2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

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 old 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 provided a 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, indicating a deep commitment to luxury. The Aviator also featured a massive panoramic moonroof and unique 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 three-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, heated front seats, and the Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, four USB ports, and satellite radio. The Reserve trim added second-row captain's chairs, 12-way power front seats, upgraded leather upholstery, a hands-free power liftgate, Revel premium sound system, quad-zone climate control, surround-view camera system, and a navigation system. The Grand Touring trim included a huge sunroof, many features from the Standard and Reserve trims, and a standout plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The Black Label trim offered extreme luxury with unique upholstery choices and nearly every feature as standard equipment, while the Black Label Grand Touring added the plug-in hybrid drivetrain. The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, launched in 2005, was still in its second generation, which arrived in 2014 and received a refresh in 2018. This refresh brought the dual-screen center console that defined Land Rover interiors. A plug-in hybrid variant and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became available in 2020. The Range Rover Sport's trims included SE, HSE Silver, HST, HSE Dynamic, Autobiography, SVR, and SVR Carbon Edition. The base SE trim featured leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, an eight-speaker Meridian premium sound system, a WiFi hotspot, and the dual-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The HSE Silver added quad-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 19-speaker Meridian sound system. The HST trim offered a similar feature set but upgraded the powertrain and swapped quad-zone climate control for tri-zone. The HSE Dynamic featured a supercharged V8 engine, a limited-slip differential, and a two-speed transfer case. The Autobiography trim offered 22-way power-adjustable front seats, power soft-close doors, and many optional features from lower trims. The SVR performance model had a more powerful V8 engine, performance-oriented front-and-rear sport seats, and a stiffer suspension, while the SVR Carbon Edition added carbon fiber accents and 22-inch alloy wheels.

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 PHEV provided smooth, confident acceleration and used electric power at low speeds to enhance fuel efficiency. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned but 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, 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17, 24, 20. The PHEV had a combined 23 mpg, a 21-mile electric-only range, and a 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined rating. The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered several powertrain options. The base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The HST model's P400 powertrain made 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Silver Edition offered plug-in hybrid or diesel powertrains, with the P400e plug-in hybrid producing 398 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 making 254 hp and 443 lb-ft. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims featured a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, while the SVR and SVR Carbon Edition had a more powerful version of this engine, making 575 hp and 516 lb-ft. All models had an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive (4WD). The Range Rover Sport's height-adjustable air suspension and Terrain Response system provided impressive off-road capabilities and cornering abilities. Most variants could tow up to 7,716 pounds, except the SVR, which could tow 6,613 pounds.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator's three-row configuration placed it in the same category as 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. 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 seat controls split between a door-mounted panel and a center touchscreen menu. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button on the back of the handle, which could be confusing for passengers. The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity from five to seven, but with only 10.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. The first and second rows offered ample headroom and legroom, while the optional third row was tight and best suited for children.

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 Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display, offering a minimalist and unobtrusive way to present information. The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's interior was dominated by a dual-screen center console. The lower screen controlled climate and vehicle settings, while the upper screen housed the infotainment system. The system had a learning curve and was not always intuitive, but the pair of dials integrated into the lower screen provided versatile control. The upper touchscreen had reasonably sized icons for switching between menus and interfacing with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The Range Rover Sport also had a real volume button, though it was tucked down by the base of the lower screen.

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, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display. The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport had standard driver assistance features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. However, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were optional. Other available features included a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, parallel and perpendicular park assist, and a head-up display.