2007 Lincoln Navigator Ultimate Package with Navigation & DVD $8,990

A big and comfy luxury SUV, the reworked 2007 Lincoln Navigator now offers the ride quality and level of luxury it needs to run head to head with its chief rival, the Cadillac Escalade. Anyone who's a fan of large luxury SUVs has the Lincoln Navigator to thank. The Navigator was the first full-size luxury SUV, and although that early version was little more than an F-150 with a wagonlike body and some luxury bits thrown in, the Navigator and the segment it helped to pioneer have become a sales force to be reckoned with. Inside, the dash, center console and door panels are now covered with rich-looking wood trim and the analog clock mounted in the center of the dash is a near perfect blend of modern sophistication and old Lincoln style -- two words we'd have been reluctant to use in describing previous Navigators. Even the somewhat overdone exterior has an elevated level of elegance, especially when viewed from behind. It remains to be seen if vehicles like the Navigator will continue to sell well in light of fluctuating fuel prices but Lincoln certainly deserves credit for raising the bar with the new Navigator.