2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2022 Ford Explorer

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out with its distinctive styling, avoiding the temptation to mimic its rivals. Lincoln successfully carried over the sharp design language from the Navigator, resulting in a vehicle defined by crisp lines and tasteful chrome accents. Inside, the Aviator's cabin exuded comfort and warmth, with soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen dominating the dash. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the luxurious feel.

In contrast, the 2022 Ford Explorer King Ranch featured exclusive Del Rio leather seating and King Ranch branding, but its cabin exhibited a mix of quality and questionable materials. The Explorer's rear-drive platform allowed for a long and tall hood, giving it an athletic appearance. However, the third-row seat was only suitable for children, and the interior lacked practical storage spaces. The King Ranch trim included triple-zone climate control, massaging front seats, and heated second-row captain’s chairs.

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. 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. The hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration and up to 21 miles of pure electric range. The Aviator's drive mode selector included unique names like "Excite" and "Conserve," reflecting its focus on comfort rather than performance.

The 2022 Ford Explorer offered three powertrains. The base, XLT, ST-Line, Limited, and Timberline trims came with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine generating 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid drivetrain, available for the Limited and Platinum trims, combined a 3.3-liter V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 318 hp and 322 lb-ft of torque. The top-tier ST, Platinum, and King Ranch trims featured a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, delivering 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Explorer King Ranch 4WD test vehicle averaged 20.6 mpg and provided a robust driving experience, suitable for both daily driving and off-roading.

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 a total of 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The second-row captain's chairs and digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio controls made the second row the place to be. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2022 Ford Explorer King Ranch offered 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seat, 47.9 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 87.8 cubic feet with both rear rows down. The King Ranch trim included triple-zone climate control, massaging front seats, and heated second-row captain’s chairs. However, the third-row seat was difficult for adults to access and lacked legroom. The interior also lacked practical storage spaces, with missed opportunities for additional trays and shelves.

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

The 2022 Ford Explorer offered two versions of its Sync 3 infotainment system: an 8-inch touchscreen and a 10.1-inch portrait-style touchscreen. The larger screen looked like an afterthought, and the Sync 3 system struggled with voice recognition. The King Ranch trim included FordPass Connect services, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, wireless smartphone charging, a surround-view camera system, and a 14-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system. However, the system's voice recognition was less reliable compared to newer Sync 4 technology.

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 2022 Ford Explorer earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS for all trims. The Explorer came standard with Ford Co-Pilot360, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist. The Explorer also featured a post-collision braking system and MyKey programmable vehicle functions. However, the NHTSA had not published complete crash-test ratings for the 2022 model year at the time of review.