2021 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2020 Lincoln Aviator

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator slotted below the Navigator and above the compact MKC and its replacement, the Lincoln Corsair. The Aviator's design featured a unified look across Lincoln's lineup, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its roofline tapered, giving it an elongated appearance, and the low, wide beltline added a boat-like look. Inside, the Aviator's cabin had a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective use of brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, and the shifter buttons had a piano-key design. The front seats were incredibly comfortable, using soft-touch materials throughout, including plush leather on the dash, door panels, and center console. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, previously known as the MKX, was based on the same platform as the Ford Edge. The Nautilus featured a sharp new dash design with clean lines, soft materials, and a large, crisp touchscreen. It also had Lincoln’s “Piano Key” shifter-button layout, which was easy to use. The standard 13.2-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen system was gorgeous and user-friendly, similar to Ford’s SYNC 3. The Nautilus had a sensible menu layout and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The interior featured soft-touch materials and comfortable seats, with the front seats being the optimal places to sit, especially with the available 22-way multi-contour power-adjustable units. The Nautilus also had a reasonably large center console bin and deep in-door pockets for storage.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring trim combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds. The Grand Touring’s hybrid setup provided smooth and confident acceleration, with the PHEV using electric power at low speeds. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned in their feedback. The fuel economy for the conventionally powered Aviator with RWD was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, 21 combined, while the AWD version had slightly lower numbers. The PHEV drivetrain had a combined 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a rating of 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The Reserve and Black Label trims offered a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6, making 355 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. Both engines used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the four-cylinder offering front-wheel drive (FWD) or AWD, while the twin-turbo V6 came standard with AWD. The twin-turbo V6 provided smooth and controlled acceleration, complementing the adaptive suspension that nearly eliminated bumps in the road. The Nautilus had an engine stop-start feature to conserve fuel, but the engine restart had a slight delay. Overall, driving the Nautilus was pleasant in nearly all scenarios.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain’s chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space, on par with the Cadillac XT6. The Aviator had some confusing controls, like the door handles and seat controls, which required some getting used to. The door-release function was particularly complicated, with a button instead of a conventional handle, raising concerns about usability in emergencies.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus provided up to 68.8 cubic feet of cargo space, more than the Lexus RX 350 and Cadillac XT5. With the rear seats in use, it had 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available. The Nautilus emphasized two-row comfort, with plenty of head- and legroom in the rear seats, making them comfortable for adults on long trips. The front seats were the optimal places to sit, especially with the available 22-way multi-contour power-adjustable units. The Nautilus also had a large center console bin and deep in-door pockets for storage, with a floating center controls design allowing for additional storage.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system, operated via a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The screen used a conventional landscape layout, presenting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the entire screen. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display, providing a lot of information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus featured a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with high-definition graphics and a sensible menu layout. The wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto presented well on the large screen, with no barriers to entry or secret handshakes. The available wireless charging pad made the relationship between phone and car easier. The Nautilus also came with the Revel 19-speaker premium audio system, providing incredible sound for both music and talk radio listening.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Aviator also had a full complement of driver-assistance systems as part of Lincoln Co-Pilot360, including forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus came with a comprehensive list of driver-assistance features as part of the standard CoPilot360 package, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional available features included adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, surround-view parking monitor, and adaptive headlights. However, the standard backup camera was low-quality, making it hard to see in low-light scenarios.