First Drive: 2025 Lincoln Aviator

While Navigator may be the Lincoln flagship, Aviator serves as the more likely choice looking for an upscale, 3-row SUV considering it is, at a starting price of $60,475, far more attainable for most buyers. The 2025 Lincoln Aviator gets a number of welcome updates, especially with the Black Label package, though the automaker has abandoned the sportiest package powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Here’s what we discovered during our first few days behind the wheel.

This is a big year for the Lincoln brand. It’s delivering updates for three key models, the Nautilus, Navigator and Aviator. Stylish and loaded with luxury amenities, the 2025 Lincoln Aviator is a solid alternative for those who want more room and features than the Nautilus offers —  either don’t want or can’t afford to make the jump to the flagship Navigator.

Going up against midsize luxury competitors such as the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Lexus TX, Aviator shares the same underpinnings as the updated Ford Explorer. But it’s more than just a gussied up version of that mainstream model. With the 2025 update, Aviator gets some welcome styling updates and adds or upgrades much of its technology. There’s a larger touchscreen, for example, and buyers will now get parent Ford’s hands-free BlueCruise system with four years of service included in the price.

What’s missing is the plug-in hybrid option that Lincoln pulled for the Aviator line for 2024 – which is a disappointment considering it delivered great fuel economy as well as the best performance of any drivetrain offered for the 3-row SUV.

Updated design

The 2025 Lincoln Navigator is what industry types like to call a “mid-cycle refresh.”

There are no sheet metal changes but you’ll quickly spot the new grille design and updated headlights that now flow into the grille. Those lamps are adaptive, meaning they respond to both steering input and vehicle speed. And, picking up on the latest trend in automotive design, Aviator can detect when a driver approaches – or walks away – which triggers an animated lighting sequence that says hello, or goodbye. It’s called the “Lincoln Embrace.”

In Black Label trim, Aviator adds two new exterior paint colors, Cenote Green and Whisper Blue Metallic, along with complementary changes to the interior palette.

Depending upon trim and options, the 2025 Lincoln Aviator is offered with 20, 21 and 22-inch wheels.

Interior updates and tech

The cabin has been updated to emphasize the SUV’s width, with a horizontal layout to the instrument panel. The most notable change is the swap-out of the old 10.1-inch infotainment display for a new 13.2-inch touchscreen. It’s paired with a 12.4-inch digital gauge cluster.

Aviator features all the interior must-haves on a luxury buyer’s checklist: leather, chrome and wood trim, for starters. Black Label models feature a striking use of laser-etched wood on the doors and instrument panel. The front seats are heated and cooled and, depending upon trim, can offer a massage. But those two screens underscore how the world of upscale transportation has evolved. Technology is the new definition of luxury and the midsize Lincoln doesn’t disappoint here.

I spent a few days driving the Aviator Reserve package – which is what I expect most buyers to opt for. The list of tech features is a long one but one of the most notable is what here is called Lincoln BlueCruise. Like the version in Ford vehicles, it allows hands-free driving on more than 100,000 miles of U.S. and Canadian divided highways. The system has been updated for 2025 and now will allow you to execute a pass simply by tapping on the turn signal stalk.

Other upgrades include a switch to 5G connectivity for a faster onboard WiFi hotspot, plenty of USB ports, a wireless charger and wireless versions of both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Add an extensive array of advanced driver assistance systems.

More Lincoln News

• First Drive: 2024 Lincoln Nautilus
• First Look: 2025 Lincoln Navigator
• First Sniff: Lincoln’s Updated Digital Scent Collection

Powertrain

Since the plug-in hybrid package was dropped, Aviator is limited to a single drivetrain option. It’s a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 making a solid 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque.

The engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic and Aviator can be ordered in either a rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive configuration.

One change for 2025 sees Aviator come standard with a Class III hitch which allows the SUV to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Surprisingly, you previously could order a Class IV hitch that had a higher 6,700-pound tow rating.

Driving impressions

The 2025 Lincoln Aviator is a fairly massive vehicle but the twin-turbo V-6 provides more than enough power to get it moving when the light goes green. Expect 0-60 times of around 6 seconds or less, depending on whether you’re driving a RWD or AWD package.

One of the nicer features on my Aviator Reserve test vehicle was the optional air suspension package which hunkers down when you’re blasting along the freeway to give you a bit more stability. But don’t confuse this for a performance vehicle. Here, you put the emphasis on “utility,” rather than “sport.” The suspension system adds a “kneel” function that automatically lowers ride height by 2.4 inches to make it easier to clamber in or out.

Aviator handles reasonably well on the highway, though you’ll feel its mass in tight corners – like the ones on my favorite test loop through Hell, Michigan. But the overall ride is stable, if less than thrilling.

Buyers are likely appreciate the inclusion of the Lincoln BlueCruise system – with four years of free service. It’s now able to operate on more roads, though nowhere near the figure claimed by General Motors for its similar Super Cruise technology. The tap-to-pass function is a welcome addition. And I found the latest version of BlueCruise does a lot better at holding your lane position when navigating tight turns.

Wrap-Up

Lincoln has done a nice job upgrading the 2025 Aviator. It’s not quite the enthusiastic driving machine you’ll find with some competitors, like the BMW X5 and Audi Q7. But that’s not what the Detroit luxury brand is aiming for. Aviator perfectly fits Lincoln’s “Quiet Flight” theme.

It really is quiet and comfortable and great for long trips.

I’d have liked to see Lincoln do a bit more to improve fuel economy. (Numbers for 2025 haven’t yet been released but should match the 2024 ratings: 18 mpg city, 26 highway and 21 combined for the RWD package, 17/24/20 with AWD.)

At a starting price of $60,475, the 2025 Lincoln Aviator offers a lot for your money.