2021 Lincoln Nautilus Review

　　

2021 Lincoln Nautilus Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　Lincoln is now an SUV brand. With the departures of the Continental and MKZ after the 2020 model year, Lincoln is left with four SUVs. Among them is the freshened 2021 Nautilus. It's a five-passenger midsize model that's bigger than the Corsair but not as big as the three-row Aviator and large-and-in-charge Navigator.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$203/mo  for Nautilus Base

　　Nautilus Base

　　4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $42,500 MSRP4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $45,000 MSRPReserve 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $49,550 MSRPReserve 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $52,045 MSRPBlack Label 4dr SUV AWD (2.7L 6cyl Turbo 8A) - $65,090 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　Though the Nautilus nameplate is only 3 years old, the SUV's underlying platform and architecture date to 2016, when the vehicle debuted as the redesigned second-generation MKX. In 2019, Lincoln changed the SUV's name to Nautilus and restyled the outside. Now, for 2021, the interior receives a long-overdue revision with a new dashboard design and widescreen infotainment system. Lincoln also touched up the Nautilus' front-end styling.

　　The updates do wonders for the Nautilus. The sleek new dashboard is essentially identical to the one in the Aviator and looks and feels far more upscale than the old one. From the driver's seat, the Nautilus almost looks like an all-new model. Like the Aviator and Navigator, the refreshed Nautilus reminds us of the best parts of Lincolns of old.

　　The infotainment is a huge improvement, too. Gone is the small, in-dash touchscreen, replaced by a massive 13.2-inch touchscreen with Lincoln's latest operating system. It's sleek and easy to use, and the large screen allows for multiple menus to be shown at the same time. In addition to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Nautilus can now get over-the-air updates and can be opened with your smartphone so you can ditch the traditional key fob. The piano key shifter adopted from other Lincolns is still far more cumbersome than it needs to be, but as a whole the new interior is very impressive.

　　Overall, we're impressed with the 2021 Nautilus. It still lacks the last little bit of polish found on rivals such as the BMW X5, Genesis GV80 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, but it's not far off. It's certainly worth considering if you're looking for a luxury SUV that's comfortable and has easy-to-use technology features.

　　

Which Nautilus does zzdcar recommend?

Luxury is about simplicity and easy living, but it's also about choice. That's why we recommend the Nautilus Reserve. It offers the broadest array of powertrains, wheel sizes and designs, and interior equipment, allowing you wide latitude in tailoring the SUV to your specific requirements.

　　

2021 Lincoln Nautilus models

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus comes in Standard, Reserve and Black Label trim levels. The Reserve offers the most choice with regard to upgrades, while the Black Label is curated to exclusive themes offering maximum luxury.

　　Highlights of the Nautilus Standard's equipment list include:

　　Turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque) Eight-speed automatic transmission Standard front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive 18-inch wheels Power rear liftgate Rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking) Remote engine starting Simulated leather upholstery Power-adjustable front seats Dual-zone automatic climate control Digital gauge cluster 13.2-inch infotainment system display Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity Natural voice recognition Lincoln Connect communication services 10-speaker audio systemAdditionally, the Lincoln Nautilus is equipped with several standard advanced driving assistance systems. They're contained in Lincoln Co-Pilot360 and include the following:

　　Automatic high-beam LED headlights Forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing) Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane) Lane keeping assist (steers the Nautilus back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)Choosing the Nautilus Reserve installs this additional equipment:

　　Rain-sensing windshield wipers Leather upholstery Heated and ventilated front seats Heated and power-adjustable steering wheel Heated rear seats Ambient interior lighting Real wood trim Panoramic sunroof Wireless smartphone charging Navigation system 13-speaker Revel premium sound system Improved vehicle securityLincoln offers an array of options for the Nautilus Reserve, including Reserve I, Reserve II and Ultimate packages. A Monochromatic package removes much of the exterior chrome in favor of black and body-colored trim. You can also add the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Plus package, which installs the following safety upgrades:

　　Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go (maintains a driver-set distance between the Nautilus and the car in front, can bring the SUV to a full stop, and can resume travel within a short time if traffic ahead moves forward) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Evasive steering assist (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance) Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Nautilus and its surroundings for tight parking situations) Front parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of the vehicle when parking) Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention)The Nautilus Black Label is fully equipped and offered in a choice of Chalet and Flight interior themes. The Flight theme will be available midway through the model year. All Nautilus Black Label models include:

　　Turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine (335 hp, 380 lb-ft of torque) All-wheel drive 21-inch wheels Adaptive suspension dampers (for improved ride comfort and handling) Premium leather upholstery Simulated suede headliner Luxury carpeted floor mats Digital key technology (transforms your smartphone into a key that can unlock the Nautilus and start the engine) 19-speaker high-end Revel Ultima audio system Lincoln Co-Pilot360 Plus (detailed above) Many features that come standard on the Black Label are available on the Reserve as options. Other notable options for the Nautilus include 22-way power-adjustable front seats with massaging functions and a rear-seat entertainment system

　　

2021 Nautilus Highlights

Trim: BaseReserveBlack LabelBase

　　

Base MSRP	$42,500
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	23 MPG
Cost to Drive	$203/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	37.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles