I’d never considered myself a Lincoln-type of driver, until testing the 2020 Aviator SUV.
This midsize SUV makes an excellent first impression, from its solid stance on 21-inch tires and rearward rake of the roofline, reminiscent of the Range Rover Sport. The cabin is a handsome retreat of stitched leather and microsuede and an elevated presentation of materials. Electronic controls do not require higher education to learn and the advanced technologies assist but don’t overwhelm.
The Aviator replaces the MKT and slots above the five-seat Nautilus and below the standard-wheelbase Navigator. The Aviator foundation is shared with Ford’s sixth generation Explorer, but there is little evidence of Ford influence, at least on the Grand Touring hybrid tester.
Competitors include the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X7, Cadillac XT6 and Volvo XC90.
Aviator is sold in rear- or all-wheel-drive models in five trim levels with gasoline or plug-in hybrid powertrains, both with twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V-6 engines and 10-speed automatic transmissions.
The standard and Reserve Aviators, with 400 horsepower, start at $52,195 and $57,285, including the $1,095 freight charge from the Chicago assembly plant. The 494-hp Aviator Grand Touring PHEV with standard all-wheel drive starts at $69,895. And the pinnacle of Lincoln luxury, the Black Label, starts at $78,790 for the Aviator with gas engine or $88,895 for the AWD plug-in.
Today’s tester is a Grand Touring PHEV that was $83,845 with the $14,950 Grand Touring II package, which is a group of packages. Among the notable add-ons are the phone as a key app, soft-close doors, wireless charging pad, heated and ventilated front- and second-row seats, LED headlights that turn with the steering wheel and Lincoln’s Co-Pilot360 Plus driver-assist package.
The big package also adds second row captain’s chairs with power tip-and-slide and a mini console; a convenience package of head-up display, phone as a key, soft-close doors and wireless charging pad. The Elements Package Plus adds heated and ventilated front- and second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated VisioBlade wipers with smart spray-arm channels and spray nozzles.
The Illumination package includes adaptive pixel LED headlights that turn with the steering wheel, LED running lights and a lighted Lincoln star in the grille.
The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Plus driver-assist package adds active park assist with adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, traffic jam assist, lane centering, speed-sign recognition, evasive steering assist and reverse brake assist.
Thank you, Lincoln, for choosing V-6 power rather than overtaxing a high-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder.
There is a 781-pound difference in curb weights between the gasoline and PHEV, and at times you feel the plug-in’s hefty 5,673 pounds. But not on acceleration. The launch force is forceful off the line (motivating almost three tons) and even more appreciable in the midrange when tooling along the interstate.
Hybrid
The plug-in’s 75 kW motor and 96 pouch-style lithium-ion battery package yields a considerable torque rating of 630 foot-pounds at 2,250 rpm. The package of cells takes about as much space as a gas tank and sits below the right-hand back seat.
The 13.6 kWh of battery energy will provide around 21 miles of battery-only driving before the engine takes over. The hybridization provides fuel economy of 23 mpg combined city and highway, with a driving range of 460 miles or more. I was averaging 23-26.5 mpg while using mellow-driving tactics.
There are two selectable EV modes, Preserve and Pure. Preserve mode acts as a generator to bank battery power for later use, such as for driving in (European) city centers than prohibit gasoline-burning engines. Pure is for electric power alone, when the reserve allows, but with modest acceleration. The engine takes over after the battery is depleted.
On the highway, it switches into a “sail” mode to shut off the engine when coasting. And even when the battery is depleted, the electric system will power the cabin at stoplights and brief stops, without engine power.
The standard charging cable can be used for Level 1 (120 volts) or Level 2 (240 volts, with an adapter) for public- or home-installed chargers. Charging a depleted battery on a 240-volt system will take three to four hours, Ford says, or about double that on 120 volts.
The 10-speed automatic is generally smooth shifting, but I experienced occasional harsh transitions between battery and engine power. Same for the adaptive suspension, which can be busy over sections of rough road to keep a comfortable ride — but around town it’s luxurious.
There can be some unexpected bite to the regenerative braking, but the driver will learn to modulate pressure. The large discs, 14.3-inch vented front rotors with twin calipers and 13.8-inch solid rotors rear, are ready to handle the 5,600-pound tow rating.
The Grand Touring AWD rides on 21-inch Pirelli Scorpion Zero touring tires. An adaptive suspension is included on AWD models; the package also includes active noise control and a sound insulation pack.
Co-Pilot360 Plus
The semi-autonomous driver-assist system is as vague as most other systems, in that it does not accurately keep the vehicle centered between the white lines. And some of the corrections made by this system to maintain centering almost felt like overcorrections. Although it was a brief back and forth and back, it was enough that it might have been misconstrued as impaired driving. The system also cancelled in shadowy conditions (as when under an over) and in bright light while driving on light-colored concrete. And even driving alongside semis with white trailers confused the system.
It will take time and experience to gain trust in the semi-autonomous system. Never take hands from the steering wheel, but in wall-to-wall traffic these systems are more vigilant that the human behind the wheel.
Driver area
The Aviator has a first-class cabin that feels large with good shoulder room and plenty of tall glass for unobstructed sightlines. And the 360-degree camera with large screen is very handy, especially when nosing into tight quarters. The interior is well soundproofed, except for some road noise at interstate speeds. And the 39-foot turning circle is the same as the Lincoln MKZ midsize sedan.
Every size driver should be able to find a sweet spot with the 30-way adjustable front seats, which is almost too many choices. There are numerous storage areas, large sliding and lighted visors and four USB ports (including two of the new type-C ports). The “shifter” console (set off by handsome woodlike graining) has much more usable space because of the gear-selector tabs (Lincoln calls them piano keys) on the face of the instrument . And the armrest box has a clever side clip for wireless phone charging.
There is a large and lockable glove box and ample door storage, including for tall bottles, front and rear.
Back seat
Balancing cargo space and third-row legroom left a bit of a squeeze getting into the second-row seats. But legroom is good (at a max of 40.1 inches, depending on the front occupants) with some fore-aft adjustment. The panoramic roof is especially enjoyable for those in back.
The power tip-and-side to the second row is a “wow” feature. But the 50/50 third-row is mainly an on-demand space; keep them folded until needed. There is kid-class legroom of 29.2 inches, if those in the second row scooch forward.
The third-row seats power fold flat for generous cargo capacity of nearly 43 cubic feet. With the seats upright, there is secure grocery-bag space of 18.3 cu. ft. and deep and usable basement storage. The cargo opening is 4 feet wide and 30 inches floor to headliner.
There are three-row SUVs with roomier second and third rows, but they also are more minivan like. The Aviator is a functional SUV, but its luxurious presentation is more personal reward than extravagance.
2020 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring PHEV
- Body style: midsize, 3-row AWD SUV
- Engine: 494-hp, direct-injection and twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6; 630 lb.-ft. torque at 2,250 rpm
- Hybrid technology: 75kW permanent magnet motor with 96 pouch-style cells for 13.6 kWh battery energy
- Battery range: 21 miles
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
- Fuel economy: 23 mpg* combined; fuel preferred
SPECIFICATIONS
- Fuel tank: 18 gal.
- Cargo space: 18.3-41.8 cu. ft.
- Front head/leg room: 40.2*/43 in. *w/Vista roof
- 2nd row head/leg room: 38.4/40.1 in.
- 3rd row head/leg room: 36.9/29.2 in.
- Length/wheelbase: 199.3/119.1 in.
- Height/width: 69.6/82.3* *w/mirrors folded
- Curb weight: 5,673 lbs.
- Turning circle: 39 ft.
- Towing: 5,600 lb.
FEATURES
- Standard equipment includes: keyless entry with push-button ignition, panoramic sunroof with sunshade, 360-degree camera, leather-trimmed upholstery, piano-key shifter, 14-speaker Revel audio system including Sync infotainment and Bluetooth phone and audio, electric parking brake, adaptive steering and suspension, 4G modem and Wi-Fi, heated and folding side mirrors with turn signals, 12-way power front seats, power folding third-row bench
- Safety features include: 8 air bags, EV pedestrian sound effect, blind-spot detection, precollision assist with automatic emergency braking, hill-start assist
PRICING
- Base price: $69,895, including $1,095 freight charge; price as tested $83,845
- Options on test vehicle: Grand Touring II package, $14,950
- Where assembled: Chicago
- Warranty: 4-years/50,000-miles bumper to bumper with pickup and delivery service; 6-years/70,000-miles powertrain
