2026 Lincoln Aviator Review: Expert Insights, Pricing, and Trims
Lincoln's lineup is the strongest it's been in decades. The redesigned Nautilus just won our SUV of the Year award while the Navigator and the Aviator are fresh from a major update for 2025.
For 2026, the Aviator carries over with updates to its BlueCruise hands-free driving system and other tweaks to its trim structure. A three-row SUV slotting between the two-row Nautilus and full-size Navigator, the Aviator competes against the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, and Buick Enclave. What's New Discounted Premiere 100A Entry Series option deletes the wireless charger, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, ventilated front seats, panoramic roof, auto air refresh, and spare tire (the features are available on higher trims)
BlueCruise 1.5 with automatic lane changes and passing while maintaining speed
Automatic power liftgate now opens upon approach
The standard four-year Connectivity package now includes a four-year Wi-Fi hotspot subscription What We Think
The 2026 Lincoln Aviator is proof that the American luxury automaker's efforts to reinvent itself have been paying off. The three-row SUV'sstandard twin-turbo V-6 engine delivers swift, smooth acceleration and its suspension tuning matches the powertrain's sumptuous character.
Although Lincoln doesn't equip the Aviator with the cool 48-inch display found in every Nautilus, its interior is still gorgeous, with a cabin layout and materials that soothe the senses. First and second rows are spacious and plush, but that goodness doesn't extend to the third row, which has lower-grade materials. The back seats are easy to access, but legroom is cramped.
The Aviator is superbly well-equipped at any trim level, but we've criticized the SUV's expensive trim structure. Lincoln attempts to solve this issue by offering an option package that removes content for a discount. We're not sure if we'd want this striking SUV with fewer features, but more consumer choice is never a bad thing for shoppers. No matter how it's equipped, the Aviator comes standard with Lincoln's excellent BlueCruise hands-free driving technology, now updated with automatic lane changing and overtaking functionality.
While some automakers try to split the difference between sportiness and luxurious comfort, Lincoln has doubled down on simply making its vehicles feel upscale. The Aviator is proof that Lincoln's strategy is paying off. Top-Ranked Competitors: Buick Enclave
Volvo XC90
Audi Q7
Lexus TX MotorTrend Tested
The 2026 Lincoln Aviator is exclusively offered with a twin-turbocharged V-6 engine developing 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. All models receive a 10-speed automatic transmission, but customers have the choice of standard RWD or available AWD.
In our testing, the 2025 Lincoln Aviator accelerated from 0–60 mph in 5.6 seconds. That nearly matches Audi's claim of 5.5 seconds for the 2025 Q7 and beats the 2025 Lexus TX500h's time of 6.1 seconds. MPGs and Range
Based on 2025 EPA figures, we expect RWD Aviator models will continue to return 18/25 mpg city/highway with 424 miles of range. AWD variants should continue to be rated at 17/25 mpg with 404 miles of range. The Audi Q7 55 is good for 18/23 mpg and 450 miles of range while the Acura MDX Type S is rated at 17/21 mpg and 352 miles of range. Safety Ratings and Features
IIHS awards the Lincoln Aviator top-level Good scores in every crash test category evaluated, and well as for the Aviator's pedestrian front crash prevention system. NHTSA gives five stars overall for both RWD and AWD variants.
Lincoln's BlueCruise 1.5 hands-free driving technology is now included on all Aviator models. As part of its 2026 update, the Aviator gains the ability to make automatic lane changes while maintaining speed to make passes.
Every 2026 Aviator also comes with the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 2.1 suite, a collection that includes the following driver assist and active safety features: Rear automatic emergency braking
Rear cross-traffic alert
Blind-spot monitoring
Evasive steering assist
Lane-keeping assist
Adaptive cruise control Cargo Space and Interior Room
The 2026 Lincoln Aviator offers more cargo volume than the Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7. Its second row is notable for its spaciousness. Third-row legroom is scarce, though the rear seats are easy to access.
The 2026 Buick Enclave is worth checking out if max space is a priority. Technology
Infotainment
The Lincoln Digital Experience infotainment user interface carries over for the 2026 model year. Displayed on a 13.2-inch touchscreen, the Aviator's infotainment tech includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and also leverages Google Assistant for interpretive voice commands. When the 2026 Lincoln Aviator is parked, you can browse the web and stream videos.
While the vehicle is in motion, a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster displays relevant information, supplemented by an available head-up display. A 5.8-inch touchscreen control panel for the second row is included on the Reserve trim and higher.
Eight USB ports are distributed over the Aviator's three rows. A wireless charger is standard, though buyers who choose the decontented Premiere 100A Entry Series option lose this handy feature. Phone-as-key functionality is standard as of the 2025 model year.
Sound System
Entry-level Premiere models are equipped with a 10-speaker sound system. Stepping up to the Reserve trim introduces a 14-speaker setup from Revel. The ultimate 28-speaker arrangement from Revel is optional on the Aviator Reserve and standard on the top-end Black Label model.
Lincoln Digital Experience
Lincoln's infotainment goes beyond traditional capabilities with the Google Play store, which allows downloading a variety of apps including Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeartRadio.
The available Vivaldi Browser app allows you to surf the web, and Google Chrome with Bluetooth keyboard connectivity is coming soon, allowing you to work online while the vehicle is stopped. All these internet-reliant features are accessed through a standard 5G Wi-Fi hotspot. The Aviator can always be online, so it benefits from over-the-air update capability. Value
Standard Features
The 2026 Lincoln Aviator's base trim goes by Premiere, and it earns its fancy-sounding name with a long list of standard equipment, including 20-inch wheels and full LED exterior lighting. Quad exhaust tips with a chrome finish nod to the twin-turbo V-6 engine's 400-hp output. For 2026, the power liftgate now opens automatically as you approach the Aviator's rear.
Inside the cabin, Lincoln keeps the premium theme going with a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel with power tilting and telescoping functionality, three-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front-row seats with power adjustability, and heated second-row outboard seats.
Tech includes a 13.2-inch touchscreen, a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, 10-speaker audio, and eight USB ports. A wide array of driver aids is standard. All models receive a 360 camera, the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 2.1 suite of assistance features, and BlueCruise 1.5 hands-free driving.
Recommended Trim
Lincoln continues to offer the 2026 Aviator at three trim levels: Premiere, Reserve, and Black Label. For 2025, Premiere-trim models started at around $60,000, and we think the Premiere grade continue to be the sweet spot in the lineup. As we've outlined above, that model comes superbly well-equipped and goes beyond the basics of what we expect from a three-row luxury SUV. Black Label: The Most Upscale Aviator
If you're going to spend more on a 2026 Lincoln Aviator, we suggest skipping the midlevel Reserve model and going all out on the Black Label trim. The top-shelf Aviator Black Label comes equipped with standard all-wheel drive, striking 22-inch wheels, and soft-close doors. The cabin gets Lincoln's best seats, which are adjustable to an almost unfathomable degree and are equipped with massaging functionality.
Not only is the Black Label trim offered with distinctive interior colors and materials, it also receives an awesome 28-speaker audio system from Revel. The pricing of luxury vehicles is often based more heavily on emotional appeal than material value, but we see the sense in stepping up to the Black Label, with an estimated starting price of about $90,000.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
7 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Texas governor vetoes bill that would ban all THC products
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill Sunday to ban all THC consumables, allowing the booming market flush with THC-infused vapes, gummies and other products to continue to be sold across the state. Abbott, a Republican, waited until the final moment to veto the bill in what would have been one of the most restrictive THC bans in the country and a significant blow to the state's billion-dollar industry. The law would have made it a misdemeanor to own, manufacture or sell consumable THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, products and was the latest push by states to regulate THC after a 2018 federal law allowed states to regulate hemp, a similar plant to marijuana that can be synthetically processed to produce THC, the compound giving marijuana its psychoactive properties. Loopholes in existing law have allowed many THC-infused goods to enter the market across the country, including states with strict marijuana laws. Texas has some of the strictest marijuana laws in the country, prohibiting all recreational use and providing a limited medical marijuana program. The consumables market has allowed residents to legally access goods giving a similar high to marijuana. Republican lawmakers have criticized the products as dangerous due to a lack of federal oversight in how the goods are manufactured. Texas' ban is one of the more far-reaching among states that have taken similar steps. Several states, including California, have imposed age limits and restrictions on the potency of THC products. Critics of the Texas bill say it allows people who cannot access marijuana through the state's medical marijuana program to acquire goods that can provide a similar relief. Many retailers across the state also pointed to the thousands of jobs and millions in revenue the industry brings each year. Last year, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have put age restrictions on THC consumables, claiming it would hurt small businesses. ___ Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Bloomberg
12 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Oil Market Weighs Risks as Mideast Conflict Continues
US strikes on Iran nuclear facilities at the weekend added to risks for global oil supply. Analysts are now trying to weigh the increased geopolitical risk against previous fears that strong production and a lukewarm global economy could result in a supply glut. Bloomberg's Stephen Stapczynski reports. (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg
32 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
HSBC Said to Create New Team for Tough Infrastructure Deals
HSBC Holdings Plc is setting up a dedicated team to finance infrastructure projects that would typically struggle to attract capital from other sources, according to people familiar with the matter. The corporate and institutional banking unit is looking for a global head of strategic financing partnerships, the people said, asking not to be named discussing private deliberations. HSBC started searching for someone to fill the role, which may be based in the US, a few months ago but has yet to settle on a candidate, they said. The role will report to Danny Alexander, who is chief executive of infrastructure finance and sustainability within HSBC's CIB unit, they said.
