Lincoln Aviator
How it looks when you see on the street: The 2025 Lincoln Aviator — introduced in early February — commands presence with a heftier front face. The Aviator is a mid-size SUV that has a lot to offer in this crowded category for the drivers seeking peace of mind, a blissed out drive and room for a party of seven. The broad grille shows its relationship to the elegant full size Navigator and communicates the idea in a classic sloping luxe form.
How it makes you feel when you get in: Aviator offers all the comforts of the classic Navigator, sans the cargo space, and seating plus on the 2025 model, it will have a new digital driving experiences that sops on new apps and organization to the center screen that spans 48-inches across the display.
The rear-door sunshade, heated steering wheel, wireless charging, and symphonic chimes on entry and exit are nice touches. Materials have gone richer in the Lincoln brand.
How it drives: We haven’t driven the 2025 model yet, so our impressions harken back to the current model year. The Aviator delivers a smooth-as-silk ride and ample amounts of power on the throttle as engine makes horsepower well into the 400 hp range in harmony with the air glide suspension. Engine noise is minimal. We drove the plug-in hybrid, which gave us 21 miles of electric miles — roughly what enough for daily errands. It takes 3.5 hours to charge using a 240 volt system. Fuel economy using both gas and battery power is an impressive 56 miles per gallon in the all-wheel drive model we tested while in Michigan this summer.
Space for people and things: The first two rows of the Aviator have ample space. In the midsize SUV segment, the three-row option is best suited for the occasional six and seventh passenger on board, due to the limitations on proportion, but it is an option.
What makes it stand out: Aviator can be operated with the phone as a key, which makes it easy to loop back into the Lincoln app. The Black Label Grand Touring model that we tested back in 2022 came with the Lincoln Rewards program and remote pick up and delivery. We played around with the app that offers three tiers of service based on purchase price. Think free car washes and car rental in some cities. Free car rentals is an intriguing perk as we start to think about EV ownership increasing — for the fews times pure gas power is required for long trips in charging deserts, there’s always the rental option baked into the purchase.
How much does it cost: The model we tested in 2022 was $53,340 is the starting price for the rear-wheel drive model, and Black Label starts at $80,725, while the Black Label Grand Touring model is $89,280. We drove the swank Black Label Grand Touring model that was priced at $90,480. The new models will be priced comparitively, san the hybrid option.