The Lincoln Aviator has been one of the most popular full-size luxury SUVs on sale ever since its relaunch in the United States market a couple of years ago. The luxurious cabin that is filled to the brim with features which, when coupled with no compromises in terms of space, made sure that the American luxury SUV buyers added it to their shortlist when out for an SUV purchase. With the arrival of the Grand Touring model, which is Lincoln's name for the plug-in hybrid, the marque has managed to further refine the already capable offering.
Available in two trim configurations, namely Grand Touring and Black Label Grand Touring, which starts at an MSRP of $70,520. The plug-in hybrid powertrain offers excellent acceleration, and this system also allows the Aviator to do 21 miles on just electric power. The stately exterior design sees no major changes and the long list of customization options is onboard too. Competing with the likes of the Volvo XC90 Recharge and BMW X5 xDrive 45e, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring.
10 Twin-Turbo V6 Offers Great Acceleration
The 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring is one of the very few models that come with a plug-in hybrid motor in this class. Under the hood resides a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor, producing a combined output of 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. The 10-speed torque converter automatic transmission and an AWD drivetrain are standard, and this SUV has a maximum towing capacity of 5,600 lbs.
Even though the weight of 5,843 lbs is on the higher side, the Aviator Grand Touring feels very punchy and a slight push on the gas pedal is all that is required for a quick overtake on the highway. The torque curve is wide, and the transmission responds reasonably fast. The 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds and the quarter-mile time of 13.7 seconds are faster than the Volvo XC90 Recharge. Even the low-end grunt is excellent, providing a comfortable driving experience while driving through city streets.
9 Interior Looks Luxurious
The cabin looks every bit expensive as the base price tag suggests. The first thing that you notice when you get inside is the heavy dose of premium leather, soft-touch injection-molded plastic, and silver and chrome accents on the dashboard. The AC vents feel very premium, and all the switches and knobs feel precise and tactile. Even the door panels also come with similar materials.
The seats come wrapped in leather and the three-color combinations (ebony, sandstone, and ebony roast) add to the elegance of the overall cabin. The design is unlike any other rivals in the segment, and even the lower portions of the dashboard see no major cost-cutting. However, we did find some cost-cutting in the third-row area, as there were some hard scratchy plastics on both the bulkheads.
8 Has A Stylish Exterior Design
Even though this SUV has been in production for the past few years, the design has aged like a fine wine. The typical Lincoln-style grille with the blue outline for the logo is present for the Grand Touring trims only. The heavy dose of chrome and the beautifully crafted LED headlights with LED DRLs and the impressive ground clearance and height add to the road presence of the Aviator Grand Touring.
If you get the optional Illumination package, which is retailed for an MSRP of $7,270, the car gets features like adaptive pixel headlights, dynamic bending lighting, and Dynamic Lincoln signature Lighting, making it look stunning at night. The Aviator also feels the right size for a full-size SUV, and the 21" wheels add character to the ride. The chrome side mirrors, blacked-out pillars, and subtle character lines are in place as well. However, it is the rear that looks the best with the LED single slab taillight, quad exhaust outlets, and integrated spoiler.
7 Not A Frugal Option
If you expect the gas mileage offered by the new 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring to be impressive due to the PHEV powertrain, you would be mistaken. The Aviator Grand Touring offered an MPGe rating of 54 in the city, 58 on the highway, and 56 combined. With just the gasoline motor, the Aviator Grand Touring managed a combined gas mileage of 23 MPG.
The 18-gallon fuel tank capacity is in line with the rivals. When compared to the competitors, the Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 offered a slightly lower 55 MPGe combined and the BMW X5 xDrive45e offers an even lower 50 MPGe combined rating. The tank range is almost identical, and the Aviator Grand Touring could do 21 miles in pure electric mode too.
6 Very Spacious
When compared to the Volvo XC90 Recharge, the front row of the Aviator Grand Touring turned out to be quite similar in terms of cabin space. There is more than adequate headroom and legroom, and the shoulder room is excellent. The wide armrest, soft leather upholstery, and multiple cubbyholes and storage spaces are some of the other benefits. The second-row captain's seat has all the qualities of the first row as well, and the ingress and egress are easy.
However, getting into the third-row seat takes a bit of an effort and the space is enough for kids only. The 29" legroom and mediocre under-thigh support means adults won't be comfortable in the rear seat. Open the tailgate with the press of a button, and you will be met with an outstanding cargo space of 18.1 cu ft behind the third row. The battery pack doesn't intrude into the trunk, and hence it is pretty wide and reasonably long. There is a nifty underfloor storage space and one-touch seat folding is possible.
5 Co-Pilot360 Is Standard
The Co-Pilot 360 driver-assistance tech is onboard the 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring, and that does make it a more compelling option for the family SUV buyers. The standard driver-assistance tech includes forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, collision mitigation, and driver monitoring.
The standard safety features included are airbags, traction control, AdvanceTrac with ESC and RSC, side-impact beams, 360-degree camera with an aerial view, front and rear parking sensors, tire pressure monitoring system, and MyKey system. NHTSA gave a 5-star rating in the overall crash safety section and the IIHS gave it the 2022 top safety pick title.
4 Infotainment Is Feature-Packed
The Sync 3 touchscreen infotainment system does all the infotainment duties in the 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring and is very similar to that of the Ford models. It gets all the necessary features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, navigation, voice recognition, and Bluetooth connectivity, all of which make it very capable, and the display quality and touch sensitivity are top-notch.
However, in comparison to the Google-based infotainment system that comes with the Volvo XC90 Recharge, this Sync 3 turned out to be less polished. There were occasional lags and stutters, and the display size could have been larger. The top-down 360-degree camera doesn't feel as crisp as the rivals, either. Nevertheless, the digital gauge cluster is feature-packed and the Revel 28-speaker audio system offers an audiophile-grade audio experience.
3 Ride Is A Bit Firm
When compared to the rivals from Mercedes and Volvo, this is where we think that the 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring could have done better. If you get the variants with the normal coil spring suspension setup, the ride quality is on the stiffer side, even when you put the car in comfort mode.
If you get the optional air suspension, which can be had for an additional $2,400, the suspension is slightly plusher. However, you do not get the same magic carpet-like ride quality found in the XC90 Recharge. It does transmit the bumps and potholes at a slow speed, and even the highway ride quality is not the best. The 21" wheels with low-profile tires may be partly responsible.
2 Relaxed Driving Dynamics
This full-size luxury SUV comes with five driving modes and each of them do alter the engine, suspension, steering, and braking behavior significantly. However, if you want to experience the best of the 2022 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring on a winding road, the excite mode is the one to go for. The car feels adequately sporty, and taking corners is a joyful process when in this mode.
The steering is adequately light and weighs up well as your speed increases. The suspension damping is spot on for a behemoth SUV and the slightly stiff setup in excite mode helps in reducing the body roll significantly, especially in comparison to the comfort mode. If you get the optional dynamic handling package, air suspension can be had too, which makes the driving experience even more sure-footed and relaxing.
1 Excellent Brakes
The braking performance is superb and is very comparable to the European rivals and the drivers would be happy with how well this heavyweight SUV anchor down. The 4-wheel disc brake setup with 14.3" front rotors and 13.8" rear rotors and all the braking features like ABS with EBD, ventilated rotors, brake assist, and hill hold control makes it effortless to drive.
Give a slight dab on the brake pedal and the SUV offers superb initial bite. There is no noticeable front-end dive, as the weight suggests. The braking progression as you press hard on the brake is similar to the Volvo XC90 Recharge. With regenerative braking, the car does shed its speed when you take your foot off the gas pedal, and it charges the battery, too. Its70-0 mph braking distance of 174 feet resides in the same ballpark as the rivals.