2022 Chevrolet Suburban vs 2021 Lincoln Navigator

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator was a significant departure from its predecessors, which often resembled dressed-up Ford Expeditions. While it shared some structural elements with the Expedition, the Navigator distinguished itself with unique design features, including a distinctive turn signal stalk. The Navigator Reserve, priced at $92,000, exuded luxury and elegance, convincing even those accustomed to high-end brands like Mercedes and Range Rover of its worth. The exterior design featured simple rectilinear shapes, a body-color grille, and tasteful chrome accents, making it a standout in snowy conditions during winter tests in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The interior was equally impressive, with seven color palettes and high-quality materials, including layered wood trim and a minimalist digital instrument panel. The Black Label trims offered even more luxurious textures and softer leather, making the Navigator one of the most refined large SUVs on the market.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban, redesigned for the 2021 model year, adopted Chevrolet's full-size truck design language, giving it a supersized appearance. The Suburban's exterior styling was shared with the shorter Tahoe SUV and the Silverado 1500 pickup, featuring a tall hood, long proportions, and large wheels. The Suburban was available in six trims, each offering different grille, fascia, and wheel designs for customization. Our RST test vehicle, with its Cherry Red Tintcoat exterior and 22-inch bright-machined black-painted wheels, had a sporty look. Inside, the Suburban offered a spacious cabin with varying levels of comfort and luxury, depending on the trim. The RST trim featured 10-way power seats, Jet Black perforated leather seats with Victory Red stitching, and an optional Luxury package. However, the predominantly black interior made the cabin feel a bit dark, despite the chrome sill plates and red seat stitching.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator was powered by a twin-turbo V6 engine, borrowed from the Ford Raptor, producing an impressive 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, made the Navigator feel surprisingly agile for its size. The 4WD system was smooth and responsive, offering a towing capacity of 8,300 pounds for 4WD models and 8,700 pounds for RWD models. However, fuel economy was poor, averaging in the teens, consistent with the EPA-estimated 17-mpg combined rating. The Navigator's adaptive dampers provided a decent ride, but the suspension felt rudimentary compared to competitors like the Cadillac Escalade. The steering and brakes were also less precise, but the Navigator's low-end thrust and quiet cabin made it a refined and powerful highway cruiser.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered three engine choices: a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a new 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six. The 5.3-liter V8, standard on most trims, produced 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The 6.2-liter V8, available on higher trims, delivered 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The new 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine provided 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, offering excellent fuel economy and a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Suburban's independent rear suspension improved ride and handling, while the 6.2-liter V8 in our RST test vehicle provided effortless power and acceleration. The Suburban's towing capacity was 8,300 pounds, and the vehicle performed well during an 80-mile tow test, making it a capable and reliable choice for hauling.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator offered ample space for passengers and cargo, with a boxy design that maximized interior volume. It could accommodate up to eight passengers with the optional second-row bench seat, though the third-row middle seat was best suited for children. The Navigator provided 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103 cubic feet in total. The long-wheelbase Navigator L offered even more storage space. The rear glass opened separately from the tailgate, a convenient feature for accessing the cargo area. The front seats were highly adjustable and comfortable, with numerous settings and massage programs. However, the second-row seats lacked some advanced features found in competitors.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in interior space, offering seating for up to nine occupants with the optional front-row bench seat. Most Suburbans provided seven- or eight-passenger seating, with the third row offering adequate headroom, knee room, and legroom for adults. The Suburban boasted 41.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 144.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded flat. The second-row seats could slide forward or backward up to 5.5 inches, and both the second and third rows folded flat with ease. The Suburban's cabin featured an optional power-sliding center console, a hidden storage drawer, and numerous storage cubbies. However, the Suburban's large size made it challenging to maneuver and park in tight spaces, and the new electronic push-button transmission controls required some adjustment.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator featured a 10-inch touchscreen, which felt small compared to the advanced displays in competitors like the Cadillac Escalade. The Navigator's infotainment system was intuitive, though a bit slow, and lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 20-speaker Revel Ultima stereo was good but not exceptional. The Navigator offered onboard 4G WiFi, wireless device charging, a smartwatch app, and the ability to use a smartphone as the vehicle's ignition key. Rear entertainment included Roku media streaming and various connectivity options. While the Navigator's technology was functional, it lacked some of the advanced features found in luxury competitors.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered a surprising level of technology, with new features added for 2022. The LT trim and above featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Google built-in, including Google Maps, Google Assistant, and third-party apps. The number of available camera views increased to 13, including a "transparent trailer" view. The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System with an 8-inch touchscreen was standard on the LS, while the LT and above featured a 10.2-inch system with Google built-in. Wireless device charging and a WiFi hotspot were standard on higher trims. The Suburban's audio system ranged from a basic six-speaker setup to a premium Bose 10-speaker system, with the mid-level nine-speaker Bose system providing decent sound quality.

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator received five stars overall from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with five stars in every test except for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety had not rated the Navigator. The Navigator offered standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and auto high beams. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and inflatable rear seat belts for the second row.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban came with the Chevy Safety Assist suite, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, front pedestrian braking, rear park assist, following distance indicator, automatic high-beam headlights, and an HD rear-vision camera. For 2022, front park assist, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-departure warning were added as standard features. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, HD surround vision, rear pedestrian alert, reverse automatic braking, lane-changing assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display. The Suburban received an overall rating of four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.