2018 Lincoln Aviator SUV. 2nd generation
The Lincoln Aviator is a mid-size luxury SUV that has been produced by Ford Motor Company since 2002. It was formerly named Lincoln MKX. In 2018, the manufacturer released the second generation SUV, which essentially became a redesigned MKX and was renamed back to the Aviator. In the list of upgraded models, it took a position above the Nautilus, but below the Navigator. The new Aviator is built on a new platform that supports rear, front and all-wheel drive.
Aviator’s flight
After living in the body of the Lincoln MKX for a long time, the Aviator was revived to life in 2018. Now it can offer a more advanced guise, new progressive functions and great prospects. The new Lincoln Aviator is part of the brand’s renewed range of models, the names of which are inspired by the romance of travel. The new Aviator, Navigator, Nautilus and Corsair are competing with the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE.
The Aviator is the first model that features Lincoln’s new global platform. The new platform allows the creation of both rear and all-wheel drive vehicles and supports an unlimited number of new safety features, technologies and powertrains.
Parameters
The Aviator is still a very long vehicle (over 5 long). The width is also impressive, reaching 2 meters. And other parameters are also great. Thus, the SUV is 1.76 cm high and has a wheelbase of 3 meters. The vehicle is three-row, offering 0.5 cubic meters of space behind the third row, and when the second and third rows are folded down, it increases to 2.2 cubic meters, which surpasses the parameters of almost all the Aviator’s competitors.
Design
The exterior of the 2019/2020 Lincoln Aviator aims to make the driver and passengers see this vehicle as a ‘safe harbor’ among the aggressive monsters that are currently invading the market. The huge and massive SUV looks dynamic and light due to a sophisticated body shape. The front end differs little from the Navigator and Corsair, which is the result of the globalization of the brand’s image.
Interior
The 2020/2021 Lincoln Aviator can sit six to seven people in various configurations. Power tailgate and 10-way electric heated front seats are standard. Metallic elements, wood trim and a host of sparkling and shiny devices such as navigation and infotainment systems with a large touchscreen, Apple CarPlay options, Android Auto, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite radio, stereo system, USB ports make the interior look truly luxurious and high-class.
Standard functions include keyless entry, push-button start, remote start and three-zone automatic climate control. The vehicle may be optionally equipped with four-zone automatic climate control and a panoramic sunroof.
Powertrains
The new Aviator comes in three trim levels, which slightly differ in the level of interior luxury. The Standard, Reserve and Black Label trims are equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine producing 400 hp and a torque of 562 Nm.
The Grand Touring and Black Label Grand Touring models are equipped with a hybrid system consisting of a twin-turbocharged internal combustion engine and an electric motor, which produce a total of 494 hp and 854 Nm of torque. The engines are paired with a 10-speed gearbox.
Capable of accelerating the two-ton SUV to tremendous speed, the base engine provides enough power for any situation. The Aviator’s dynamics surpasses even the Audi Q7 (and many others). But if desired, the chic SUV can also be used in performing heavy-duty operations with towing capacities from 2.5 tons to 3 tons.
The Pure EV hybrid can pull the SUV in all-electric mode or, at 75% charge, switch to petrol. It will take the charger from three to four hours to fully charge the battery.
A set of drive modes allows you to control gear shifts, throttle, and available air suspension settings, as well as hybrid battery charging of plug-in models. The air suspension uses cameras to predict and adapt to the road ahead.
Safety
The new Lincoln Aviator comes with a comprehensive list of safety features, including:
- rearview camera;
- forward collision warning options;
- front automatic emergency braking;
- blind spot monitoring system;
- rear cross traffic warning;
- automatic high beam headlights;
- front and rear parking sensors;
- adaptive cornering lights;
- lane centering assist;
- adaptive cruise control with constant stops;
- reverse automatic emergency braking;
- all-round parking camera system;
- intelligent traffic sign recognition system;
- parallel and perpendicular parking assistants and much more.
Standard safety features also include rain sensors, front and rear parking sensors. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Aviator a 5-star overall safety rating, including five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. The IIHS awarded the vehicle the highest rating in all six crash tests and separately scored the highest ratings for safety devices.
