Lincoln Aviator

The Aviator is Lincoln's three-row luxury crossover — the brand's volume flagship SUV slotted below the body-on-frame Navigator. Single generation. Launched 2020 model year — the Aviator name had been used previously on a body-on-frame SUV from 2003-2005, but this 2020 model is a completely different unibody vehicle. Built at Ford Chicago Assembly, Illinois. Underlying platform is CD6 (rear-drive-biased) shared with the Ford Explorer — but tuned considerably more luxuriously. 3.0L EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 (400 hp / 415 lb-ft, 10-speed automatic, RWD or AWD) is the volume engine. The halo is the Aviator Grand Touring PHEV — same 3.0L twin-turbo V6 paired with an integrated electric motor for combined output of 494 hp / 630 lb-ft — the most torque ever in a Lincoln SUV. The PHEV does 0-60 in 5.0 seconds with ~21-mile EV range. 2023 mid-cycle update brought refreshed front fascia, larger 13.2-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen (replacing the previous 10.1-inch + 12.3-inch dual-display setup), and BlueCruise hands-free highway driving standard on Reserve and up. Trims: Standard, Reserve, Black Label (top, three theme packages). 6,700 lb towing on V6 / 5,600 lb on PHEV. The Aviator's strength is comfort and quietness — one of the quietest 3-row SUVs in the segment. Weakness is the related Ford Explorer roots show through in cargo dimensions and floor height — Aviator can feel less luxurious than competitors despite Lincoln's polish.