If you find Lincoln's luxury appealing, but the bulky Navigator SUV too big, the Aviator 2022 could be the four-wheeled living room you're looking for. It offers almost the same experience, can seat up to seven people and has a much more compact body than the Nav. The Aviator is also more fuel efficient than Lincoln's extra-large SUV, although it is more 'voracious' than mid-sized cars like the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. The Aviator isn't a corner hero and, while it is quite fast, it prioritizes comfort over driver satisfaction, which is in keeping with the rest of the brand's ethos. Lincoln equips the Aviator with many technological features; the high-end Black Label model, though expensive, provides a polished interior with plenty of wow factor.
This year, Reserve and Black Label Aviator models can be ordered with the new Jet package, which replaces most of the SUV's exterior chrome trim with black details and swaps the plastic lower trim and wheel rims for body-colored paint. The plug-in hybrid Grand Touring model now offers an optional Illumination package that includes Adaptive Pixel LED headlights, special LED daytime running lights, an illuminated Lincoln logo on the grille and LED fog lights. Finally, two new colors are available: Diamond Red and Jewel Sandstone.
The mid-level Reserve trim is the sweet spot in the lineup, providing all the luxuries most buyers want without having to spend a lot. Four-zone climate control, a 360-degree camera system, a panoramic sunroof, and a 14-speaker audio system are standard on the Reserve. Rear-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is available but costs more.
Engine, transmission, and performance
The Lincoln Aviator's 400-hp twin-turbo V-6 is one of the most powerful standard engines in the mid-size luxury SUV segment. The enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 engine is paired with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission, providing quiet cruising and powerful acceleration. Instead of the more powerful V-8 engine, Lincoln offers a plug-in hybrid model known as the Aviator Grand Touring as an option. Using the same V-6 engine and 10-speed transmission as the standard Aviator, the Grand Touring is equipped with a 100-hp electric motor and a 13.6 kWh battery. The two power sources combine to produce 494 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque, but the refinement is not quite up to par: the transmission sometimes makes a knocking noise when the gasoline engine is engaged. The battery allows the Aviator to go about 18 miles in Pure EV mode without using the gasoline engine, but the 100bhp motor is slow to accelerate the heavy Aviator without engine assistance. Most buyers will use one of the alternative driving modes, which rely heavily on the V-6.
Real-world fuel economy and MPG performance
The EPA estimates the rear-wheel-drive Lincoln Aviator at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway; all-wheel drive models return 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. The Aviator's economy is only slightly behind all-wheel-drive rivals like the X5, XC90 and Audi Q7 in these figures. The rear-wheel-drive non-hybrid Aviator reached 22 mph on our 200-mile test route; the plug-in four-wheel-drive Grand Touring model reached 25 mph on the same test, but was only able to achieve 15 of its estimated 21 miles on electric power before the gasoline engine kicked in. For more information on the Aviator's fuel economy, visit the EPA website.
Interior, comfort and cargo
The 2023 Aviator is available in six- or seven-seat configurations. Customers who opt for second-row captain's chairs can choose between two different center consoles between these seats, one of which allows easier access to the third row. For trips longer than a few minutes, the rear row is only suitable for small children, but this compromise means that with all seats upright, there is more room for cargo. Lincoln offers 18 cubic feet of storage space, larger than the BMW X5 and Cadillac XT6. Up front, the optional Perfect Position seats offer 30-way adjustments and massage capabilities. If you're willing to spend the extra money, a camera behind the windshield scans the road for potholes and other imperfections, and sends commands to the adaptive dampers to improve ride quality.
