2021 Land Rover Range Rover vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out with its distinct design, avoiding the temptation to mimic its competitors. It carried forward the sharp styling of the Navigator, characterized by crisp lines and tasteful chrome accents. The Aviator's interior was equally impressive, offering a warm and comfortable cabin with soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen that elegantly dominated the dashboard. The piano button shifter added a unique touch, contributing to the Aviator's luxurious ambiance. The various trims, from Standard to Black Label Grand Touring, offered a range of features, including synthetic leather upholstery, tri-zone climate control, and advanced audio systems, ensuring a premium experience for all passengers.

In contrast, the 2021 Land Rover Range Rover exuded a timeless elegance, drawing from its rich heritage. Despite its design nearing a decade old, the Range Rover maintained a modern appeal with hallmark design cues like blacked-out windshield pillars and clean styling. Inside, the Range Rover offered a luxurious experience with high-quality leather upholstery and a mid-century modern ambiance. However, the second-row seating fell short in comfort, lacking thigh support and adjustability. The Range Rover's interior storage was limited, and its cargo space was less than expected for a vehicle of its class. Despite these shortcomings, the Range Rover's air suspension and advanced climate control features added to its overall appeal.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a robust performance with its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, delivering 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was channeled through a 10-speed automatic transmission, with options for rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, boosting output to 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. This hybrid setup allowed for up to 21 miles of electric-only driving. The Aviator's drive mode selector offered unique options like "Excite" and "Conserve," enhancing its driving dynamics. However, its long wheelbase and noticeable body roll in corners made it less agile in city driving.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover provided a range of powertrain options, including a mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-six engine in the HSE Westminster edition, producing 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, this engine delivered smooth and rapid acceleration. The Range Rover's four-wheel drive system, complete with a two-speed transfer case and Terrain Response 2 traction control, ensured its legendary off-road capabilities. Despite its weight and tall center of gravity, the Range Rover offered a classic wafting ride, thanks to its adaptive air suspension. However, its steering response was slow, and side-to-side wallow was noticeable on uneven roads. The Range Rover's fuel economy was modest, with an average of 18.5 mpg during testing.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator provided ample cargo space, with 18.3 cubic feet behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a total of 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The second-row captain's chairs in the Grand Touring model offered exceptional comfort, with a digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio settings. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality in case of a battery failure.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover featured an air suspension with a kneel mode for easier access, though shorter passengers found entry challenging. The front seats were decadently comfortable, but the second row lacked support and adjustability, resulting in an uncomfortable seating position. Storage space was limited, with dual glove compartments compensating for the small center-console bin. The Range Rover's cargo capacity was also limited, with a maximum of 59.8 cubic feet, less than some compact SUVs. A button in the cargo area activated the suspension kneel function for easier loading.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system. The landscape format of the screen provided a natural layout, and the system was easy to use, with large icons for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Aviator also featured a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with crisp graphics.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover boasted a fully digital instrumentation and infotainment system, spread across three displays. The InControl Touch Pro Duo system, while comprehensive, was not entirely intuitive, requiring users to familiarize themselves with its functions. The dual 10-inch touchscreens posed a distraction while driving, and the head-up display was not visible with polarized sunglasses. The Range Rover's technology included a waterproof Activity Key wristband and an iGuide smartphone app for easy access to the owner's manual.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator was well-equipped with safety features, including the standard Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, which offered automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator received top safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover included standard safety features like forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Optional packages offered additional driver aids, such as adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree surround-view camera. The HSE Westminster Edition included the Drive Pro and Park packages, though the adaptive cruise control was slow to respond in certain situations. Overall, the Range Rover's safety features were effective and accurate.