2018 Lincoln Nautilus SUV. 1st generation
Unveiled in 2018, the Lincoln Nautilus is actually a renamed Lincoln MKX, which is Lincoln’s most popular vehicle. It is a mid-sized, well-built, powerful, comfortable, imposing, and yet the most “humble” of all Lincoln’s vehicles.
Baby boomer Lincoln
J.D. Power has conducted research and proved that the Nautilus is especially popular among women of the baby boomer generation. There are only 37% of women who own mid-size premium SUVs, but at the same time 44% of the Nautilus owners are women. The average age of these ‘desperate’ ladies is 67 years, while the average age of the owners in the segment is 58 years. 85% of these women are baby boomers, whereas the overall number of representatives of this generation amounts to 61%. The fans of this model are patriots, as 86% of them prefer domestic cars, and there are only 35% of them in the segment.
When choosing a Nautilus, customers are guided by such qualities as: low maintenance costs (86%), good steering response and quick standing start (95%), versatility (84%). Ladies and gentlemen note that the following are their most favorite features of the Nautilus vehicles:
- exterior;
- driving dynamics;
- interior design;
- habitability for a driver and passengers;
- engine and chassis.
When choosing a Nautilus, customers are guided by such qualities as: low maintenance costs (86%), good steering response and quick standing start (95%), versatility (84%).
The combination of all of the above qualities makes the new Lincoln Nautilus a successful competitor to such great vehicles as the Cadillac XT5, Infiniti QX50 and Lexus RX.
Engine and chassis
The 2018/2019 Lincoln Nautilus comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 250 hp. There is also a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder engine with 355 hp. The engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The adjustable suspension, designed by Lincoln, is aimed at providing a comfortable ride and can support normal and sporty driving modes.
The all-wheel-drive SUV with a standard transmission and a 2.7-liter engine accelerates to 60 mph (96.5 km) in 6.8 seconds, which is very impressive. Thus, the new Nautilus is faster than the Cadillac XT5 and Lexus RX350, but is inferior to the BMW X3 M40i. However, unlike the Nautilus, the BMW X3 positions speed as one of its main advantages, moreover, the Nautilus is cheaper.
Exterior
The 2019/2020 Lincoln Nautilus looks much more harmonious, complete, balanced, one might even say, more aristocratic than the previous MKX. Instead of the dubious bifurcated huge grille, the vehicle features a moderate size grille with a classic Lincoln shape and appearance, with a four-pointed star. Overall, the design of the Nautilus has become less individual and more global.
The new Lincoln Nautilus is a large SUV. It is 4.8 m long, and its unladen weight ranges from 1,880 kg to 2,050 kg. The volume of the cargo compartment behind the rear seats is more than 1,000 liters and increases to 1,900 liters with the seats folded down. With such parameters, it would have looked bulky, if not for its elegant body outlines and 21-inch wheels.
Interior
Like any Lincoln model, the Nautilus is distinguished by its luxurious interior and superb equipment. The front seats are heated, ventilated and have a massage function with reinforced thigh support. The back seat has enough room for two adults or three children, who can extend their legs completely if tired of the long trip, for which the Nautilus is very suitable.
The vehicle features an infotainment system Lincoln Sync 3 which is rated as very reliable and functional, a 19-speaker audio system, 2-zone climate control, satellite radio, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, panoramic sunroof, as an additional option, and more.
Safety
The Nautilus offers the following list of standard safety devices: rearview camera, rear parking assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring system, lane departure warning system, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection system, and automatic emergency braking system.
The active safety features include a surround-view parking camera system, front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, steering adjustment, parallel and perpendicular parking assistance.
In a crash test, the 2018 Lincoln Nautilus received the maximum five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including a five-star frontal and side impact safety rating and four-star rollover-resistance rating.
