There’s always anticipation surrounding the latest and greatest in the automotive world when there is a looming new vehicle release. The Lincoln brand has had its fair share of newfound fans with the introduction of the Navigator, and such a trend has found new life with the release of the new 2020 Lincoln Aviator. Fortunately, for me, I was able to get my hands on a new 2020 Lincoln Aviator in the Reserve trim with the Reserve II package, which combines a long list of the desirable features made available on what is pitted to give the Lincoln brand yet another injection of consumers flocking to see what the latest American-made three-row luxury crossover is made of.
>> Get The Best Price On The Lincoln Aviator from a network of local dealers now. <<
Thanks to my local North Florida Lincoln dealership, they gave me the chance to take the new Aviator for a quick spin (please forgive the iPhone photos quality due to time constraints). Driving the new Aviator there was a hidden sportiness to its character that showed its face from time to time. The latest iteration of the brand’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine, one that may be somewhat familiar to some Lincoln MKZ 3.0T AWD owners, is eager to spin where it has a linear powerband with ample pull throughout the RPM range. The Aviator never felt like it needed extra power – it was more of what I expected with the 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque figures on paper with no noticeable turbo lag out of the hole. The weight of the Aviator, said to tip the scale just under 4,900 pounds, was somewhat apparent when demanding full throttle. Though, the suspension system of the Aviator Reserve that I drove without the optional Dynamic Handling Package (air suspension system with a road preview function), was up to the job of balancing a smooth ride but at times felt like it was attempting to pull off a trick to isolate you from the road. I expect the Aviator to get up to 60 mph from a standstill in about 5.6 to 6.2 seconds, a hair slower (due to its extra heft) than its distant relative, the new 2020 Ford Explorer ST, which shares the same powertrain.
In all, with the adaptive dampers and drive mode set into the Normal setting, the Aviator would loft around a little more than I would like going over a road surface with a few rises and dips. Placing the vehicle into the Excite (Sport) drive mode the dampers seemed to have a subtle firming but still provided a decent ride quality. In Excite mode, the 10-speed automatic transmission never utilized the higher gears, but I didn’t have enough time to see if it would eventually hit a higher gear or even 10th gear on the highway. Moreover, the quick-shifting 10-speed automatic behaved like it should and didn’t fumble or hunt for gears when skipping a few cogs was necessary. It’s possible that Ford/Lincoln did some due diligence with the programming here. The transmission was very direct and often utilized a lock-up of the torque converter.
The steering wheel’s smaller size was apparent but didn’t bother me and was a welcomed trait and part of the Aviator being sportier than I thought it would be. The initial steering inputs were surprisingly sharp but hardly upset the feel of confidence in the Aviator tackling turns and highway exits. There was minimal body lean taking a few turns faster than I should where the adaptive dampers appeared to firm up momentarily.
Inside of the Aviator, the controls were well placed, somewhat mimicking that of the Navigator giving you a clean and tidy dashboard and 12.3-inch gauge cluster. The 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, despite its placement more like an iPad tilted in a landscape position, was never an issue for it being out of place, for me at least. The response of the on-screen controls and menu sets were a hair slower to respond than I am used to when compared to vehicles like my Focus RS or Shelby GT350’s Sync system. However, there are additional menus tailored to the Aviator such as the quick access button to bring up the Driver Assistance menu for disabling the auto engine start/stop future, auto hold, and traction control.
Up front, the seating areas of the Aviator look to take advantage of all usable space with an abundance of seat adjustments through use of the optional 30-way power seats with their massage, heating, and ventilation features. The second-row seating’s heated and ventilated captain’s chairs, with them adjusted all the way back, had just enough room for me to sit behind myself without my knees hitting the seatback of the front seat. Mind you, I’m 6-feet-3-inches tall, and I consider myself to have “long” legs. What is nice is to have some adjustability of the second-row seats forward and back. I didn’t bother sitting in the third-row, but next time I get the Aviator, I will put myself up to the task, which doesn’t look all that difficult with the pneumatic quick access fold that the second row performs at the press of a button. Though, a child’s car seat would need to be removed to fold the second-row and access the third.
The major drawback in my quick spin of the Aviator is not having enough time to really experience all that it offers. Comparing the Aviator Reserve to the 2020 Ford Explorer ST is a good basis, abet a little softer, for all of you who wonder about performance after viewing many review videos and reading the first drive reviews.
The new 2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve that I drove, was missing the option of the Dynamic Handling Package but otherwise had a full list of desirable luxury amenities and features bringing the price to $73,210. Hopefully, I will be able to get a review vehicle and divulge many more details and findings very soon. Be sure to check back.
>> Get The Best Price On The Lincoln Aviator from a network of local dealers now. <<
This vehicle and other new and pre-owned vehicles are available at North Florida Lincoln.
