2021 Audi Q3 vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Audi Q3 featured a massive corporate grille that paired well with its stout, chunky styling, presenting an idea of utility and dynamic handling. The cabin echoed a mechanical, modern aesthetic with a dash design that framed the center touchscreen, making it a standout feature. However, the Q3's interior design, which debuted in 2019, started to feel less special as Volkswagen's non-luxury interiors caught up in design, though the Q3 still maintained a modern and refined feel.

In contrast, the 2021 Lincoln Aviator avoided emulating its rivals' styles and instead adopted the sharp, crisp lines and chrome accents of the larger Navigator. The Aviator's interior was defined by comfort and warmth, with plenty of soft-touch materials and a center console that rose elegantly to the 10.1-inch touchscreen. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the Aviator's air of class and luxury, differentiating it from its Ford counterpart.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. The S-Line trim offered a more potent version of the same engine, delivering 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Q3's performance was lively, with solid power for passing and engaging drive modes like "S" or Sport mode, which quickened throttle response and altered transmission mapping for harder acceleration. Despite some turbo lag in the base engine, the Q3 offered nimble handling and a comfortable ride, striking a balance between dynamic driving and refined ride quality.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator's Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims featured a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and available all-wheel drive. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims added a plug-in hybrid configuration, increasing output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque, with up to 21 miles of pure electric range. The Aviator's hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration, though its heft resulted in noticeable body roll in corners. The drive mode selector offered modes like "Excite" and "Conserve," making the Aviator well-suited for highways and cul-de-sacs but less composed in city driving.

The 2021 Audi Q3 provided 48 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 23.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. While the space behind the seats was decent for a subcompact luxury SUV, the overall cargo space was subpar for the class. However, the Q3 made up for it with comfortable front seats, deep cargo pockets, and impressive rear seat headroom and legroom, making it suitable for four passengers on a road trip.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, which could be increased to 41.8 cubic feet with the power-lift-and-lower third-row seats folded. With all rear seats folded, the Aviator provided a total of 77.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which was excellent for the midsize luxury SUV class. The second row, especially in the Grand Touring model with captain's chairs and a digital control panel, was the place to be. However, the use of power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery ever died.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running Audi's MMI system, featuring logical menu navigation, Android Auto, and wireless Apple CarPlay. The upgraded system included a 10.1-inch touchscreen with navigation, wireless device charging, satellite radio, and a Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker premium audio system. The Audi Virtual Cockpit replaced the conventional instrument cluster with a customizable digital display.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a standard 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, with a landscape format that made for a natural layout. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, presented with large icons that took up the whole screen. The Aviator also came with a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with large, crisp graphics.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came standard with Audi Pre Sense and Pre Sense Front, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. Lane-departure warning was also standard. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, a 360-degree camera system, front-and-rear parking sensors, and self-parking assist.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with the standard Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, which included automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.