2021 Lincoln Nautilus vs 2021 Ford Explorer

In 2021, the Ford Explorer adopted a "family resemblance" strategy among its SUV lineup with models like the Escape, Edge, Explorer, and Expedition, all starting with "E". Each vehicle shared distinct yet recognizable styling elements. The Explorer stood out with its sporty, raked belt lines and assertive front facade, making it hard to mistake for other brands, although distinguishing between the Edge and Explorer at a glance could be challenging.

The Explorer's exterior featured six distinct trim levels, each with different grille configurations ranging from black to full chrome. The trim levels included the Base, XLT, Limited, Limited Hybrid, Explorer ST, and Platinum, with prices starting at $32,925 and rising to $52,730. Inside, the Explorer offered three rows of seating as standard across all trims, sporting cloth upholstery at the base level, and leather in higher trims such as the ST, Platinum, Timberline, and King Ranch models. Its clean dashboard design was punctuated by a central 8-inch LCD touchscreen and a not-too-busy center stack.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, a descendant of the Lincoln MKX, received a significant refresh for its cabin while carrying forward its 2019 facelifted exterior. It embraced a more intuitive and luxurious interior design with clean lines, soft materials, and a large, forward-placed touchscreen. Lincoln's “Piano Key” shifter-button layout added to the sleek feel without confusing the driver.

The Nautilus boasted a standard 13.2-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen system, larger than the Explorer's base model screen. The Nautilus trims—Standard, Reserve, and Black Label—offered features scaling in luxury, such as genuine leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, a hands-free liftgate, and an available panoramic sunroof. The top-tier Black Label came with a host of advanced features including a 19-speaker Revel audio system, adaptive suspension, and extensive driver assistance features under the CoPilot360 Plus package.

Under the hood, the 2021 Ford Explorer came with a variety of powertrains designed to offer something for everyone. The base model featured a 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Moving up the trims, the Explorer Limited Hybrid came with a hybrid V6 delivering 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque, while higher trims like the ST were equipped with a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 generating up to 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. All trims used a 10-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift capability. The Explorer's towing capacity ranged from 5,000 to 5,600 pounds, dependent on the engine and configuration.

In contrast, the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine as standard, offering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The Reserve and Black Label trims could opt for a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 that produced 355 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. This V6 engine came paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Nautilus' twin-turbo V6 provided smooth yet powerful acceleration, complemented by its adaptive suspension which ensured a comfortable and composed ride even on less-than-ideal roads.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was designed with families in mind. The base trim had seating for seven, while higher trims included captain’s chairs in the second row, reducing the capacity to six. Passengers in the second row enjoyed 39 inches of legroom, positioning the Explorer ahead of some rivals but behind others like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. With all seats up, the Explorer offered 21 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 81 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down—decent but not exceptional for the class.

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, serving as a two-row luxury midsize SUV, prioritized comfort and space for passengers over sheer cargo volume. It provided up to 68.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats down and 37.2 cubic feet of usable space with them up. The Nautilus included conveniences like a standard power liftgate and an available hands-free liftgate. The rear seats offered ample head and legroom, suitable even for long trips. Front seats were even more comfortable, especially with the optional 22-way multi-contour power adjustments.

The Ford Explorer's base trim came well-equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen, but higher trims could see an upgrade to a 10.1-inch screen. All models included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a 4G WiFi hotspot, and Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system. Charging options included two USB ports and five 12-volt power points, with higher trims adding a wireless charging pad and even a 110-volt AC power outlet in the ST and Limited trims.

Lincoln upped the ante with a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system standard across all trims of the Nautilus. Its SYNC 4 interface was user-friendly and supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with no unnecessary dual screens or proprietary controllers to complicate use. The system also featured a wireless charging pad, significantly enhancing the median vehicle-to-phone relationship. The optional Revel 19-speaker premium stereo system offered excellent sound quality.

Safety was a strong suit for the 2021 Ford Explorer, which earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It featured the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite as standard, including automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Upgrading to the Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ suite added adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and evasive steering assist, among other features.

The Lincoln Nautilus also featured a comprehensive CoPilot360 safety suite, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert as standard. Additional available features included adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors, a surround-view monitor, and adaptive headlights. Despite its many features, the Nautilus' backup camera quality was somewhat lacking.