2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Toyota Highlander

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out by not mimicking its competitors' styles. Instead, it adopted the sharp, chrome-heavy design language of the larger Navigator, resulting in a striking appearance. The interior was equally impressive, with a focus on comfort and warmth, featuring soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the luxurious feel. Trims ranged from Standard to Black Label Grand Touring, each offering progressively more features, such as synthetic leather upholstery, tri-zone climate control, and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima sound system.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander, meanwhile, made a statement with its bold design, including wide headlights, a long hood, and a trapezoidal grille. The XSE trim added a sportier look with 20-inch wheels and a unique front fascia. Inside, the Limited trim featured near-flawless fit and finish, with tan leather seats and dark brown trim. The Highlander excelled in comfort and convenience, offering plenty of legroom and a practical layout, although the rear-seat climate control vents were oddly placed on the ceiling.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine across its Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was managed by 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 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque, with a 21-mile electric-only range. The Aviator's drive modes, including "Excite" and "Conserve," added to its versatility, though it struggled with body roll in corners and tight city driving.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options. While not a performance powerhouse, the Highlander provided smooth and predictable operation, making it suitable for family use. The XSE trim added sportier suspension tuning, but it didn't transform the Highlander into a performance vehicle. Overall, the Highlander's powertrain was competitive within its class, offering a balance of power and comfort.

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

The 2021 Toyota Highlander offered 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 48.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 84.3 cubic feet with both the second and third rows down. The interior featured practical shelves for storage and a wireless charging pad in higher trims. Second-row passengers enjoyed ample legroom, though the third row was less spacious. The placement of rear-seat climate control vents on the ceiling was a minor inconvenience.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system. The landscape layout of the screen was user-friendly, and the system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The fully digital instrument panel and optional head-up display added to the tech-savvy feel of the Aviator.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander featured an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims, with a 12.3-inch option available on the Limited trim and standard on the Platinum trim. The system was easy to use, though navigation struggled with points of interest. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard across all trims. The 12.3-inch screen was bright and responsive, but its limited use of the full screen for certain apps was a drawback.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came with the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including 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 features like reverse automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from both the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2021 Toyota Highlander featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, intersection support, road-sign assist, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-tracing assist, and automatic high beams. The Highlander also received five stars from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS.