Used 2020 Lincoln Nautilus

#15 in Best Midsize Luxury SUVs of 2020

Formerly known as the MKX, the 2020 Nautilus is a 2-row/5-passenger midsize-luxury SUV that slots between the new Aviator and compact Corsair in Lincoln’s lineup. The Lincoln Nautilus competes with well-known and well-respected premium SUVs such as the Lexus RX, Acura MDX, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, not to mention its American rival the Cadillac XT5. This is a tough segment that draws discerning, well-heeled buyers.

The Nautilus’ attractive traits include having the lowest starting price in its segment at just over $41,000, and its classy exterior design. Among luxury SUVs, the Nautilus brings a lot of metal and features for the money, including its Co-Pilot360 safety system and ample tech. Even if you pony up for its optional twin-turbo V6, the Nautilus isn’t — and isn’t trying to be — as sporty as a BMW X5. The Lincoln’s game is more about comfort and refinement, similar to but not quite on par with a Lexus RX.

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If you’re considering a Lincoln, you’re probably past the days when you needed to win every race to the next stoplight or showcase all the power under your hood. Lincolns emphasize refinement and calm. In this respect, the Nautilus mostly delivers. The Nautilus SUV has respectable power even with the base 4-cylinder turbo engine it shares with the smaller Lincoln Corsair, formerly known as the MKC. If you opt for the twin-turbo V6, you get a serious boost in power — 335 ponies and a gratifying 380 lb-ft of torque — to get things moving quickly.

For 2020, Lincoln wisely made all-wheel drive (AWD) standard with the V6, which prevents torque steer from sending all that power solely to the front wheels. Both engines exhibit some turbo lag, that instance when, under hard acceleration you have to wait a beat before the power really kicks in. The Nautilus’ steering is nicely weighted, although a bit sensitive when off-center. As such, minor course corrections are easily managed, but any sudden hard input to the steering wheel results in a kind of turn-in overkill that can feel unnatural.

The Nautilus only comes in 2-row/5-passenger form. That sets it apart from rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz GLE, in which a third row can be had as an option, and the Acura MDX and Volvo XC90, where it’s standard. This is by design, as Lincoln offers the full-size Navigator and the new Aviator to appeal to those needing a 3-row-luxury SUV.

As the Nautilus is still based on the older MKX, it doesn’t have the drop-dead gorgeous new cabin design of those larger and fresher models. The Nautilus’ interior will also look familiar if you’ve been in a Ford Edge, as that’s the vehicle on which this is based. In the Lincoln, there are more premium materials and a snazzy all-digital, 12.3-inch display that replaces the traditional analog instrument cluster.

Because a third row has not been squeezed in, the Nautilus provides plenty of room for passengers. Legroom and headroom are generous in both rows, as is cargo room, which expands from 37.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat to 68.8 cubic feet with the seats folded.

With its name change last year also came an exterior freshening for the Nautilus that included a bold star-mesh grille and sweptback headlights up front. Bold wheel designs vary in style and size by trim, ranging from 18 inches on the base model to 21 inches on Black Label trims. Higher trims get more kit, including fog lights and more chrome. Clever features abound, such as the exterior puddle lighting that illuminates to greet an approaching driver. The power rear liftgate is another nice touch, although we found the liftover height required to reach the wide and deep cargo area taller than usual.

CO-PILOT360
Similar to the Co-Pilot360 system used in Ford vehicles, this suite bundles safety and driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. It is standard on all models.

MASSAGING FRONT SEATS
If you opt for Lincoln’s Ultra-Comfort front seats, in addition to getting 22-way-adjustability, you can also enjoy a massage on the go. If that’s not one way to relieve stress in traffic or keep the blood flowing on a road trip, we don’t know what is.

Lincoln’s Nautilus comes in three trims: Standard, Reserve and Black Label. The least expensive new Nautilus is quite recommendable considering its entry price and feature set. It includes synthetic-leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, power tailgate, keyless entry with push-button start, remote start, the Co-Pilot360 active safety suite, and auto-hold system that will hold the brakes for you at stoplights. The standard infotainment is also based on Ford’s Sync 3 and includes an 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, plus a 10-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system.

For about $7,500 more, we think the mid-trim Nautilus Reserve is the best value. It adds a hands-free tailgate, leather upholstery and wood trim, panoramic roof, windshield-wiper de-icer, navigation, wireless phone charging pad, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, and a great-sounding 13-speaker Revel audio system.

At nearly $64,000, the Nautilus Black Label is a little harder to justify, but it does come very well equipped with the twin-turbo V6 that is optional on the Reserve model, 19-speaker Revel audio, 21-inch wheels, an evasive-steering assist system, adaptive suspension, 360-degree camera, and an Alcantara headliner. It also includes the upgraded Co-Pilot360 Plus safety system that adds adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, a surround-view camera, and active parking assistant.

Lincoln Black Label vehicles also include perks that range from complimentary vehicle pickup and delivery for maintenance, free car washes, concierge service and access to restaurants and culinary experiences.

The Lincoln Nautilus offers a choice of two powerful engines. Standard is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder good for 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Optional is a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 good for 335 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. Note those figures come via using premium unleaded gasoline. Both engines share the same 8-speed automatic, and are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds.

All-wheel drive (AWD) is optional instead of the standard front-wheel drive (FWD) on the 4-cylinder engine. The V6 now comes standard with AWD. Both engines use a start/stop system that cuts power at idle to save fuel. If you don’t like the engine shutting off and restarting, the system can be disabled.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
250 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/26 mpg (FWD), 20/25 mpg (AWD)

2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6
335 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
380 lb-ft of torque @ 3,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 19/26 mpg (AWD)