By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(May 30, 2021) Lincoln has no sedans or coupes left in its lineup. Its last three sedans — Continental, MKZ and MKZ Hybrid — were terminated following the 2020 model year. This would have been hard to believe just a few years ago, but the Lincoln Motor Company is now comprised of just four vehicles — all SUVs.

The lineup now consists of — going from largest to smallest — Navigator, Aviator, Nautilus, and Corsair. Though the Nautilus nameplate is only three years old, its underlying platform and architecture date to 2016, when the vehicle debuted as the redesigned second-generation MKX. In 2019, Lincoln changed the SUV's name to Nautilus and restyled the exterior.

This year the interior has received a much needed makeover, and we found it attractive with added storage space and easy-to-use-technology. The restyling brings the mid-sized SUV in line with the rest of the company's lineup. Lincoln says the Nautilus imparts "a coast-to-coast view from the cabin that mirrors a classic view of the horizon providing a calming environment, consistent with Lincoln’s Quiet Flight DNA."

Gone is the rising console/center stack combo, replaced by a thinned-out console and a more horizontal dash design  The new design incorporates an impressive 13.2-inch infotainment display screen — replacing an eight-inch screen in the outgoing SUV — that dominates the middle of the dash. It allows multiple menus to be accessed at the same time.

An interesting addition is the piano key transmission shifter adopted from other Lincolns. It works well once you get used to its location and frees up space between the seats once occupied by a standard shifter.

Available are two new standard interior colors in addition to two Lincoln Black Label themes — Chalet and Flight. Sandstone, a new color family across the portfolio, showcases neutral tones with higher color contrasts varying from light to dark. Our top trim Black Label test car, carried the Chalet theme with Alpine Venetian leathers and deep Silverwood appliqués. This combo is supposed to evoke contrasting pleasures of mountain slopes and the warm comfort of an après-ski lodge. We very much liked Lincoln's use of materials and colors, but we never once entertained thoughts of a ski lodge. Perhaps Lincoln wasn't aiming its high-end Nautilus Black Label at aging auto writers.

As before, the Nautilus comes with a choice of two engines, a turbocharged 4-cylinder making 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque and a 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 making 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic. The bigger engine is about a $2,000 upgrade, and we think worth the cost.



We found the Nautilus motivated by the V-6 to be rather exhilarating especially when merging into fast moving traffic. Published times for the twin-turbo are in the upper reaches of 5 seconds from 0-to-60 under pedal-to-the-metal launch, with a quarter mile time of 14.4 seconds at 97 mph.

For those people who value towing, the V-6 with the Class II Trailer package can tow up to 3,500 pounds. When you pair all-wheel drive (a $2,495 upgrade) with the 2.7-liter engine, adaptive suspension becomes available as an option on the base trim, and is standard on the Reserve and Black Label trim levels.

There's ample room for adults both front and back and storage is abundant. Luggage space measures 37.2 cubic feet behind the seats and cargo space with the rear seatbacks folded increases to 68.8 cubic feet. To get a three-row option in a Lincoln, you will have to move up to the Aviator, which is based on the Ford Explorer platform.

The Nautilus comes in three trim levels — Standard, Reserve and Black Label — starting at $44,900. There's a big jump between the Standard trim and the Black Label, which starts at $67,825. We think the best buy is the mid-level Reserve, which begins at $54,170 and brings a host of standard equipment including the Lincoln Co-Pilot360, which is a suite of Lincoln's safety equipment.

It includes an array of technologies such as adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high beams, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.

The Reserve trim adds rain-sensing windshield wipers, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated and power-adjustable steering wheel, heated rear seats, real wood trim, panoramic sunroof, wireless smartphone charging, navigation, and a 13-speaker premium sound system.

For the large outlay of extra cash, our Black Label test vehicle came with such upgrades as 21-inch wheels, premium leather upholstery, and a 19-speaker Revel Ultima audio system. Our all-wheel-drive Black Label Burgundy Velvet test vehicle carried a bottom line of $77,990 after adding in $11,805 worth of options.

We are impressed with the 2021 Nautilus and the changes and upgrades that have come in its third year. While it still lacks some of the refinement of such rivals as the BMW X5, Genesis GV80 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, it's certainly worth considering if you're looking for a luxury SUV that's comfortable, quiet, stylish, and has easy-to-use features.


2021 Lincoln Nautilus

Essentials
Base price: $44,900; as driven, $77,990
Engine: 2.7 liter twin-turbocharge V-6
Horsepower: 335 @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: 380 foot-pounds @ 3,250 rpm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drive: all-wheel
Seating: 2/3
Wheelbase: 112.2 inches
Length: 190 inches
Curb weight: 4,305 pounds
Turning circle: 39.3 feet
Luggage capacity: 37.2 cubic feet
Cargo capacity: 68.8 cubic feet
Fuel capacity: 18 gallons (regular)
EPA rating: 19 city, 25 highway, 21 combined
0-60: 5.9 seconds (Car and Driver
Also consider: BMW X5, Genesis GV80, Mercedes-Benz GLE

The Good
• New upscale interior
• Quiet, comfortable ride
• Good-performing V-6

The Bad
• Piano-key gear selector can be annoying

The Ugly
• Uninspiring driving dynamics