Traded '14 ESV for the L and loving it!
Phil Calendine on 10/09/2015
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Yes, we had a brand new 2014 Cadillac ESV Platinum. It was really crap. Transmission issues, electrical issues, upgraded seats were horrible, very uncomfortable. Ride was very poor compared to our previous air suspension 2003 ESV. Engine under powered. Vented seats sounded like a jet landing in the car. Heated/cooled cup holder worked great for the two minutes before it turned itself off. Remote start worked great as far away as five feet. 2015 Cadillac is just plain ugly and "fold flat" seats simply sit up on floor of car...wife literally couldn't reach into car without hitting the bumper. That's not gonna work in Ohio winters.
So we decided to cut our losses and try the Navigator-L. Got a fantastic deal on the outgoing 2015 which is essentially same as the new 2016. I did like the general appearance of the ESV platinum interior better, but the functionality of the Nav over the '14 or '16 ESV is way, way better. The entertainment/nav is infinitely easier and more intuitive than the grossly antiquated non Vue system we had in the '14, and I feel much better than the Vue system in the latest Caddy. Unlike the Vue, Lincoln maintains hard buttons where it makes it easier to use (volume, tuning, HVAC, etc) but still integrates those into its Sync system. The iPhone works seamlessly and intuitively.
The old Nav had a grossly underpowered engine. The new ecoboost turbo rectifies that, and easily outperforms the '14 or '16 ESV. In addition, this smart 6 cylinder gets about 15% better gas mileage, which, comcined with the 33 gal tank vs 28 on the ESV, and you can go way further. The brakes are also much improved, and better compared to Caddy. The ride (we have the upgraded Reserve edition with comparable air suspension) has 3 very useful and noticeably different ride selections. The Sport setting is great around town, resulting in a very stable, nearly sway free ride. Hit the highway and select comfort and the road bumps are nearly unnoticeable. The ESV did neither.
The back of the L has much easier to use auto down third row, which, by the way is 40/60 split, which means you can actually sit someone in the middle of the back row. Caddy 50/50 split resulted in our huge ESV being reduced functionally to a six passenger! Who wants to sit in a crack?
So overall, from my perspective, the '15 or '16 Nav L is an easy winner over Caddy, which gives the feel of an over confident underachiever.
Really big upgrade from my 2008 Navigator
Troyd75826 on 10/01/2015
Performance: 0
Comfort: 0
Fuel Economy: 0
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Comfort Rating: 5
Performance Rating: 5
Interior Rating: 4
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Safety Rating: 5
Technology Rating: 3
Value Rating: 5
Great for family with 3 young kids who can't stand idea of minivan. Nice updates from previous generation. This is a far more comfortable vehicle.
