2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Kia Seltos

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, positioned between the Navigator and the compact MKC (later replaced by the Corsair), showcased Lincoln's return to real vehicle names, moving away from the old alphabet-soup naming convention. This shift indicated Lincoln's effort to distinguish itself from imports. The Aviator featured a unified design across Lincoln's lineup, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its tapered roofline and low, wide beltline gave it an elongated, boat-like appearance.

Inside, the Aviator's cabin boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The front seats were incredibly comfortable, using plush leather throughout, even in areas where it wasn't necessary, highlighting Lincoln's commitment to luxury. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, showcasing Lincoln's holistic approach to luxury.

The Aviator's lineup included five trims: Standard, Reserve, Grand Touring, Black Label, and Black Label Grand Touring. The Standard trim was well-equipped with features like three-zone climate control, leather upholstery, and the Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Reserve trim added second-row captain's chairs, upgraded leather upholstery, and a hands-free power liftgate. The Grand Touring trim, which we drove, included a huge sunroof, 30-way seats with a massaging function, and a 28-speaker Revel 3D premium sound system. The Black Label trims offered even more luxury, with unique upholstery choices and nearly every feature as standard equipment.

The 2021 Kia Seltos, despite being a subcompact SUV, had a big-car feel with an upright layout and a commanding view of the road. Its headlight design flowed well into the grille styling, and the lower front bumper had an aggressive approach angle. Our test model featured a two-tone roof design and red circles around the wheel centers, hinting at its on-road driving dynamics.

Inside, the Seltos had a straightforward design layout with clean lines and seamlessly integrated tech features, influenced by upscale brands like Audi. The clean LCD screen for climate controls added visual symmetry with the touchscreen atop the dash. The "handle" framing the tray below the center stack underscored the Seltos' utilitarian yet sporty nature.

The Seltos' trim levels included LX, S, EX, S Turbo, and SX Turbo. The LX came with 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The S trim added LED daytime running lights, combination leatherette-and-cloth upholstery, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The EX provided 17-inch machine finish alloy wheels, a sunroof, and full leatherette upholstery. The S Turbo included a more powerful engine and 18-inch alloy wheels, while the SX Turbo offered LED fog lamps, a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, and an upgraded stereo.

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. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds.

The Grand Touring's hybrid setup provided hushed, confident acceleration and smoothed out the driving experience with its electric power at low speeds. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned yet effective. The Excite drive mode offered a more dynamic experience, but the Aviator's 5,600-pound weight limited its sportiness. Fuel economy for the RWD Aviator was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, and 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17 mpg city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. The PHEV had a combined 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined rating.

The 2021 Kia Seltos' LX, S, and EX trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and either front-wheel drive (FWD) or AWD. The base engine was adequate for city driving but lacked power at higher speeds. The S Turbo and SX Turbo trims offered a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and standard AWD. This engine provided ample power for quick acceleration and highway driving.

The Seltos' Drive Mode dial offered Normal, Sport, and Smart modes, with Sport mode enhancing throttle response and steering feel. Despite its upright layout and 7.3 inches of ground clearance, the Seltos exhibited little body roll in turns and felt nimble and planted in Sport mode. It also provided a smooth ride over bumps, combining attributes typically found in luxury SUVs.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows of seating, competed with vehicles like the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, and Mercedes-Benz GLE. 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. With the second and third rows folded, the Aviator offered 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6.

The Aviator's seats and door handles were somewhat confusing, with only half the seat controls on the door-mounted panel and the rest accessible via the center touchscreen. The 30-way seats with a massage function were worth the effort to learn the controls. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button instead of a handle, which could be confusing for passengers.

The 2021 Kia Seltos provided 26.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. This made it one of the most spacious subcompact SUVs, even surpassing some compact SUVs. The SX Turbo trim included a hard cargo cover that doubled as a tray for small items.

The Seltos had plenty of cubbies and compartments for storage, with large cubbies and bottle holders in the doors, a spacious center console, and a tray between the front seats. The rear seats offered impressive head- and legroom, a rarity among subcompact SUVs.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator featured the Sync 3 infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen in a landscape layout, providing a user-friendly interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display offered a minimalist yet informative readout.

The 2021 Kia Seltos' base S trim came with a 3.5-inch TFT digital screen in the instrument panel and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The SX Turbo trim included a Bose premium sound system, a 7-inch digital display screen, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The large screen could display Apple CarPlay/Android Auto while showing additional information on the right third of the screen.

However, plugging in a smartphone via USB would default the audio to the phone's output, which could be frustrating. Only one of the two USB ports allowed data connection, with the other serving as a power source. Despite these quirks, Kia's infotainment system was straightforward and intuitive, thanks to the helpful home button and redundant hard buttons below the touchscreen.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a full array of 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, and automatic high beams. Other safety features included blind-spot monitoring and a head-up display.

The 2021 Kia Seltos included front- and side-impact airbags, electronic stability control, a tire pressure monitoring system, and child-seat anchor latches. All trims except the base LX featured a suite of driver-assistance safety features, including forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. The EX trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the SX trim included adaptive cruise control with idle stop-and-go, cyclist detection, and a safe exit feature.