The New Lincoln Aviator Offers Third-Row Seating, Advanced Technology

Lincoln showcased the prototype of the Lincoln Aviator at the New York Auto Show earlier this year. Lincoln planned to slot the Aviator as a mid-size three-row SUV. That opened the gates for the automaker to manufacture the production model of the 2020 Lincoln Aviator, which it unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Everything On Road Will Give It Way

The Lincoln Aviator is a big SUV. It’s got large wheels, doors and windows. But step inside the cabin, especially the last row, and you will be left totally flabbergasted. The third-row seats can accommodate only kids. This took us by surprise, considering how big the Aviator is from outside. As for the headlights, they are adaptive LEDs that narrow the beam throw when driving fast to improve long-distance sight, and widen at low speeds, to better spot joggers, dogs, and cyclists.

Lincoln’s Design Chief, David Woodhouse said that the team looked into the aeronautical history for inspiration while designing this beast.

Under The Hood

Lincoln unveiled the gasoline as well as the plug-in hybrid variant of the Aviator.Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission system. The new Aviator is also available with an all-wheel-drive system as an option if you're willing to pay for it. Now, coming to the biggest add-on to the 2020 Lincoln Aviator, a new twin-turbocharged plug-in hybrid mode will be offered in the lineup, and it develops 450 ponies and 600 pound-feet of torque! This powertrain is available only in the Grand Touring model.

It Offers Multiple Drive Modes

Each of them will adjust the vehicle's ride, handling, and responsiveness based on the mode selected. The plug-in Grand Touring offers two additional modes – Pure EV and Preserve EV, which are self-explanatory.

What’s even more exciting is the kind of assistive features the 2020 Lincoln Aviator offers. For instance, the Aviator will lower the suspension so that the driver can enter the SUV easily and also load the cargo with ease while it is low. The Adaptive Suspension with Road Preview leverage uses a front camera to spot any potholes and adjust the vehicle in real-time to hover over it smoothly.

This Is Not A Cabin; it Is A Cockpit

The interior is over the top in terms of creature comfort additions. Where do we even begin?All the instruments and gauges make you feel as though you are sitting in an aircraft’s cockpit. The polished, aluminum accents, are reminiscence to the instrument panels of a vintage aircraft. The Aviator also comes with 30-way massaging leather seats that have perforation pattern inspired by aircraft runway lights. The seats also come with massagers, heaters, adjusters, coolers, and what not. A tan-leather Black Label interior theme called Flight is available too. Even though all this may lead you to believe that the cockpit of the Lincoln Aviator is vintage and antique, it’s actually not.

Call it too ‘gimmicky’, but we are love with the way Lincoln has named some features. The instrument cluster that Lincoln has named ‘glass cockpit’, is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a head-up display. A 28-speaker Revel Ultima sound system is also present.

Where Does It Stand In The Safety Department?

In the safety department, the Lincoln Aviator is well-equipped. Features like Reverse Brake Assist, Active Park Assist Plus, an adaptive cruise control system with stop-and-go function, which the automaker calls Traffic Jam Assist, Evasive Steer Assist, which gets the vehicle out of the way if you're approaching a slowed or suddenly stopped car, are found in here.

Not Sure If Owners Will Be Happy With This

The driver will be able to open and lock doors, raise the tail gate, and start the vehicle using Lincoln's Phone As A Key technology through the Lincoln Way app. This is quite surprising, since Tesla was recently criticized for this and it went on to provide owners with physical key fobs. Should we mention the security risks to Lincoln?

Our Take

The Lincoln Aviator is a "three-row, midsize premium utility" that has got all the bells and whistles you can ask for. The car is brilliantly packed overall, looks fantastic, and comes with potent drivetrain options as well. However, the only fly in the ointment would be the second and third-row seats. While the second-row seats, despite being on the smaller side, are manageable, the third-row is a joke. Wondering how much this beast costs? We guess somewhere in the ballpark of $70,000 and there is no word on when it will hit the showrooms. What are your thoughts on the new 2020 Lincoln Aviator? Share them with us in the comments section below, and stay tuned for more updates.