Side running boards are standard, with an optional power feature that allows for easier entrance and exit. Due to my six foot plus frame, I found myself stepping over the running boards more often than not. But the power feature was most appreciated by my wife and two teenage daughters.

Inside the Lincoln Navigator is a showcase for simplistic elegance. Leather seats are wide and very comfortable. Eight-passenger seating is available, with both middle and rear bench seats providing space for up to three.

Our test vehicle was equipped with seven-passenger seating. The centre portion of the middle row was replaced by a large storage compartment big enough to hold a small suitcase. A high mounted DVD entertainment system is also available as an option.

The front centre console flows away from the dash, while hardwood and satin finish metal add warmth. As is the case in the Audi TT, (the answer to my trivia teaser at the start) the Lincoln Navigator provides a flip down cover for the central stereo controls in a satin metal finish.

Front seats offer not only heat settings from 1-5, but air conditioning as well. Power window controls and seats are easily adjusted, along with the mirrors, HVAC switches and wipers.

The same cannot be said for the steering wheel mounted controls. In this case, the Lincoln Navigator offers too many features in such a small space. Gauges are easy to read, but lack the warmth found in the rest of the interior. A round analog clock adds a touch of class.

Useful storage space abounds. Large cupholders, a voluminous front center compartment and wide side door pouches will hold almost anything. Trunk space is positively decadent. I'm almost convinced that with the back seats folded flat, an Audi TT could fit inside.

At the press of a button, the optional power liftgate folds the back seats completely flat and out of the way. Placing items in the trunk of the Navigator is better than you might expect for a vehicle this large. To accommodate ease of entrance and exit, air-controlled suspension lowers the vehicle by a full inch while at rest.

In conclusion, having a Lincoln in the driveway instead of a Ford or Chevy still carries with it the appearance of exclusivity. With so much going for it, the 2004 Lincoln Navigator looks sure to hold its own with the Cadillac Escalade.

Next up for Lincoln is a luxury pickup truck based on the 2004 Ford F-150? Having introduced the vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, we may see it soon as a 2005 model, or later next year as an early 2006.