2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out by not mimicking its competitors' styles. Instead, it adopted the successful design language of the larger Navigator, resulting in a sharp-looking vehicle with crisp lines and chrome accents. Inside, the Aviator differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart with a luxurious cabin featuring soft-touch materials, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, and a piano button shifter. The soothing chimes for alerts added to the air of class and luxury.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe maintained the iconic Wrangler look with minimal changes, such as a "4xe" badge and blue accents. The interior was similar to other four-door Wranglers, with a hose-me-out look and feel, but with more soft-touch materials. The controls were laid out in a functional manner, and the Rubicon trim included features like front and rear locking differentials and sway bar disconnect buttons. The Wrangler 4xe's interior retained its purposeful simplicity while offering better outfitting than previous models.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in its Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with options for rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, increasing output to 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque, with a 21-mile electric-only range. The Aviator provided robust acceleration and a smooth power delivery, though it exhibited noticeable body roll in corners and was somewhat awkward to maneuver in tight spaces.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors and a 17-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. This setup delivered 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, allowing the Wrangler 4xe to reach 60 mph in six seconds. The battery provided an estimated 21 miles of electric driving, with a total driving range of 370 miles. The Wrangler 4xe offered three powertrain modes: Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save, each catering to different driving needs. The vehicle performed well in various conditions, though it struggled to maintain freeway speed on hills in Electric mode.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator provided 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The second row, especially in the Grand Touring model with captain's chairs and a digital control panel, offered the most comfort. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe had high door sills and narrow rear doors, making entry and exit challenging, especially without side steps. Once inside, the Wrangler offered a classic driving position with clear visibility. The center console had limited storage due to the hand-brake and transfer case lever. Rear-seat space was adequate, with air conditioning vents, USB ports, and a 115-volt power outlet. Cargo volume measured 27.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, expandable to 72.4 cubic feet with the seat folded. The swing-out tailgate and flip-up rear glass window could be inconvenient in tight spaces.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system, with a landscape layout that made for a natural user experience. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and redundant controls in the center stack. The Aviator also offered a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with crisp graphics.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon's technological advancements were mainly related to its plug-in hybrid powertrain and 4WD system. It featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. The system was intuitive but showed signs of aging in terms of load time and responsiveness. The Wrangler 4xe also had helpful charging indicator lights and a Trip Summary data panel.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with standard driver assistance features as part of the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added features like reverse automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered advanced driving assistance systems in the Safety Group and Advanced Safety Group packages, including blind-spot warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The Wrangler's LED headlights received a Marginal rating from the IIHS, while the standard headlights were rated Poor. The Wrangler earned a four-star frontal-impact crash-test rating and a three-star rollover rating from the NHTSA.