2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2020 Cadillac XT4

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator was positioned between the Navigator and the compact MKC (later replaced by the Corsair) in Lincoln's lineup. It marked a return to real vehicle names, moving away from the previous alphabet-soup naming convention. The Aviator featured a unified design language across Lincoln's sedans, crossovers, and SUVs, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its roofline tapered slightly, giving it an elongated look, while the low, wide beltline added a boat-like appearance.

Inside, the Aviator's cabin boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective use of brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The front seats were incredibly comfortable, using plush leather throughout the cabin, even in areas where it wasn't necessary. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The lineup included five trims: Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring, Black Label, and Black Label Grand Touring, each offering various luxury features and options.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 employed a “Y” trim level strategy, starting with the standard Luxury trim and offering upgrades to Premium Luxury or Sport trims. Our test vehicle had the Premium Luxury trim, featuring front-wheel drive, Silver Radiant metallic paint, 20-inch aluminum wheels, a navigation system, a Bose premium audio system, and several option packages, totaling $45,660 including destination charges.

Visually, the XT4 was one of the most appealing Cadillac crossovers, with crisp, tailored styling and proper proportions, despite an excessive front overhang. The interior was pleasant, with competitive-quality materials, though there were some missteps, such as the plain black trim around the power window controls. Overall, the XT4's cabin was comfortable, with soft leather, padded armrests, and heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats. The rear passenger compartment was roomy, though the rear seat cushion lacked support. The XT4 also had an excellent air conditioning system and ample storage space, but cargo capacity was limited to 22.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 48.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring trim combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD only. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds.

The Grand Touring's hybrid setup provided smooth, confident acceleration and improved fuel efficiency, with a combined 23 mpg and a 21-mile electric-only range. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned but effective. The driving experience was refined, with an "Excite" drive mode for a more dynamic feel. Fuel economy for the conventional Aviator with RWD was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17 mpg city, 24 highway, and 20 combined.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission powered the front or all four wheels, with the FWD XT4 achieving an EPA-estimated 26 mpg. Our test vehicle returned 24.8 mpg. The XT4's fat band of torque provided lively driving, but the optional twin-clutch AWD system was recommended to limit front-wheel slip and torque steer.

The nine-speed automatic transmission offered smooth shifts but was hesitant to downshift when accelerating out of curves or corners. Paddle shifters were available but didn't provide a noticeable improvement. The XT4's interior needed better isolation from engine and road noise, and the ride and handling were mixed. The steering effort felt good in Tour mode but artificially heavy in Sport mode. The standard suspension struggled with speed humps and smaller bumps, while the oversized wheels provided impressive grip and minimal body roll. The brakes performed well, making the XT4 fun to drive on smooth pavement.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator's three-row seating put it in competition with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain's chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6.

The Aviator's cabin featured some confusing controls, such as the door handles and seat adjustments. The 30-way seats had a massage function, but their controls were split between a door-mounted panel and a touchscreen menu. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button instead of a handle, which could be confusing for passengers. A manual door release was available but only for the driver's door.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4's interior was comfortable, with soft leather, padded armrests, and heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats. The rear passenger compartment was roomy, though the rear seat cushion lacked support. The XT4's air conditioning system was highly effective, quickly cooling the cabin during a Southern California heatwave. The climate controls were elegantly arranged, and the cabin offered ample storage space, including umbrella holders and an angled wireless smartphone charger.

However, the XT4's cargo capacity was limited, with 22.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 48.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. A hands-free power liftgate was available.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system, featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen in a landscape layout. This setup provided a better interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compared to the Ford Explorer's portrait layout. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display, offering a lot of information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 featured the latest version of the Cadillac User Experience (CUE) system, which was much improved from previous iterations. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, Cadillac Connected Access services, and near-field communication pairing for Bluetooth. The 8-inch touchscreen was complemented by intuitive controls on the center console and steering wheel, as well as a voice-recognition system.

However, the screen size could be larger, and the climate system should be integrated into the voice-recognition system. The optional 13-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround audio system provided a satisfying listening experience. The test car lacked some advanced features like a head-up display and a rear camera mirror.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Cadillac XT4 added forward-collision warning, front pedestrian braking, low-speed automatic emergency braking, and the Safety Alert Seat system to its standard equipment. It also included a rear-seat reminder, Teen Driver technology, and two years of automatic collision notification and emergency assistance service. Premium Luxury and Sport trims added blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and lane-change warning systems. The Driver Awareness Package included automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and a following-distance indicator.

Adaptive cruise control was available in the Driver Assist Package, which also included high-speed automatic emergency braking and reverse automatic braking. The Enhanced Visibility Package offered a rear pedestrian alert system, rear-view camera mirror, surround-view camera system, and semi-autonomous parking assist system. The XT4 received a 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Good ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for moderate-overlap frontal-impact and side-impact protection.