The latest generation Lincoln Navigator and its Ford Expedition corporate cousin are bona fide sales success stories. There was a time when the Kentucky-based manufacturing facility couldn't build enough to meet demand, forcing Ford to make additional hires for another shift. But even with so many new Navigators leaving dealership lots, it appears Lincoln has just done something many new customers won't like: a price increase.

Cars Direct has learned that Lincoln recently sent its dealerships a bulletin indicating a mid-year Navigator price increase of $365. At first, that doesn't sound like all that much, especially given the fact large SUV carries a starting price tag of over $76,000, but a further analysis proves the Navigator is now more expensive than ever before.

It was on February 17 when the 2020 Lincoln Navigator carried a new starting price of $77,480, including the $1,295 destination fee. Think that's already expensive? It is, but the top-of-the-line Navigator L Black Label now costs at least $100,335. Before the price increase, it was $99,970. Add in destination and you're looking at $101,630. In other words, this is now the most expensive Navigator to date.

But it's also important to note price increases are nothing new for the current generation Navigator. When it launched back in 2018, it cost $8,500 more than the outgoing generation. Within its first year on sale, Lincoln increased the price by $600. Last year, the price went up by another $3,500.

Just a few months ago, Lincoln added more standard features for the 2020 model, but this resulted in another $2,620 price boost. There's something else to also bear in mind: The $101,630 2020 Navigator L Black Label is now about $2,000 more than the most expensive Cadillac Escalade, the ESV Platinum, which is priced from $99,590. It's also worth noting Cadillac is offering some attractive rebates on the outgoing Escalade as the redesigned 2021 model will arrive this summer.

But why is Lincoln increasing Navigator prices so often? The bulletin sent to dealers states the increase "continues to keep the Lincoln brand competitive and aggressively positioned versus our key competitors."