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2020 Lincoln Aviator First Drive | The Real Deal

NAPA VALLEY, Calif. – We're in Yountville, a town that's equal parts hoity and toity. The restaurants are adorned with the names of Top Chef Masters and the gas station offers wine tasting. A store that exclusively sells Panama hats will be opening soon. It's in places like these where the 2020 Lincoln Aviator needs to be taken seriously. When the local bakery is a Bouchon, chances are the local populace isn't going to be fooled out of their Audis, BMWs and Mercedes by sub-standard merchandise. The Aviator needs to be the real deal.  It is. There is a sophistication to its engineering and driving experience, plus a distinctive, tasteful style that should collectively meet lofty expectations and attract the desired inquisitive responses from fellow Yountvillians. Indeed, this three-row luxury crossover is no half-hearted, badge-engineered effort as Lincolns of the past were. Though it shares its rear-wheel-drive architecture with the new Ford Explorer, the two differ greatly, and Lincoln's own engineers casually speak of the advantages of "developing their own platform from the ground up." As in, this platform is as much their baby as Ford's, and not something that was sent over from HQ with orders to slap on some different styling and call it a day. For instance, the front and rear suspension designs are different, in part to accommodate the Aviator's unique pair of available damping systems: standard adaptive dampers and an optional air suspension that's height-adjustable, load-leveling and reactive to input from a forward-facing camera to pre-set itself for bumps in the road. We only sampled the latter, and despite our test Aviator being shod in massive 22-inch wheels, it soaked up the gnarled pavement around Napa Valley with no nervousness over smaller bumps or impact harshness over bigger ones. It also doesn't bound about as the springy new Explorer does. The Aviator is impressively planted, even in its most comfort-oriented driver mode of "Normal," and possesses a composure that was not expected given Lincoln's emphasis on comfort, effortlessness and "quiet flight." 2020 Lincoln Aviator Interior View 9 Photos Indeed, the Aviator can be hustled quite capably around some pretty serious mountain roads thanks to the advanced suspension and inherent chassis balance afforded by its rear-drive-based architecture (all-wheel drive is optional).

2022 Lincoln Aviator Review | American luxury in the best way

In Lincoln's heyday, its cars were big, powerful and extravagant. They embodied the idea of American luxury in the best possible way. The 2022 Lincoln Aviator shows the brand has recaptured the essence of those good old days, while still pushing forward into the future with the latest tech offerings and an available plug-in hybrid powertrain that provides competitive all-electric range and a staggering amount of power. It's also a style leader, particularly inside, which was true of Lincoln's midcentury classics, but obviously missing for the better part of 30 years. Practically speaking, the Aviator is a fully competitive entry in the three-row luxury segment, capable to making a strong case for itself among (relative) lower-cost entries like the Acura MDX and Volvo XC90 as well as larger, upper-crust offerings like the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7. Its generous interior size and feature content has a lot to do with it, but so does the fact that Lincoln didn't mess around under the hood. Its base engine is more powerful than most of its competitors' engine upgrades, while that plug-in hybrid's 630 pound-feet of torque makes you wonder whether someone made a typo. They didn't. Basically, there's a lot to love about the Aviator, and crucially, a lot that makes sense. Interior & Technology  |  Passenger & Cargo Space  |  Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive  |  Pricing & Features  |  Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? Changes are light for the 2022 Aviator. The Reserve trim picks up additional standard features: wireless charging, a head-up display and phone-as-key. There's also a new Monochromatic package that adds black wheels and replaces bright work with body-colored trim. It's very 2022. 2020 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring Black Label View 34 Photos What's the Aviator interior and in-car technology like? No other company's interiors look anything like the midcentury-inspired palace of cool you get in the Aviator. All versions are available with distinctive color schemes (including the base model shown below right in Sandstone), but the Black Label trim level stands out the most with its three available "themes" of "Chalet," "Flight" and "Destination" (below left) that get special colors and trim types. The quality of some plastics and the fit-and-finish aren't up to Mercedes or BMW levels, but everything looks so special that it covers whatever deficit exists.

2017 Lincoln Continental spied on the inside

We just saw the lightly camouflaged exterior of the 2017 Lincoln Continental a few days ago, and a new set of spy shots now give us an even better look inside the upcoming luxury sedan. Where the outside largely brings the concept's design to the road, the production interior shows far more compromises. Rather than the expanse of blue leather and Alcantara upholstery, Lincoln's stylists tone things down with a mostly black cabin. While less overwhelming than on the showcar, there's still no shortage of chrome because strips of the shining metal outline nearly every surface. Wood accents also help add some visual interest. The general cabin layout remains close to the concept. The infotainment system gets prime position near the top of the center stack, and the buttons for the transmission sit vertically on the left side of the screen. The design then flows to an angled console that features physical controls for things like the radio and HVAC. These photos provide another view at the nearly undisguised exterior, too. The Lincoln emblem at the front is chrome on this test car, and you can now spot more shining trim underneath the grille. Also look close for a better view of the door handles along the beltline. We expect the full reveal of the production Continental at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Related Video: