The Navigator offered five drive modes, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, and Deep Conditions, with an optional Hill Climb mode. Despite its adaptive damping suspension, the Navigator's ride quality was inconsistent, feeling truck-like over smaller bumps and floating over larger dips. Excite mode improved handling but negatively impacted fuel efficiency. While the Navigator felt smaller on mountain roads, its size posed challenges in urban environments, making parking and maneuvering difficult.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options: a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder with 265 horsepower, a 2.5-litre hybrid with 245 combined net horsepower, and the Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 combined net horsepower. All powertrains came with AWD in Canada. The Hybrid Max provided impressive acceleration, achieving a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander's size made it less maneuverable than its smaller counterpart, the Highlander, and its steering felt numb and disconnected. However, the brakes were solid, and the 2.4-litre turbocharged engine offered adequate power. The Grand Highlander featured three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models. Sport mode improved steering and throttle response, while Eco mode prioritized efficiency.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator excelled in functionality, offering roomy seats in all three rows and an extended body style for increased cargo space. Power-deploying running boards facilitated entry and exit, while the 30-way Perfect Position power-adjustable front seats provided heating, ventilation, and massage functions. However, the multitude of adjustments proved challenging to perfect. The Navigator's interior featured generous storage space, with covers to maintain a clean look. For those needing ample cargo capacity, the long-wheelbase Navigator L model offered significantly more room behind the third-row seat, second row, and front seats.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, larger than its primary rivals, boasted a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, surpassing the Kia Telluride by over 300 litres. With 1,640 litres behind the second-row seats and 583 litres with all three rows up, it provided ample storage space. The Grand Highlander's spacious interior offered excellent visibility and comfort, with plenty of headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row. Even six-foot adults could comfortably sit in the third row, making it a practical choice for families and road trips.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator featured a 12-inch digital instrumentation display, a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a widescreen head-up display. The Sync 4 infotainment system included Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and Alexa Built-in. While the digital assistant performed well, the wireless smartphone charger caused overheating issues. The Navigator's 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D Audio System delivered impressive sound quality. Lincoln Play installed touchscreens for rear-seat passengers, though they went unused by teenagers who preferred their smartphones.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering a visually stunning interface. An intelligent assistant, activated by saying "Hey Toyota," responded to voice commands for tasks like adjusting temperature and changing radio stations. The connected-services subscription included cloud-based navigation and 24/7 live agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 11-speaker JBL stereo, standard on Limited and Platinum trims, provided balanced sound quality. Streaming audio integration and a three-month trial of Sirius XM satellite radio were also available.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator was equipped with the Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitoring. Unique ADAS features included Evasive Steering Assist, Intersection Assist, and BlueCruise, a hands-free driving assist system. However, BlueCruise struggled with curves, mixed pavement surfaces, and construction zones, requiring driver intervention. The Navigator received a 5-star side-impact protection rating and a 4-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, though not yet crash-tested, came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard equipment. This suite included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The updated lane-departure alert could identify three-dimensional objects, reducing false warnings. Traffic jam assist and a head-up display were exclusive to the Platinum grade. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.