The car you see is the Lincoln Aviator, a 7-seater family SUV that costs 320,000 Dirhams and goes up against cars like the Cadillac XT6, Infiniti QX60, and Volvo XC90. It looks great from the outside, but continue reading to find out if it has got more than just a pretty face.
Drive
Now I know what some of you may be thinking, doesn’t Lincoln already have a 7-seater family SUV, the Navigator? Why did they go and build another 7-seater family SUV? The answer is quite simple, although the Aviator is a 7-seater family SUV, it is a lot smaller than the Navigator and so what they have managed to do is offer the same level of quality and craftsmanship at a far more affordable price.
So, is this more affordable SUV any good to drive? Yes, it is, and that is because the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 puts out 400 horsepower and 563 Nm of torque. Those are big numbers for a family SUV and to put them into perspective, this Aviator only puts out 50 horsepower less than the mighty Ford Raptor!
So we’ve established that it has the power, but you are probably wondering what else it has. With Lincoln being a luxury brand and the Aviator being a luxury SUV, it has been fitted with a 10-speed automatic transmission that shifts through gears extremely smoothly. It’s like the engine and gearbox are in a synchronized waltz shifting gears without the driver ever realizing what is going on.
When you do want it to wake up and shove you into the back of your seat, the Aviator is fitted with 5 different drive modes with each making adjustments to the stiffness of the suspension, the ride height, the weight of the steering, and the shift points. Since it is all-wheel-drive, the Aviator is also fitted with a Deep Sand mode that can be used for some mild off-road action.
Having said that, it is on the road where the Aviator truly shines. It is armed with Adaptive Suspension and a feature called Road Preview that uses a camera mounted on the windshield to see what lies ahead and prepare the suspension accordingly. So let’s say you were driving over rumble strips before reaching a roundabout, you would look out of your window and see other cars shaking or bouncing as they drive over them, but the Aviator just glides over them like it’s driving over a freshly paved road.
Interior
When it comes to interior design and features, our test car is the Presidential model, which is the highest of the four available versions in the UAE. In the past Lincolns did suffer as they tended to look like refurbished Fords, but that really isn’t the case anymore. The Aviator does look and feel like a luxury car in every way possible.
The slim and sleek design of the dashboard does make the cabin feel very spacious. The seats are extremely comfortable and that is because they offer 30-way adjustment. That is right, everything from the cushion to the lumbar, to the backrest and headrest is adjustable, and that too, electrically.
Space in the second row is better than expected and there is the option to slide and recline the seats as well. Since the seats have a 40:20:40 split, the seating pattern can be customized to perfectly accommodate a mix of occupants and cargo. There is also a screen from which those in the back can heat or cool their seat, control the air-con system, and the audio system, as well as a USB charging outlet, and a 240V outlet to connect things like a laptop or a vacuum cleaner.
Features
On the features side, since this is the full-option model, it does have every feature imaginable. 360-degree cameras? Check. Heads Up Display? Check. Panoramic Roof? Check. Suction Doors? Check. Wireless Charger? Check. Android Auto and Apple Car Play? Check and Check. But even with all this and more, the Aviator does have some truly stand-out features.
The first of which is the Revel Ultima 3D audio system. It has 28 speakers but that isn’t what makes it special, what makes it special is that it has 127 steps of adjustment, meaning you can tune the sound precisely and accurately to suit your listening style.
The other stand-out feature is the Aviator’s self-driving tech. With several sensors and cameras all around, it does a great job of driving itself down a highway with or without any traffic. It is fitted with technologies like adaptive cruise control, brake assist, steering assist, and lane centering that isn’t just present, but they work brilliantly.
Exterior
From the outside, I really do feel like the Aviator is one of Lincoln’s nicest looking models. It looks classy and elegant, but sporty and aggressive at the same time. This grey color that we have just adds to its appeal as do the pixel LED headlights and the huge 22-inch machined alloy wheels.
Like all new Lincoln models, the Aviator does get the brand’s signature grille with the light-up Lincoln logo but what is unique about it is that it does have Active Grille Shutters that open to help cool the engine down and close when driving down the highway for better aerodynamic efficiency.
Verdict
At 320,000 Dirhams the Lincoln Aviator is a lot of car for the money. It’s great to drive; it’s got a lot of tech, and most of all it isn’t a boring family SUV. So, would you rather have this or one of its rivals? Let me know in the comments down below. Also, do check out InsuranceMarket.ae™ if you want to save time and money on your next insurance purchase.
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