2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out with its unique styling, avoiding the temptation to mimic its rivals. It carried over the sharp design language from the Navigator, featuring crisp lines and chrome accents that enhanced its luxurious appearance. Inside, the Aviator differentiated itself from its Ford counterpart with a cabin defined by comfort and warmth, featuring soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the air of class and luxury.

The 2022 Honda Passport, on the other hand, adopted a styling similar to the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck, sharing the same platform. The updated design aimed to give the Passport a tougher look, especially with the new TrailSport trim, which added off-road appeal. Inside, the Passport boasted one of the largest interiors in the two-row midsize SUV segment, with quality materials and ample storage. The TrailSport trim added unique touches like orange contrast stitching and rubber all-season floor mats.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a robust performance with its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was routed through a 10-speed automatic transmission, available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). 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 excelled in highway driving but struggled with body roll in corners and tight spaces.

The 2022 Honda Passport retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Passport offered front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), with the latter featuring Honda's Intelligent Variable Torque Management Four (i-VTM4) system. The TrailSport trim, equipped with AWD, provided decent off-road capability and a firm, communicative ride. However, the brakes showed signs of heating up and vibrating during mountain descents, which was a concern given its 5,000-pound towing capacity.

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 down. The second row, especially in the Grand Touring trim, offered captain's chairs, a center console, and a digital control panel for rear settings. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2022 Honda Passport featured large doors and a low step-in height, making it easy to enter and exit. The front seats were large and comfortable, with leather upholstery and heated seats standard. The rear seats offered ample space and a slightly elevated position, with large side windows enhancing the airy feel. The Passport provided 41.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expandable to 77.7 cubic feet with the back seat folded. The SUV's simple utility and undeniable comfort made it easy to live with.

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 with large icons. The Aviator also featured a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with crisp graphics.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The TrailSport trim added a navigation system, while the Elite trim featured a 10-speaker premium sound system and HondaLink connected services. The system had shortcut buttons and a volume knob but lacked a tuning knob. The Passport's navigation system was clunky, making Apple CarPlay a preferred option. Wireless smartphone charging was standard, but the overall technology felt dated.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped 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 reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the NHTSA and IIHS, including a Top Safety Pick accolade.

The 2022 Honda Passport featured the Honda Sensing collection of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high-beam headlights. However, the lane-departure warning and lane-centering assist functions were intrusive, and the adaptive cruise control was not smooth. The Passport earned five-star ratings from the NHTSA in most categories but received four stars for front passenger protection and rollover resistance. The IIHS gave it top ratings in most respects but an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.