Transportation
Car Review: 2015 Lincoln Navigator
By Frank S. Washington
NNPA Columnist
DETROIT (NNPA)–For a while there, it seemed like the Lincoln Navigator was headed to the trash heap. That’s how long it took the brand to fashion a new generation of the first luxury full-size sport utility. But for 2015, Lincoln has managed to mesh new and traditional in a very appealing package.
Sheet metal design is important but luxury is conveyed in the interior of any vehicle and Lincoln followed that adage. The Navigator was the first three-rowed luxury sport utility on the market and Lincoln has swathed all three rows of its newest edition in leather.
The brand has gone so far as to hand wrap the instrument panel in leather with contrasting stitching. Our vehicle had a “dune” leather dashboard that matched its heated and cooled front bucket seats. There was new to the auto industry Ziricote wood trim. Lincoln said it is a natural grain wood that is used as accents on yachts.
Buttons were nicely mixed with the touch screen on the 2015 Lincoln Navigator. The center stack was set back in the dash and it wasn’t overwhelming. The touch screen was intuitive, each group of digital controls was plainly marked and there was no need for a mouse. It was simple, cleanly styled and it was easy to use.
Lincoln has mastered the operation of its SYNC with MyLincoln Touch system that allowed the driver to use voice-activated or touch screen controls to make phone calls, play music, manage the navigation system or set cabin temperature. We did use the voice controls on our test vehicle successfully to make a phone call; that was an accomplishment. Simply because a vehicle has voice controls doesn’t mean you can control anything orally because a lot of the systems don’t understand the command you are giving.
Again mixing new and traditional, the instrument display featured an analogue speedometer in the center and configurable TFT screens on either side. It was clean, looked upscale and lacked the pedestrian style of some full TFT instrument panels.
The second row seat was heated, it was a 40-20-40 beach seat and the second row also had its own set of climate controls as well as limited media controls. The seatbacks flipped forward and the seat cushion sprang forward creating even more cargo space.
The third row seat backs power folded forward creating a flat cargo space with the folded seat backs of the second row. The power liftgate completed an interior that was luxurious, cleanly styled and functional. Our Navigator was configured to carry seven or eight people, depending on the size of the third-row passengers.
We had the 119-inch wheelbase version of the 2015 Lincoln Navigator; there is an extended (131-inch) wheelbase version. Either or, the split wing grille on the Navigator was certainly split but it didn’t have the upward sweep of wings. Still, it was a new grille along with the hood and a more rounded front end.
LED running lights accentuated the headlights and LEDs were used for taillights in the rear. A chrome-tipped exhaust stood out and puddle lamps that shone the Lincoln badge on the pavement beneath the front door were a nice touch.
Our test vehicle featured 22-inch polished aluminum wheels and black power running boards that deployed when any Navigator door opened and then retracted when it closed.
As new as the 2015 Lincoln Navigator was in terms of exterior and interior styling, the real news was under the hood. The lone engine for the Navigator is a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that made a thumping 380 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque at 2,750 rpm.
But the thumping was rhetorical. This dual turbocharged engine was quiet, it moved the Navigator with authority, acceleration was instant, response to driver input was sports car quick and the suspension system removed the small bus feel of most full-size utility vehicles. It was a nice ride.
Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, we had the four-wheel-drive Navigator. It got 15 mpg in the city, 20 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg combined. Our 4X4 Navigator weighed 6,069 pounds and it could tow 8,600 pounds.
Our test vehicle had a base price of $65,055. Add options and a $995 freight charge and the total came to $72,900. That is a premium price but the 2015 Lincoln Navigator is a luxury full-size body on frame sport utility. What is that old saying? You get what you pay for.
Frank S. Washington is editor of AboutThatCar.com.
###
Business
Fate of Bay Area Public Transit Hinges on Regional Transit Measure
Voters in five Bay Area counties will decide the fate of a regional sales tax measure on Nov. 3 that could determine the future of local public transportation. If approved, the Regional Transit Measure would implement new sales taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and San Francisco counties starting in 2027. The funding aims to address massive financial deficits facing agencies like BART and Muni, providing nearly $1 billion annually to prevent station closures and service cuts. Read more.
On Nov. 3, voters in five Bay Area counties will vote on a regional sales tax measure that, if it fails, could prompt local transit agencies to close train stations and cut bus service.
If passed, the Regional Transit Measure, or RTM, will impose a half-cent sales tax in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as a one-cent sales tax in San Francisco starting April 2027.
The tax would raise an estimated $980 million annually for 14 years to fund the region’s public transit agencies, which are struggling with massive financial deficits. Revenue would go to BART, Muni, Caltrain, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, Golden Gate Transit, and other transportation agencies operating in the five counties.
In California, a regional measure for a new sales tax would normally require a two-thirds majority approval if the state Legislature directly places it on a ballot. Transit advocates, however, chose to collect signatures to make the sales tax a citizen-initiated ballot measure that would lower the threshold to a simple majority of votes cast across the five counties.
The RTM received more than 241,000 signatures, exceeding the 186,000-signature threshold required to qualify for the ballot.
Commentary
Why AC Transit Director Joel Young is My Choice for AC Transit Board Ward 3
Former AC Transit Director Patrisha Piras is endorsing incumbent Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3. Piras highlights Young’s tenure as the longest-serving member of the current board and his role in securing over $600 million in funding for the district. Young has previously served as board president and is credited with advancing clean-energy initiatives and workforce development programs. Piras cites his institutional knowledge as vital for navigating current financial challenges to ensure regional connectivity. Find out why Young is being recommended for another term.
As a former AC Transit Director for more than a decade, I know firsthand what it takes to serve effectively on the AC Transit Board. That is why I am proud to endorse Joel Young for election to the AC Transit Board of Directors, Ward 3.
Joel’s dedication to AC Transit and the communities they serve has been unmatched. Throughout his years on the Board, he has been a tireless advocate for riders, employees, and residents who depend on reliable, affordable public transportation every day. The majority of his colleagues have shown their trust, respect, and confidence in him by electing him as Board president.
As the longest-serving member of AC Transit’s current Board, Joel has played a pivotal role in securing more than $600 million in funding for the District, advancing clean-energy transit initiatives, strengthening workforce development programs, and helping position AC Transit as a national leader in innovation and sustainability. His leadership has extended beyond the Bay Area, representing AC Transit on the national stage and advocating successfully for investments that strengthen public transportation across the country, even with the current federal administration.
At a time when transit agencies face significant financial and operational challenges, Joel brings the experience, institutional knowledge, and steady leadership needed to help guide AC Transit forward. He understands that public transportation is about more than buses and infrastructure. It is about connecting people to jobs, schools, health care, and opportunity while ensuring that our communities remain accessible and economically vibrant.
Joel Young has a proven record of working with others to deliver results, protect transit service, and fight for the resources needed to meet the evolving needs of our region. His dedication, leadership, and commitment to public service make him exceptionally qualified to represent AC Transit Ward 3.
I strongly endorse Joel Young for the AC Transit Board of Directors and encourage Ward 3 voters to support his election by Nov. 3.
Patrisha “Pat” Piras is a former AC Transit director.
Featured
Opponents Smear Effective African American Transit Director as Election Nears
Incumbent Joel Young is defending his seat on the AC Transit Board against allegations of harassment stemming from a public interaction in 2026. Supporters of the director cite his record of securing $600 million for bus services and leading civil rights initiatives as evidence of his effectiveness. They argue the accusations regarding a group photo interaction have been politically weaponized by opponents to influence the Ward 3 election.
I am an academic and a community activist. I take women’s issues, including workplace harassment and discrimination, seriously. I have been following the AC Transit Ward 3 election and have become concerned about what I believe is a serious injustice.
Joel Young is an effective AC Transit director. He has secured more than $600 million for local bus service and fare affordability. He led the Freedom Bus Project, integrating civil rights history, art and transit. He was presiding over the board of AC transit when it won the 2023 Outstanding Public System Award, and he raised $1 million for the hydrogen fuel cell bus program. These are just a few of his accomplishments.
I reviewed the allegations of unwanted physical contact and harassment made by AC Transit Director Sarah Syed against Director Joel Young, I believe the events of Sept. 24, 2025, have been characterized in a way that does not accurately reflect what occurred.
That interaction took place during a group photo after celebrating the life of a longtime Board member who passed away. From the video I reviewed, it appears that individuals were consoling one another and exchanging hugs in a public setting surrounded by numerous witnesses.
Young’s interaction with Syed appears consistent with those expressions of sympathy and it appears that Young was attempting to extend a gesture of goodwill toward Syed.
I am concerned by how this incident has been recently used as a political tool to influence the outcome of the AC Transit Ward 3 election and support Young’s opponent.
Syed and her supporters launched a targeted political campaign, first through the Alameda County Democratic Party and subsequently by organizing a letter from a group of majority-white elected officials who have endorsed Young’s opponent against Young, who is Africa American.
Furthermore, this manufactured controversy distracts voters from the critical issues facing AC Transit. The public deserves a substantive debate on service reliability, ridership recovery, passenger and operator safety, financial stability, regional equity, and future transportation infrastructure. The electorate should be evaluating which candidate possesses the judgment, experience, and vision to lead AC Transit forward – not reacting to a distorted personal interaction.
Regardless of one’s political views or preferred candidate, allegations of harassment should never be weaponized for electoral purposes. We all know that exaggerated or unsupported accusations can undermine public understanding of, and trust in, efforts to address genuine sexual harassment and violence.
HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
Five Hospitals Said No! Who Will Help Annette Henry Recover?
Oakland NAACP, BWOPA Speak Out Against Alleged Harassment of Black Women Political Leaders
COMMENTARY: Oakland’s Black Students Have Gained Ground: We Shouldn’t Stop Now
From Backyard Grilling to Jack London Square: Jamale Carlyle’s Chicken Wing Success Story
SEIU Local 1000 and State of California Will Continue to Negotiate New Labor Contract
OPINION: We Can Restore Checks and Balances on Trump
AG Bonta Announces Action on Cryptocurrency, Sextortion Fraud – Increasingly Targeting Gen-Z
21st Annual Taste of Soul: California’s Largest Black Street Festival Comes Alive With Culture, Music and Connections
Michael Shiner: The Enslaved Man Who Wrote His Way into American History
COMMENTARY: Your California Living Trust Could Be Next: When Evidence Isn’t Enough
Loop Capital’s James Reynolds Keynotes the OAACC 23rd Annual Business Awards Luncheon
Post News Group Nov. 3 Election Endorsements
Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce Hosts CHCC Convention, Generating $3 Million in Economic Impact
COMMENTARY: Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard are Excellent School Board Members and Deserve to Be Reelected
Listening as a Lifeline: A Doula’s Witness to Black Maternal Health
Doulas Are Helping Black California Moms Navigate Pregnancy–Even as High Mortality Rates Persist
Poll: Becerra Widens His Lead Over Hilton; Californians Split on Wealth Tax
Zakiya Jendayi Arrested, Locked Out of Home by Sheriff’s Deputies
County Office of Education Says OUSD Finances Are Getting Healthier, Materially Stronger
Oakland People’s Arms Embargo Coalition Demands End to Military Shipments Thru Oakland
BLACspace Cooperative Invites Bay Area to Experience Oakland’s Black Cultural Ecosystem Through a BLAC Map Tour + Party
From Historic Memories to New Possibilities: Oakland Celebrates Coliseum 60
BOOK REVIEW: ‘Laws of Solomon’ Reveals Tender Heart of Former Child Soldier
HISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
On Your November Ballot: Prop 38 Would Allocate $8.4 Billion to Immunology and Immunotherapy Funding
It’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays
Oakland Post: Week of September 23 – 29, 2026
Mayor Barbara Lee Holds Special State of the City Address in Deep East Oakland
The Conversation With Al McFarlane 6/23/26
Media Monday 6/22/26
LIVE! ASK ALMA! — TUES. 6.23.26 7PM EST
Car Buying Secrets: 4 Hidden Checks Before You Sign!
Is This 550 HP Charger Worth YOUR Money? AutoNetwork Review
Celebrating Juneteenth – Frederick Douglass on education and resistance
LIVE! — ASK ALMA! — TUES. 6.19.26 7PM EST
Hyundai Ioniq 5 Parking, Safety, and 360 View #shorts
2025 Ioniq 5 New Wiper & Powerful Performance! #shorts
Electric SUV Range: Is 259 Miles Enough? #shorts
EV Charging: How Fast Can You Charge an Electric Vehicle? #shorts
Biometric Cooling… Messaging Seats…Come on! 2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph 4WD
Charged Up: Witness the Magic of a Fully Electric Car! #shorts
Range Rover Sport PHEV Included…: See What’s Inside This Luxury SUV! #shorts
Invisible Hood View: Perfect Parking with X-Ray Vision! #shorts
-
Commentary3 days agoCOMMENTARY: Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard are Excellent School Board Members and Deserve to Be Reelected
-
Black History1 day agoHISTORY MADE: Keisha Lance Bottoms Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor in American History
-
Community3 weeks agoIt’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays
-
Community3 weeks agoMayor Barbara Lee Holds Special State of the City Address in Deep East Oakland
-
Community3 weeks agoDemocrats, Community Groups Back Measure EE to Change How Oakland Is Governed
-
Featured3 weeks agoOakland Awarded More than $14 Million in State Funding
-
Community3 weeks ago‘ICE-Free Marin’ Supporters Press Supervisors as County Drafts Enforcement Restrictions
-
Education3 days agoOUSD Receives State Review of District Finances; Outlines Progress Since January
Pingback: Boss Audio BV9967B Bluetooth | Mobile Devices
Pingback: Boss Audio BV9967B Bluetooth | Mobile Devices