Lincoln has been selling the MKX crossover since it was first unveiled in its first-generation avatar back in 2006. During its initial years, the Lincoln MKX used Ford/Mazda’s CD3 platform for its construction, and it became Lincoln’s first-ever attempt at mid-size crossover SUV. Basically, if you were to peel away all the fancy and expensive Lincoln bits off the MKX, you’d find its humble beginnings as a Ford Edge, which is its mechanically-similar doppelganger. However, the MKX has gone on to become the luxury automaker’s most popular and best-selling model in their entire line-up. The outgoing second-generation iteration of the MKX was revealed at the North American Auto Show in 2015, and it now used Ford’s updated CD4 architecture.
The most recent facelift/update for the erstwhile MKX nameplate came along for the 2019MY, as Lincoln renamed their top performer as the new Nautilus. While the new Nautilus shares a lot of commonality with its MKX predecessor, it’s ever so slightly bigger in size and benefits from improvements in build quality, insulation against NVH and exterior styling. In the UAE, the new Lincoln Nautilus rivals cars such as the Audi Q5, BMW X1, Lexus RX, and Infiniti QX70.
Exterior
The most apparent cosmetic change with the new Lincoln Nautilus can be seen on the front end, where the new incarnation boasts the brand’s latest grille design, revised LED headlight cluster, more muscular hood, and a completely revamped front bumper with reworked lower apron and more stylish chrome inserts. Along the sides, the Nautilus looks more or less identical to the older MKX, with a similar silhouette, door, window and pillar layout. The only noticeable styling change comes in the form of the new 20-inch alloy wheels, front door ornament, and new roof rail design.
Out back, the new Nautilus looks a touch more modern and sophisticated over its precursor, with the help of revised all-LED clear lens tail lights, more aerodynamic roof spoiler, sleeker tailgate, and a slightly tweaked rear bumper with a large static reflector strip -- the twin exhausts and air diffuser remain the same, though. As for its size, the Lincoln Nautilus measures 4.826 meters in length, 2.187 meters in overall width and 1.681 meters in height. Its wheelbase has been increased 2.850 meters, while the boot volume (with the last row down) has gone up to 1,053 liters.
Interior
On the inside, there haven’t been too many alterations over the MKX, save for the inclusion of a high-definition 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, revised steering wheel and new seats. The latter comes with eleven air cushions and massaging function for the front occupants. However, just as before, there’s enough room for adults up front and in the back, while the large panoramic sunroof lets in more natural light to increase the feeling of space.
The Nautilus’s exhaustive features list sees adaptive cruise control, adaptive suspension, hands-free tailgate, adaptive headlights, powered/cooled/heated front seats, full-leather upholstery, 19-speaker Revel audio rig, SYNC3 touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, dual-zone climate control and remote engine start among several others. There are also seven airbags, 36-degree camera system, collision detection with auto-emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist etc.
Engine and performance
The Lincoln Nautilus is powered by a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 that produces 335 hp and 515Nm of torque -- managed by an 8-speed automatic gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system. That Nautilus can get from 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, whilst top whack is limited to 250 km/h.
Verdict
Being a luxury mid-size crossover, the new Lincoln Nautilus is not an affordable car to buy. In the UAE, the Nautilus range starts from just above AED 199,000, with the range-topping trim coming in well north of AED 260,000.
