Compare the2025 Lincoln NavigatorVS 2025 BMW X7

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Navigator have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lincoln Navigator are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X7 doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

Both the Navigator and the X7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Navigator 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X7 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 53 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Navigator’s warranty.

The Navigator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The X7 doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The Navigator’s 3.5 turbo V6 produces 65 more horsepower (440 vs. 375) and 112 lbs.-ft. more torque (510 vs. 398) than the X7 xDrive40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Navigator gets better mileage than the X7:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lincoln Navigator uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X7 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Navigator has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the X7 (23.6 vs. 21.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Navigator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X7 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Navigator higher (6 out of 10) than the BMW X7 (4 to 6). This means the Navigator produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X7 every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Lincoln Navigator, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the X7.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Navigator has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 21-inch wheels are standard on the X7. The Navigator Black Label’s optional 24-inch wheels are larger than the 23-inch wheels optional on the X7.

The Lincoln Navigator’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X7 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Navigator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The X7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Navigator is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the X7.

For greater off-road capability the Navigator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X7 (8.9 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Navigator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Navigator uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Navigator offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the X7 can only carry 7.

The Navigator has 3.7 inches more front legroom, 5.3 inches more front shoulder room, 4.4 inches more rear legroom, 7 inches more rear shoulder room, .8 inches more third row headroom, 10.2 inches more third row legroom and 16 inches more third row shoulder room than the X7.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Navigator when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the tailgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The X7 doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Navigator’s cargo area provides more volume than the X7.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Navigator easier. The Navigator’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the X7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

The Navigator’s cargo area is larger than the X7’s in every dimension:

The Navigator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X7’s (6200 vs. 5950 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the BMW X7 is only 7500 pounds. The Navigator offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Navigator with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Navigator can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X7 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Navigator’s exterior PIN entry system. The X7 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Navigator has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Navigator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The X7 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Both the Navigator and the X7 offer optional massaging front seats. The Navigator Black Label also has standard massaging second row seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging second row seats aren’t available in the X7.

Both the Lincoln Navigator and the BMW X7 have a standard Qi wireless phone charging system in the front seat. To easily keep personal devices charged in the second row seat, without cables tangling and wearing out, the Navigator Black Label also has a standard wireless charging system in the second row seat. The X7 does not.

The Navigator has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Navigator as the 2018 North American Truck of the Year. The X7 has never been chosen.

The Lincoln Navigator outsold the BMW X7 by 14% during 2024.