2022 Lincoln Aviator

Gone are the days when we'd advise you to buy German instead of buying a Lincoln Aviator. Need to buy a luxury crossover or SUV and have between $50,000 and $80,000 to spend? The good news is that there are many options worldwide, but what if you wanted to buy American? The US makes many good SUVs, but most of them struggle compared to their German rivals. Enter the Aviator, built right here in Illinois, USA.

Historically, Lincoln has struggled to match vehicles like the BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, and the Audi Q7. Not to mention the Swedes (Volvo XC90) and South Korea (Genesis GV80).

The Aviator enters the fight with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that provides 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. There's even a 494-hp hybrid model available to those who want to tread lightly. It also takes an elegant, minimalist approach to interior and exterior design.

Lincolns have a long history of building OTT vehicles, but it showed some restraint with the facelifted Aviator. The headlights are almost generic, with Lincoln relying heavily on the mesh grille, lower bumper, and daytime running lights. The rear is beautiful, featuring slim lights seamlessly connected via a thin LED light. The quad exhausts add some aggression, but nothing too dramatic. Even the font used on the tailgate is sophisticated. The hybrid model can be differentiated via the side badges and blue emblems scattered around the car. All models have LED headlamps but the base Aviator misses out on LED fog lamps altogether and they're optional on the Reserve. Wheel sizes range from 19-inch items to 22s.

The Aviator has a total length of 199.3 inches and a 119.1-inch wheelbase. The height is 69.6-inches (69.4 for the Hybrid) while its width is 89.9 inches including the side mirrors, and 82.3 inches without them. Those dimensions make it larger than its German rivals, most notably when it comes to the wheelbase. The Aviator's wheelbase is a full two inches longer than the BMW X5's. A longer wheelbase usually results in more rear legroom and a larger trunk. The base curb weight is 4,745 pounds. As you'd expect, the hybrid comes with a healthy weight penalty. The addition of an electric powertrain and batteries take the curb weight up to 5,673 lbs.

The Standard and Grand Touring are available in eight colors. The no-cost options include Infinite Black, Silver Radiance, Asher Gray, and Gilded Green, the latter new for 2022. The $695 options include Ceramic Pearl, Pristine White, Burgundy Velvet, and Bronze Smoke, the latter new for 2022. A mid-spec Reserve is available in one extra color called Flight Blue, also at $695. Last year's Iced Mocha, Red Carpet, and Ocean Drive Blue have disappeared from the palette.

Black Label models are limited to six color options, including Infinite Black, Silver Radiance, Pristine White, Burgundy Velvet, and Flight Blue. These are all no-cost options, with only Chroma Caviar Dark Gray adding $1,750 to the price.

Lincoln's Aviator is available with two engine options and either rear- or all-wheel drive. The first engine choice is a twin-turbocharged V6 that hauls it to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, according to independent tests. It easily outsprints the Volvo XC90 and base Audi Q7, but the BMW's straight-six mild-hybrid 40i manages to just about sneek ahead. Only just, mind you, but the base Lincoln's engine certainly offers spirited performance.

The 494-horsepower hybrid powertrain adds an electric motor powered by a 13.6 kWh battery. Independent tests have shown that this particular model can do 0-60 mph in five seconds. That's not quite as blistering as we were expecting and is most likely the result of all that additional weight. But these engines aren't simply about impressive sprint times. The non-hybrid engine delivers all of its torque from 3,000 rpm, while the hybrid needs just 2,250 revolutions to gain access to the full 630 lb-ft.

With the right equipment in place, all Aviator models can tow 5,600 lbs, including the hybrid, which is a reduction of 1,100 lbs for the non-hybrid models in comparison to their 2021 counterparts. This is not as much as some of its rivals, but useful nevertheless.

The exterior might be relatively sedate, but under the hood, you'll find a charismatic 400-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. Torque is rated at 415 lb-ft, making it more powerful than most of its rivals, including the six-cylinder BMW X5. The combined specs for the hybrid model work out to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque.

Both powertrains are mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard on Standard and Reserve trims, while the Grand Touring, Black Label, and Black Label Grand Touring come standard with all-wheel drive.

Lincoln didn't have hooligan driving in mind when designing the Aviator. Instead of a shifter, you get four buttons mounted on the dash. It's park, neutral, forwards, and backward. The idea is that you simply push the button and leave the ten-speed to do all the work, which it does very well. It has the main hallmark of every tremendous luxury-biased gearbox ever; it blends into the background, and you forget about it. You can take control via the paddles mounted on the steering wheel but considering the Aviator's comfort-biased setup, those occasions will be few and far between.

Lincoln doesn't claim a top speed for either model, but it's indeed enough to land you a massive ticket, if not an overnight stay at the local police station.

We're big fans of Lincoln's brazen-faced approach to ride quality. You get the feeling that if an engineer were to mention the words "driver engagement," they'd be executed on the spot. An SUV is inherently unfit for ultimate driving pleasure, so why even bother. Many SUVs have had their ride quality ruined to make it more fit for track duty but what is the point?

We like our SUVs to be comfortable and cozy, yet predictable and planted. The Aviator delivers all of this, and then some. It doesn't mind high-speed corners, but the steering is devoid of any feel, and the V6's soundtrack isn't allowed to enter the cabin. Simply put, you wouldn't want to drive it in a lively manner.

The Aviator is best enjoyed making steady progress, soaking up bumps and undulations. It does this exceptionally well and even better if you opt for the optional adaptive suspension. Even with massive 22-inch alloy wheels, the Aviator manages to remain comfortable. This is an impressive feat worthy of the highest praise.

When it comes to gas mileage, the Aviator isn't great, nor is it terrible. It sits somewhere in the middle, closer to acceptable than atrocious. According to the EPA estimates, the RWD model should achieve 18/26/21 mpg city/highway/combined. The AWD is only slightly less efficient with EPA estimates of 17/24/20 mpg.

The plug-in hybrid's all-electric range is claimed to be 21 miles, which is sufficient but not spectacular. The EPA only provides combined fuel consumption figures for this particular model. When using gas and electric power, it will get 56 MPGe. Once the battery is dead, it can only manage 23 mpg.

The standard SUV has a 20.2-gallon tank, suitable for a range of 404 miles with AWD configuration and 424 miles with RWD. The plug-in hybrid has a smaller 18-gallon gas tank, but the increased efficiency allows it to do 460 miles.

Lincoln took a modern, minimalist approach on the inside as well. While it may not feel as plush as a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW, it is a luxurious space. We like the simplicity and the fact that everything is easy to reach. While most of the car's systems are controlled via the touchscreen interface, the climate control buttons have mercifully been kept separate.

You also get lots of space, making it an excellent option for the average middle-class family. The Lincoln Aviator represents a giant leap forward compared to Lincolns in the early 2000s. Overall quality is vastly improved, and the blend of colors on the various surfaces is elegant and tasteful.

The Aviator is more spacious than the X5 and even the three-row Volvo XC90. Space is ample across all 3 rows, although the Volvo does offer superior space in its 3rd row. Apart from the third row, which is only suitable for children, six-footers will be comfortable in every other seat offered.

The Standard model is the only seven-seater in the range, as the rest of the 6-seater models are equipped with captain's chairs in the middle row - although the Standard's three-seater second-row bench is optional on all the other models at no extra cost. The standard trim also includes ten-way power-adjustable front seats with lumbar support and memory. The six-seater Reserve and hybrid models get 12-way power-adjustable front seats, while the Black Label gets 30-way power-adjustable seats.

The front legroom is 43 inches, while the second row gets 40.1 inches. Legroom drops down to 29.2 inches in the third row. The headroom is 41.5 inches in the front, 39.7 in the middle, and 36.9 in the rear. With the Vista Roof, the headroom drops to 40.2 inches in the front and 38.4 inches in the middle row.

The Standard trim is available in Ebony and Sandstone leatherette. As expected, a leather-wrapped steering wheel is standard. Reserve and Grand Touring trim levels add premium leather in Sandstone, Ebony, or Ebony Roast; last year's Slate Gray is no longer available. Black Label models come with Savannah Leather in three new color schemes for 2022, namely Chalet (a light gray), Flight (a light tan), and Destination (a dark brown). Any of these colors can be had with any of the exterior hues.

Lincoln had a massive overall length to work with, and the engineers chose to sacrifice third-row legroom for a larger trunk with all the seats in the upright position. Rated at 18.3 cubic feet, it beats the previous leader in this segment, the Volvo XC90. With the third row folded flat, the cargo capacity increases to 41.8 cubic feet. If that's still not large enough, the second row can also be folded down to create 77.7 cubes of space.

Storage in the cabin is ample. The glove compartment is large, as are the door pockets. The center storage compartment between the driver and front passenger is also quite large.

Standard specification includes keyless entry with push-button start, remote start, tri-zone climate control, ten-way power-adjustable front seats, and the piano key gear shifter. The Reserve spec adds a power-adjustable tilt-and-telescoping steering column, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, quad-zone climate control, active noise control, a panoramic Vista roof, and ambient lighting. The hybrid Grand Touring specification matches the Reserve specification.

The top-spec Black Label comes with soft-closing doors, in addition to the existing comfort features, including a heated steering wheel, sun shades for the rear doors, and an app that allows your smartphone to be used as a key.

Safety equipment is expectedly at a high level. The Standard is equipped with a rearview camera, pre-collision assist with forward collision warning and automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, and pedestrian detection in terms of safety. Reserve and Grand Touring trims add a surround-view camera system. Black Label specification includes adaptive cruise control, speed and traffic sign recognition, all-round park assist, and traffic jam assist.

The centerpiece of the Aviator's interior is the 10.1-inch touchscreen using the same SYNC 3 operating software as used in Fords. It's an easy-to-use system that comes standard with Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM radio, and four USB ports. A ten-speaker sound system is standard. Reserve models gain voice-activated navigation with SiriusXM Traffic, HD Radio, a wireless charging pad, and a 14-speaker Revel sound system. Black Label adds a fantastic 28-speaker Revel Ultima sound system.

While there is no 2022 score available yet, the 2021 Lincoln Aviator SUV scored a consistent 77 out of a possible 100 points according to J.D. Power, although its specific reliability score is a more disappointing 70/100. The reason behind this might be the multiple recalls. A total of nine recalls were issued for the 2020 model and four for the 2021 model. Issues pertaining to the 2021 Aviator include a faulty backup camera, motor fasteners that could loosen over time (and not that much time, considering that the 2021 Aviator can hardly be considered an old vehicle), and front knuckles that could fracture, leading to a loss of steering control. At the time of writing, there have been no recalls for the 2022 model.

The new Lincoln Aviator comes with a four-year/50,000-mile warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. Hybrid models get a Hybrid Unique Component warranty for eight-years/100,000-miles.

The NHTSA's 2022 Lincoln Aviator safety review saw the SUV achieve an overall rating of five stars. It only scored four stars on the rollover test. The IIHS gave the 2021 Lincoln Aviator a Top Safety Pick Award and maximum Good ratings in every crashworthiness test. The 2022 model is expected to fare similarly.

All Aviator range models are equipped with eight airbags (including knee airbags for both front occupants), a rearview camera, pre-collision assist with auto emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, and cross-traffic alert. Reserve and Grand Touring models add a surround-view camera, while the top-spec model gains adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, speed and traffic sign recognition, and lane-keep assistance.

Yes. Buying German is no longer the default answer in this particular segment. The Lincoln Aviator is a vehicle that's a worthy adversary to the established players in the segment.

The interior is a win for Lincoln as it's filled to the brim with the latest tech and high-quality materials. Ride quality is superb, especially if you opt for the optional adaptive suspension. We love the fact that Lincoln didn't bother to make the Aviator feel sporty. Instead, this car embraces comfort. The available engines are fantastic as well. The 400-hp unit is already brisk, and the 494-hp hybrid is relatively efficient as well.

You no longer have to use the "buying American" excuse, as this SUV has more than enough positive attributes to justify its existence.

The price of the Lincoln Aviator begins at an MSRP of $51,465 for the Standard derivative, increasing to $57,355 for the Reserve. Upgrading to the plug-in hybrid Grand Touring requires a hefty $68,360. After this, the cost of the Lincoln Aviator rises even further. The all-wheel-drive Black Label retails for $79,350, while the plug-in hybrid Black Label Grand Touring retails for $87,905. These prices exclude Lincoln's US destination fee of $1,095.

The 2022 Lincoln Aviator lineup comprises five models: Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring, Black Label, and Black Label Grand Touring. Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims are equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 gas engine with 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, while the two Grand Touring models get a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 21-mile all-electric range and a total of 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Standard and Reserve models are RWD with AWD optional, while Black Label and Grand Touring models are AWD only. All models use a ten-speed automatic transmission.

Standard trim runs on 19-inch alloy wheels and comes standard with keyless entry, remote start, tri-zone climate control, ten-way electrically adjustable front seats, leatherette upholstery, and a SYNC 3 infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a ten-speaker audio system.

The Reserve and Grand Touring trims are largely similar, the main difference being that the latter uses the plug-in hybrid powertrain and that the former runs on 20-inch alloy wheels and the latter on 21s. Standard equipment includes a panoramic Vista roof, quad-zone climate control, 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, leather upholstery, an electrically adjustable tilting and telescoping steering column, a wireless charging pad, active noise control, voice-activated navigation, a surround-view camera, HD Radio, and a 14-speaker audio system.

The flagship Black Label models run on 22-inch alloy wheels and are fitted as standard with soft-closing doors, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, sun shades for the rear doors, an app that lets you use your smartphone as the key, and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima audio system.

On the Standard model, you can add the $1,000 Elements Package, including heated second-row outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated wipers. On the Reserve model, you can choose between an Equipment Collection and interior packages. The collection comprises the Reserve 1 package, which adds the Elements Package (available under interior packages) and Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 1.5 Plus package, head-up display, and Phone as a Key for a total of $6,380. The Grand Touring has access to the $7,850 Grand Touring I collection with the same features as Reserve I, but with the Illumination Package added.

On Reserve and Grand Touring trims you can add the Elements Package Plus for $1,450, which adds auto air refresh, heated and ventilated front seats, heated and ventilated second-row outboard seats, a heated steering wheel and heated wipers. The $3,300 Luxury Package includes 30-way power-adjustable seats, the Revel Ultima 3D sound system, and rear door sunshades. To gain access to this package on the Reserve trim also requires Reserve 1, taking the price to $9,680. All these packages come as standard on the Black Label models.

The Standard model is already handsomely equipped, but considering the price gap between it and the Reserve isn't that large, we'd opt for the latter. The Black Label is simply too much money. You get all of the nice features at Reserve level, so we wouldn't go any higher than that. We're also not entirely sure whether it's worth investing in the plug-in hybrid. The 21-mile all-electric range falls short of the average daily commute, and it costs a heck of a lot more than the standard twin-turbo V6 model.

The main question here is how much space you need. With the Navigator being a much larger vehicle, it offers quite a lot more room across the board. They both share the same design DNA, though we think the smaller Aviator pulls it off a little better. The Navigator is equipped with a larger 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 delivering 450 hp but weighs a lot more. That means the Aviator feels more responsive, and it's more efficient.

Still, the Navigator badge carries a lot of prestige, but we're not 100% convinced it's $25,000 better than its smaller brother. If you have the cash and you need the space, the Navigator is the obvious choice. Having said that, you wouldn't feel short-changed if you opted for the Aviator.

These two cars share a platform, but they couldn't be any different. Reviews show that Ford went in a sportier, edgier direction, as can be seen by how it looks and feels in the way it drives. The Lincoln takes a more refined approach, resulting in a more upmarket feel. This is reflected in the pricing. The Ford Explorer range more or less ends where the Aviator range starts.

Lincoln adds more standard luxury features, but Ford offers a more engaging ride. It can also be ordered with a more frugal 2.3-liter engine that's nearly as fast. We think it's doubtful these two SUVs will attract the same customer, but if luxury is a primary factor, the Aviator is worth a test drive.