[Auto] The Lincoln Nautilus Is MotorTrend’s 2025 SUV of the Year

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What Is a Lincoln Nautilus?
Now in its second generation, the two-row, five-passenger Lincoln Nautilus slots neatly between Lincoln’s larger three-row, seven-passenger Aviator and smaller, much cheaper, but also two-row and five-passenger Corsair. Starting at one Hamilton more than $52K, you have a choice of two powertrains and three trims—Premiere ($52,010), Reserve ($56,445), and Black Label ($75,945).

The Nautilus features the brand’s latest design language with what we assessed as a handsome interpretation of the new “glider” grille that’s supposed to resemble—you guessed it—a glider. Our sole test subject for this competition was the high-dollar Black Label model with said glider grille illuminating, which combine with the taillights to treat you to a cool light show when approaching/unlocking the Nautilus. Seemingly the only thing our top-trim test vehicle didn’t come standard with is the handsome Jet Appearance package, which blacks out most of the Nautilus’ chrome and elevates the overall look. Ours rode on fancy-looking 11-spoke, 21-inch wheels, though the Jet pack gets you 22s.

Driver and passengers are treated to all sorts of luxury creature comforts, including massaging, heated, and vented 24-way front seats, active noise cancellation, and a massive, many-way-configurable 48-inch screen that displays a wealth of information to everyone on board. Fine-looking materials abound, even including little stuff like butcher-block wood inlays in places most carmakers would just skip over. All Nautiluses are available with three onboard fragrances (Lincoln offers four additional options if the initial three aren’t to your liking), and the Black Label has perhaps the best factory-installed car stereo on sale right now courtesy of Revel and 28 speakers. Special praise is in order for the Redwood Venetian leather seats. “This burnt-caramel-colored leather is fantastic,” features editor Scott Evans said, “and the white stitching is a perfect accent.” The crazy part? The rear seats are even comfier.

The standard powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine is good for 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque and is rated at 21/29/24 mpg city/highway/combined. Pony up an extra $1,500 for the hybrid version, and the eight-speed is replaced by an eCVT. The “e” part means there are two motor-generators that add 168 hp and 236 lb-ft via a planetary continuously variable transmission. Total system output is 300 hp and 295 lb-ft. AWD is standard. The latter’s performance is adequate, as our test team recorded a 0–60-mph time of 6.9 seconds and a quarter-mile run of 15.2 seconds at 96.0 mph. As for braking and handling, it recorded a stopping distance of 133 feet from 60 mph, and an F-150-like time of 28.8 seconds around our figure-eight course. So it’s no serious athlete—on paper, at least.

 

The Lincoln Nautilus Is MotorTrend’s 2025 SUV of the Year