One of the most affordable five-passenger luxury SUVs, the Lincoln Nautilus delivers exceptional value with its large, comfortable cabin, impressive refinement and standard tech.
Now that it has discontinued its slow-selling sedans, Lincoln is an SUV-only zone. It offers four of them, and the excellent five-passenger Nautilus slots between the smaller Lincoln Corsair and the three-row Lincoln Aviator. About the same size as the Cadillac XT5, the Nautilus is a tad shorter than the Genesis GV80 and the incredibly popular Lexus RX. Unlike some of its rivals, the Nautilus isn't overstyled. Its exterior is an attractive mix of modern muscular proportions and traditional chrome trim. Inside, the Lincoln's cabin is one of our favorites in the class. Not only is it comfortable, quiet, and tranquil, it has an impressive amount of interior space and cargo capacity. It also boasts one of the industry's largest standard infotainment touchscreens.
The Nautilus received a complete interior makeover for the 2021 model year. The most noticeable change is the addition of the new Sync 4 system with its massive 13.2-inch touchscreen. Lincoln has also replaced the SUV's push-button shifter with its preferable piano-key design. It also added new interior color and finish choices.
The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus is available in three trim levels: the front-wheel-drive Standard and Reserve, and the all-wheel-drive Black Label. All-wheel drive is available on the Standard and Reserve for about $2,500 extra. The Reserve is the most popular model, and as much as we like the high-luxe Black Label, the Reserve is our recommendation for most buyers. We'll explain why.
Starting at $43,595 (including a $1,095 destination fee), the standard Nautilus is well-equipped. Under the hood is a 250-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine hooked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. LED headlights and taillights are standard along with a power liftgate, dual-zone climate control, remote start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, and a 10-speaker audio system.
The Reserve ($50,645) adds 18-inch painted alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, wood trim, a panoramic roof, wireless phone charging, and a 13-speaker Revel audio system. It also offers an optional twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine with an impressive 335 horsepower. Overall, the Reserve trim is the best pick as it provides the right balance of price and features.
The opulent Black Label ($66,185) is seriously big bucks. All-wheel drive is standard along with the 335-hp twin-turbocharged V6 engine and a smooth adaptive suspension. Among its interior niceties are heated and ventilated front seats and heated outboard rear seats.