2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2020 Honda Pilot

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator’s position within the Lincoln lineup placed it below the Navigator and above the compact MKC and its replacement, the Corsair. It was encouraging that Lincoln reverted to using real vehicle names rather than an alphabet-soup naming convention. The Aviator’s aesthetics harmonized with the rest of Lincoln's lineup, flaunting handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its slightly tapered roofline and low, wide beltline bestowed an elongated, boat-like appearance.

Inside, the Aviator’s cabin radiated luxury, with a flowing design and extensive usage of soft-touch materials highlighted by selective metallic accents. The elegant yet robust seats and piano-key shifter buttons hinted at classic luxury without making the design language feel redundant or forced—a common problem with Lincoln’s designs from the 2010s.

Comfort was paramount, particularly in the front seats, swathed in plush leather extending even to the sides of the center console, signifying a deeper commitment to luxury. Unique touches such as a panoramic moonroof and orchestral warning chimes from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra showcased Lincoln’s distinctive approach to luxury.

The Aviator offered five trims: Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring, Black Label, and Black Label Grand Touring. The Standard trim came well-equipped with features like three-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, and heated front seats, alongside the Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The higher trims added even more premium features, including second-row captain's chairs, upgraded leather upholstery, quad-zone climate control, a premium Revel sound system, and a surround-view camera system. The Grand Touring trim we drove boasted an expansive sunroof and nearly all the features from the Standard and Reserve trims. At the top, the Black Label trims offered luxurious seating, a superior audio system, and exclusive upholstery options.

The 2020 Honda Pilot shared its dynamic styling with the current Honda lineup, featuring slender LED headlights and a multi-tiered grille. Despite its size, a subtle uptick in the belt-line around the rear side windows gave it a more streamlined look.

The Pilot’s cabin was modern and spacious, composed of a mix of soft-touch materials and hard plastics, though competitors like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Mazda CX-9 offered more upscale interiors. The semi-digital instrument panel, with analog fuel and engine-temperature gauges supplementing the digital screen, provided clear and comprehensive information in front of the driver.

Honda offered the Pilot in six trims: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The base LX included 18-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, and push-button start. Moving up, the EX trim added features like remote start, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, LED fog lights, and Smart Entry. The EX-L brought leather upholstery, a power liftgate, and a moonroof. The high-end Touring trim added 20-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, an upgraded stereo, and ambient interior lighting. The Elite trim threw in power-folding side mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, and heated and ventilated front seats. The Black Edition stood out with its black-painted wheels, black grille, and accents.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, delivering an impressive 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This engine, shared with some Ford models, provided a robust driving experience.

The Grand Touring trim elevated the performance with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, combining the 3.0-liter V6 with a 100-hp electric motor. This setup produced a staggering 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, sending power either to rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) for the base V6, and an AWD setup for the hybrid. Both variants could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds.

The hybrid’s combination of gas and electric power conserved fuel and provided smooth, confident acceleration, delivering a refined driving experience with a stop-start system that engaged seamlessly. The Aviator’s steering was light, and its brakes provided cushioned feedback, reminiscent of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan’s driving style.

Fuel economy for the conventional Aviator with RWD was 18 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. The AWD version slightly reduced these figures. The hybrid setup achieved a combined 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a 56 MPGe rating.

The 2020 Honda Pilot was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Depending on the trim, the power was sent to either the front wheels (FWD) or available all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 was paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission on LX, EX, and EX-L trims, while the Touring, Elite, and Black Edition received a smoother 9-speed automatic transmission.

Honda’s proprietary shifter button setup for the 9-speed transmission replaced the conventional shifter, which some drivers found confusing. The standard V6 provided ample acceleration, capable of moving from a standstill and facilitating highway passing with ease, though it was not the segment leader for acceleration.

The Pilot’s real-world driving dynamics excelled in comfort, making it ideal for commutes and road trips. It lacked athleticism but compensated with a refined and comfortable ride. The Intelligent Traction Management System allowed drivers to select from Normal, Snow, Mud, and Sand modes, optimizing traction but not transforming the Pilot into an off-roader.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator featured three rows of seats, competing within a crowded segment including the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain’s chairs were highly praised, though the power-closing third row, while adequate for adults, was better suited for children on longer trips.

Dropping both the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6. However, the Aviator's cabin presented some usability challenges, such as overly complicated seat controls and unconventional door-release buttons, which demanded a learning curve and raised reliability concerns in case of electrical issues.

The 2020 Honda Pilot offered a spacious cabin, seating up to eight with second-row bench seating on some trims, or seven with second-row captain’s chairs on higher trims. Unlike some competitors, the Pilot’s third row was adult-friendly and accessible with one-touch fold-down rear seats on EX trims and higher.

The cargo space with both second and third rows folded reached 83.9 cubic feet. Comparable rivals like the Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Subaru Ascent were in the same ballpark, while the Volkswagen Atlas outdid them all with 96.8 cubic feet. The Pilot surpassed the Mazda CX-9 in cargo capacity, further emphasizing its practical design. Higher trims included a power liftgate and a hands-free power tailgate for added convenience.

The Pilot abounded with practical storage spaces throughout the cabin, catering to family needs. The higher trims’ second-row captain's chairs provided a narrow passage for ease of access, and the conversation mirror in the ceiling allowed for monitoring rear passengers effectively.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system on a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Unlike the awkward portrait layout seen in the Ford Explorer, the Aviator's screen used a landscape format, presenting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the entire screen for a user-friendly experience.

The Aviator also featured a fully digital instrument panel and, in our test car, a prominent head-up display. The HUD was designed to be minimalist but informative, consolidating many features into a single row at the bottom of the screen, which did not distract the driver.

The 2020 Honda Pilot’s tech offerings varied by trim. The base LX trim featured a 5-inch color LCD screen, while all other trims had an 8-inch touchscreen with Honda’s Display Audio system, accommodating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Display Audio, however, was critiqued for its lack of physical controls, relying heavily on a touchscreen layout that was not user-friendly. The lack of a tuning knob and a confusing interface detracted from the infotainment experience.

Upper trims provided additional tech, such as HD Radio, SiriusXM, and Cabin Control Remote Capability, allowing rear passengers to control the stereo via a smartphone app. Advanced features like navigation, a rear-seat entertainment system, and an upgraded audio system were available on higher trims, with the Elite and Black Edition including a wireless charging pad and mobile hotspot capability.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came equipped with standard safety features, including a full array of front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite added a range of driver-assistance systems, such as forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Honda Pilot also featured a comprehensive suite of safety technologies with its HondaSensing system. This included forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Additional safety equipment included front and side-impact airbags, child-seat anchors, Vehicle Stability Assist, and traction control. Options such as front and rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert could be added for enhanced safety.

The Pilot earned top marks from safety organizations, receiving a five-star overall crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the highest crash test score of "Good" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Thanks to Honda Sensing, it also achieved the top "Superior" rating in IIHS crash prevention technology evaluation.