2003 Lincoln Navigator Ultimate

The Ultimate trim of the 2003 Navigator certainly presented a long list of features meant to pamper its passengers. Stuff at this level that was not found on the two lower-priced trims included heated and cooled front seats, AdvanceTrac stability and traction control, a power liftgate, power-folding third row bench seat, and high-intensity gas-discharged headlamps. But the big attention-getter in the Ultimate's standard equipment list was the power-deployable running boards, an industry innovation at the time.

Another item on the slate of standard amenities found only on this trim level was the power liftgate, a real help for those of shorter stature or compromised strength who might have found it difficult to reach up and pull the gate down to close it. Alas, some owners of this SUV would have preferred to go without this feature, as its mechanism reduces rear visibility and cargo-area space. It's a good thing that a rear park-assist comes standard, too.

The power-folding third-row seat, however, won appreciation for its convenience factor; that seat is necessary when there will be more than four people in the Navigator, but when you need cargo space instead of passenger space, it sure is handy to convert the seat with a simple press of a button.

Unlike its rival, the Cadillac Escalade, the Navigator does not offer a more powerful engine on its highest-priced trim. The same 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower V8 propels the Ultimate as it does the basic Luxury trim; this engine provides 355 lb.-ft. of torque at 2750 rpm, with a towing capacity of 8,300 pounds. Its fuel economy, if you want to call it that, is rated at 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway.

People who have bought this full-sized SUV sure love the luxury it affords them, in terms of both space and creature comforts. But any time a vehicle contains so many fancy doohickeys things are more likely to go wrong; as such, there have been considerable complaints of electrical problems with the 2003 Navigator. Whether this is a bigger problem than with its competitors could not be determined.