2023 Lincoln Aviator Overview What’s new? Black Label trim with Jet bundle is now available for longer. Edition with the Black Label New, high-end package with a roof painted black A 2020 model of the second generation of the Aviator Based on the Ford Explorer, the 2023 Lincoln Aviator is a midsize luxury SUV with three rows of seating for five people. It fills the space between the full-size Navigator and the midsize Nautilus in Lincoln’s SUV-only lineup. The Aviator is notable because it can be bought with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Before switching to regular hybrid operation, it can go about 21 miles on electric power alone. You can save money on gas if you regularly charge your car at home or a public charging station. The Aviator stands out from its main competitors, like the Audi Q7 and Acura MDX, two of our top picks in the class, because it can come with an electric drivetrain. Like other Lincolns, the outside and inside of the 2023 Aviator are different. It has a lot of room for people and things, and the front seats have been upgraded to make them more comfortable. The 2023 Aviator has yet to have any significant changes made by Lincoln. Pros vs Cons Pros High-end design on the outside and inside Quickened the pace There are hybrid powertrains that can be plugged in. Several state-of-the-art features Cons Low actual fuel efficiency There needs to be more visibility both in front and in the back. It has a small amount of room for the head. Too soft handling makes the driver less sure of himself. Performance How do you move the Aviator? The Aviator moves quickly in a straight line. When you ask the Aviator for power, there is a short wait before it starts. During tests by InvoicePricing, our Aviator Black Label with all-wheel drive went from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. Handling and stopping could be better. The brake pedal is too soft, making it hard to steer smoothly. Also, the Aviator doesn’t give you much confidence in its stability when turning because it feels big and squishy. Another problem is that the transmission is hard to use and takes too long to switch forward and backward. When all of these problems come together, it makes driving the Aviator less fun than we had hoped. Comfort How well does the Aviator fit? The Aviator is big, heavy, and soft like other vintage Lincoln models. Even if there is still some body movement after a bump, it is well absorbed. You can whisper inside the cabin if you want because there isn’t much wind or traffic noise. Once you get the chairs, which can be changed in many ways, they are comfortable. One big problem is that the seat is too narrow, so your hips might feel the rigid frame. Even though the seats don’t heat or cool very well, the climate control system does a great job of keeping the cabin comfortable. Interior What does the inside look like? Since there is little room in the back, kids usually sit in the third row. The second row of an Aviator with the optional sunroof is the best option because it has more legroom than the first row, but there is less headroom in this row. Tall adults may have little room to move their heads up in the front. Another problem is being seen. The small rear and front windows make it hard to see the road. There may be annoying glare and reflections from many of the surfaces in the cabin. Even though you may have to take your eyes off the road to use the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel and the shift buttons, controls are usually easy to use. Technology How do gadgets work? The infotainment screen is easy to use, no matter how familiar you are with technology. This is because the text is significant, and there are virtual buttons. But it doesn’t have some of the most interesting new features and is easier to use than its rivals. You can plug in various devices for device integration in the first and second rows. Even though Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are built in, using one of the smartphone integration systems turns off basic voice controls and makes it hard to do things like change the radio station or adjust the car’s settings. The Aviator has some great features to help the driver. For example, the lane-keeping and the centering system work well and fits in well. Even though adaptive cruise control brakes hard if it is set to stay close to the car in front of you, it works smoothly in heavy traffic. Storage How are things with the storage? Regarding storage space below the third row, the Aviator is better than its competitors. Behind the second seat, there is average space, but several competing cars have a larger maximum load volume. The optional air suspension on our test Aviator lowered the ride height and made it easier to load luggage. If you want to pull something behind the Aviator, it can pull up to 6,700 pounds. The strong V6 engine helps as well. Even though the box in the middle console isn’t as deep as it could be, all three cabin rows have helpful storage options. Even though it’s not the best in its class, it’s more than good enough for storing small things. The second-row seat of the Aviator is big enough to fit even sizable rear-facing safety seats. This makes it a grand family taxi. It’s easy to get to the anchors for the car seats. Fuel Economy How well does it use gas? The EPA estimates that the Aviator with all-wheel drive will get 20 mpg combined (17 city/24 highway) and that the model with rear-wheel drive will get 21 mpg combined (18 city/26 highway), which are both excellent for the class. When we had the Aviator, the best tank we got was only 18 mpg; on average, we got less than 16 mpg. Value How good is the value of the Aviator? Lincoln’s quality, depth of substance, and overall aesthetic have significantly improved. The Aviator is luxurious inside and out, with particular attention paid to the first- and second-row passengers’ experiences. The Aviator stands out, but the chrome and piano black details are too much. We do have some doubts about how much the top trim level of the Aviator is worth. At $84,000, our fully equipped Black Label test car felt a bit pricey. Go for the cheaper Reserve if you don’t mind a less luxurious interior. Wildcard We like that the Aviator looks different. At the same time, it makes me think of old Lincoln cars. This car is easiest to drive in a straight line because it doesn’t have the same balance and confidence as its European rivals when the road turns. You don’t care, do you? Then you’ll be glad to see Lincoln make a place for itself in the high-end market. What is Invoice Pricing's Recommendation? We recommend the Aviator Reserve because it has a good mix of standard features and options to make this high-end SUV fit your needs. But if you want an electric Aviator, the Grand Touring is the best choice because the Aviator’s optional plug-in hybrid engine is not available with Reserve grade. Lincoln Aviator Models The 2023 Lincoln Aviator is a midsize SUV with three rows of seats. There are five trim levels to choose from Aviator, Reserve, Black Label, Grand Touring, and Grand Touring Black Label. All three trim levels, Aviator, Reserve, and Black Label, come standard with a turbocharged V6 engine of 3.0 liters. The plug-in hybrid powertrain of the Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label is based on the V6 engine (494 hp, 630 lb-ft). The SUV has rear-wheel drive by default, but you can get all-wheel drive on the Aviator and Reserve trim levels. All-wheel movement is built into the Grand Touring and Black Label models. 2023 Lincoln Aviator Video Review
