2023 Lincoln Aviator
Overview
If you find Lincoln’s take on luxury appealing but the humongous Navigator SUV too large, the 2022 Aviator could be the four-wheeled living room you’re looking for. It offers much the same experience with accommodations for up to seven riders in a far more manageable package than the Nav. The Aviator is also more fuel efficient than that extra-large Lincoln SUV, although it’s thirstier than mid-sizers such as the BMW X5 and the Volvo XC90. The Aviator isn’t a cornering hero and, although it’s fairly quick, it’s tuned more for comfort than for driver satisfaction—which matches the ethos of the rest of the brand. Lincoln packs the Aviator with plenty of tech features; the top-spec Black Label models, although pricey, deliver polished cabins with plenty of wow factor.
What’s New for 2023?
Reserve and Black Label models of the Aviator can be ordered with a new Jet appearance package this year that replaces much of the SUV’s exterior chrome trim with black pieces and swaps the plastic lower cladding and wheel surrounds for body-colored ones. The plug-in hybrid Grand Touring model now offers an optional Illumination package, which includes adaptive pixel LED headlamps, special LED daytime running lights, an illuminated Lincoln logo in the grille, and LED fog lamps. Finally, two new colors are available: Diamond Red and Jewel Sandstone.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The mid-level Reserve trim is the sweet spot in the lineup, providing all the luxury most buyers need and want without breaking the bank. Standard equipment on the Reserve trim includes four-zone climate control, a 360-degree camera system, a panoramic sunroof, and a 14-speaker sound system. Rear-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is available but costs extra.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Lincoln Aviator’s 400-hp twin-turbo V-6 is among the most powerful standard engines in the mid-size luxury SUV segment. The refined 3.0-liter V-6 works with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission to deliver both serene cruising and authoritative acceleration. In place of a more powerful V-8 engine as an option, Lincoln offers a plug-in-hybrid model that’s known as the Aviator Grand Touring. Using the same V-6 and 10-speed transmission as the standard Aviator, the Grand Touring adds a 100-hp electric motor and a 13.6-kWh battery. The two propulsion sources combine for 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, but the refinement isn’t quite up to snuff, with occasional thunks when the driveline reengages the gas engine. The battery allows the plug-in Aviator to cover about 18 miles in the Pure EV driving mode without using the gas engine, but the 100-hp motor is slow to accelerate the Aviator’s heft without help from the engine. Most buyers will use one of the alternative drive modes, which rely heavily on the V-6.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA rates the rear-wheel-drive Lincoln Aviator at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway; the all-wheel-drive model delivers 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Those numbers place the Aviator’s fuel economy just slightly behind that of all-wheel-drive competitors such as the X5, the XC90, and the Audi Q7. A rear-wheel-drive nonhybrid Aviator managed a paltry 22 mpg on our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test route; the plug-in-hybrid all-wheel-drive Grand Touring model managed 25 mpg in the same test but managed to deliver only 15 of its estimated 21 miles of electric range before firing up its gasoline engine. For more information about the Aviator’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The 2023 Aviator is available in six- or seven-seat configurations. Buyers who opt for second-row captain’s chairs will have a choice of two different center consoles between those seats, one of which allows for easier pass-through to the third row. On trips longer than a few minutes, the back row is suitable only for small children, but that compromise means there’s more room for cargo with all seats in their upright position. The Lincoln offers 18 cubic feet of storage space, more than the BMW X5 and Cadillac XT6 provide. Up front, the optional Perfect Position seats offer 30-way adjustability and massaging capability. If you’re willing to spend extra for it, a camera behind the windshield scans the road for potholes and other imperfections and sends instructions to the adaptive dampers to improve ride quality.
The Car and Driver Difference
Infotainment and Connectivity
A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability are all standard on the Lincoln Aviator. Compared with other manufacturers that use rotary controllers or multiple touchscreens, Lincoln’s single-screen configuration and traditional climate controls are easy to learn and use. On higher trims, a smartphone’s Bluetooth signal can be used to unlock and start the Aviator in place of the key. The top-end Revel Ultima 3D audio system has 28 speakers (including some in the headliner).
How to Buy and Maintain a Car
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The Aviator’s standard Co-Pilot360 system of driver-assistance technologies includes forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, automatic high beams, and a rearview camera. The optional Co-Pilot360 1.5 Plus adds adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and a self-parking system that will steer the vehicle into both parallel and perpendicular spots. For more information about the Aviator’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
Standard forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking Standard blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance Available lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, and automated parking assistance.
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
With powertrain coverage that extends beyond its four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, the Aviator offers a better warranty than most of its competitors. The Grand Touring plug-in hybrid’s unique electric components, such as the motor and battery pack, are covered with an eight-year/100,000-mile guarantee. Buyers who spring for the full-zoot Black Label trim also receive complimentary scheduled maintenance for four years or 50,000 miles.
Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers six years or 70,000 miles Complimentary maintenance is covered for four years or 50,000 miles on Black Label models
Specifications
Specifications
2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE AS TESTED
$65,710 (base price: $57,285)
ENGINE TYPE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement
180 in3, 2956 cm3
Power
400 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque
415 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 13.6-in vented disc/13.8-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy A/S, 255/55R-20 110V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.1 in
Length: 199.3 in
Width: 79.6 in
Height: 69.6 in
Passenger volume: 143 ft3
Cargo volume: 18 ft3
Curb weight: 4932 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 5.4 sec
100 mph: 13.8 sec
140 mph: 34.5 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.0 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.8 sec
¼-mile: 14.0 sec @ 101 mph
Top speed (C/D est): 145 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 162 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.85 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 18 mpg
75-mph highway driving: 22 mpg
Highway range: 440 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 21/18/26 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
2020 Lincoln Aviator Black Label Grand Touring
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE AS TESTED
$88,895 (base price: $88,895)
POWERTRAIN
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6, 400 hp, 415 lb-ft; permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor, 101 hp, 221 lb-ft; combined output, 494 hp, 630 lb-ft; 13.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 14.3-in vented disc/13.8-in vented disc
Tires: Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season, 275/45R-21 110W M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.1 in
Length: 199.3 in
Width: 79.6 in
Height: 69.6 in
Passenger volume: 148 cu ft
Cargo volume: 18 cu ft
Curb weight: 5843 lb
C/D
TEST RESULTS
Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
60 mph: 5.0 sec
100 mph: 12.7 sec
130 mph: 23.4 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.6 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.3 sec
¼-mile: 13.6 sec @ 103 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 145 mph (C/D est)
C/D
FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 23 MPGe
75-mph highway driving, hybrid mode: 23 mpg
Highway range, hybrid mode: 410 miles
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 22/19/27 mpg
Combined gasoline+electricity: 56 MPGe
More Features and Specs
